Question NW973 to the Minister of Social Development
18 June 2020 - NW973
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Social Development
(1)What are the names of the partners who work with the SA Social Security Agency to process (a) applications and (b) payments of the Covid-19 social relief grant system; (2) what (a) existing partnerships does GovChat have and/or work with and (b) role do the partners play; (3) (a) what will the collected data of persons who qualify for the Covid-19 social relief grant of R350 be used for once the payment of the grant is terminated and (b) who will have access and full rights to this data?
Reply:
1. (a) SASSA is utilising the services of:-
- Vodacom SA to provide the USSD channel for capturing the grant applications.
- GovChat to provide the WhatsApp channel for capturing the grants applications.
- Prosense Technology to provide the WebApp channel for capturing the grant applications, as well as the processing of applications and creation and reconciling of payment files for the Special Covid-19 social relief grant.
- National Treasury for Account verification and Cash flow Management
- Bankserv for processing of the payment files from SASSA as per the Industry EFT payments process.
- Banks for the payment of grants
(b) SASSA has used an existing contract and service provider, Prosense Technology, to leverage and expand on existing capabilities to assist to create and effect payments.
2. (a) SASSA is not privy to the partnerships which GovChat has and who they work with, but is aware that GovChat is also providing data service platforms to COGTA (since 2017) and the Department of Health.
(b) SASSA is not privy to the role that other partners play.
3. (a) Upon termination of the payment of the Covid-19 social relief grant of R350, the collected data will be stored or disposed of in terms of the applicable personal data protection laws.
(b) SASSA will have access and the full rights to the data will remain vested in the Data Subject as per the Protection of Personal Information Act. SASSA and GovChat have signed a Data Processing and Confidentiality Agreement which protects beneficiary data against access by any other party or sale of the beneficiary data or use for any other purpose other than for application for the special Covid 19 SRD grant.