Scopa welcomes Concourt ruling in SASSA matter
Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts has welcomed the Constitutional Court judgement on the social grants payment saga - saying it averts the crisis that had been looming.
The Constitutional Court ruled this morning morning that the contract between the Social Security Agency of South Africa and Cash Paymaster Services continue for another 12 months.
Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini now needs to motivate to the court why she shouldn't pay the costs of the ConCourt application out of her own pocket.
Scopa chairperson, Temba Godi says they are looking forward to hearing from Dlamini on why she should not be held personally liable for the mess.
"We are eagerly awaiting to see the affidavit of the minister on why she should not be personally held liable for paying the costs, which I think is very damning against her personally," he said.
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Godi says they're also happy with the order on the protection of the personal data of grant recipients, which has been abused by CPS and other companies associated to it for commercial benefit.
Today's judgement was delivered by Justice Johan Froneman.
"It is declared that SASSA is under a duty to ensure that the payment method it determines: 10.1) Contains adequate safeguards to ensure personal data obtained in the payment process remains private and may not be used for any other purpose other than the payment of the grants or any other purpose sanctioned by the minister in terms of section 20 sub 3 and 4 of the Social Assistance Act; and 2) precludes a contracting party of inviting beneficiaries to opt into the sharing of confidential information for the marketing of goods and services," he said.