Question NW954 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration

Reply:

The Department of Public Service and Administration does not have a mandate over the management of any grants. The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and other grant providing government institutions manage grants in line with their Constitutional mandates though the use of systems that run independently from that of the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA).

(a) & (b)The DPSA therefore, has no mandate to interfere in the operations of any grant providing government institutions, has no access to their systems, and therefore cannot put measures in place to prevent public servants from applying for and receiving any grants that they are not entitled to.

However, after discovering that there were public service employees that were applying for, and receiving grants that they were not entitled to, the DPSA offered assistance to SASSA specifically, to identify applicants that are public service employees, by comparing applicants against the Personnel Salary System (PERSAL). This allows SASSA to identify if applicants are public service employees, which enables them to block such applicants.

The DPSA, through the Technical Assistance Unit has also compiled the list of public servants that are suspected to have applied and received grants that they were not entitled to, for investigation through the Fusion Centre. The Fusion Centre is a government coordination body that involves the Police, the NPA, FIC and departments dealing with criminal cases warranting departmental disciplinary action, such as drafting of charge sheets, and the requesting of dockets needed for disciplinary cases. These initiatives serve to discourage and punishes unethical behaviour amongst public servants.

End