Question NW9 to the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
19 February 2018 - NW9
Lekota, Mr M to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
What (a) are the actions, inactions and conduct of the SA Social Security Agency (SASSA) that formed the basis of the request by the Chief Executive Officer of the SA Post Office for the intervention of the Director-General (DG) of the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) into the process for the implementation of the payments of grants and (b) action has been taken to encourage SASSA’s cooperation?
Reply:
I have been informed by SA Post Office as follows:
a) There were some disagreements on the implementation of the Services Agreement that was signed on 08 December 2017. SAPO required sign-offs in line with the agreed Service Agreement timelines but they were being delayed by SASSA. This was flagged on numerous occasions but still there were no formal sign-offs provided. Only verbal commitments were made which somewhat compromised the governance protocol. In addition, SAPO learnt of the appointment of the work streams to provide technical advice to SASSA. The introduction of this team posed a risk in that the already agreed but not yet signed-off specifications could be changed and therefore delays the implementation process. It was on this basis that SAPO requested the intervention of the DPME DG raising early warning signals about the potential delays that are caused by factors outside of SAPO’s control.
b) The DG of the DPME mediated on the matter between both CEOs supported by the DG of the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) and contingencies were initiated by SAPO and agreed with SASSA to mitigate any possible delays. In addition, ongoing communications and regular meetings are held through steering committees and focus Area groups. SAPO has since assured that all issues that were outstanding have been adequately mitigated upon and the project is now on track.
Approved/ not approved
Dr Siyabonga Cwele, MP
Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
Date: