Tebogo Msimanga |
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it seems the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, is trying to downplay the R1.5 million the SASSA Free State Regional Office spent on its international women’s day event on 28 March 2023.
DA Shadow Minister of Social Development Bridget Masango said in answer to a written parliamentary question from the DA, the Minister revealed that SASSA saw fit to squander more than R185 000 on a venue, more than R43 000 on a sound and PA system, and almost R228 000 on the catering. A further R32 000 went to the service fees for the travel agent.
“It is puzzling why SASSA and the Minister has qualms in revealing how the R1 million for gifts were spent. Instead of providing the necessary information, they simply stated that “SASSA Free State did not procure gifts from the budget of the institution”.
Masango added that since the DA first revealed this scandal in May, it has come to light that more than half a billion rand has been stolen from SASSA the past decade, yet consequence management in the same period has been minimal and inconsistently monitored and reported on.
“It has also come to light that National Treasury reallocated R9.162 billion from the Department of Social Development (DSD) due to its failure to spend its 2022/23 budget”.
