Bathabile Dlamini accounts to SCOPA in Parliament
Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini has explained to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) in Parliament why she didn't attend two previous meetings.
The minister is facing Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts over the social grants crisis.
"Last week, I did not come here because I had other responsibilities. The core chairperson of the committee could not come when she had confirmed she was coming but that's not the issue. It is the accounting officers that are supposed to come and give a report to SCOPA. People have been counting meetings I did not attend but never asked why I didn't attend. Also, relevant structures knew where I was," she said.
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Questions have been raised on whether social grants to more than 17 million recipients will be paid come 1 April.
The Constitutional Court had in 2014 ruled that the appointment of service provider, Cash Paymaster Services (CPS), was unlawful - granting SASSA until March this year to finalise a legal agreement or find a new service provider.