Gearing up the South African Social Security Agency to administer and pay
social assistance grants
12 February 2006
As announced by the President in his State of the Nation Address and my
subsequent Social Cluster Briefing, the South African Social Security Agency
(Social Security Agency) will, with effect from 1 April 2006, be responsible
for the administration and payment of social assistance to beneficiaries. More
than 10 million South Africans receive social grants and more than seven
million of these are children.
The full function shift will be phased in over the next six months, starting
with the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Gauteng. The Members of the Executive
Councils (MECs) and their Heads of provincial departments of Social Development
(HoDs) have diligently undertaken the separation and ring-fencing of the social
assistance function from the other social development functions within the
provinces.
This heightened activity in the provinces, namely the separation and
ring-fencing processes, was undertaken over and above the administrative
processes of ensuring that eligible beneficiaries receive their grants on
time.
Over the last months I have appointed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr
Fezile Makiwane, and a number of executive, general and senior managers,
including junior level staff within the Social Security Agency who have
fast-tracked in a diligent and responsible manner the development of capacity.
The nature of capacity development in the Social Security Agency, include
amongst other things, different policies, processes, procedures and systems on
human capital management, financial management and administration, information
and communication technology and the firming up of the key features of the
service delivery model. As we go along, further detail will be shared with the
Cabinet, the general public and media about the new grants delivery model. I
will also announce within the next weeks the formal date of the launch of the
South African Social Security Agency.
In addition, the Commercial Banking Association has seconded a Chief
Financial Officer, who is a Charted Accountant for a two-year period. I am
indeed grateful for the support and assistance, which reflects a social
responsibility commitment that contributes towards strengthening the
institutions of government.
Simultaneously the national Department and provinces have been restructuring
with a view to significantly strengthen the provision of welfare and
developmental services, which had been neglected due to the necessary focus on
social assistance over the past few years.
At the national level we will expand our ability to review and develop new
policies to broaden the scope of services to the most vulnerable. At the
provincial level, work is underway to develop implementation plans to expand
social welfare services provision. In this regard, significant funding will be
made available for welfare services.
Lastly, the Department is driving the process to ensure the establishment of
a comprehensive social security system, of which the contributory schemes will
now get our focussed attention, especially reform of retirement provisions to
ensure all South Africans contribute to pensions schemes and thereby over time
reduce the burden on the State.
Over the next months Cabinet and the public will be briefed regularly as we
integrate the social assistance function from the different provinces, expand
the reach of our welfare services and continue with the establishment of a
comprehensive social security system.
Enquiries:
Lakela Kaunda
Tel: (012) 312 7653
Cell: 082 782 2575
E-mail: Lakela.Kaunda@socdev.gov.za
Issued: Department of Social Development
12 February 2006
