Questions and Replies

Reply:

1. All SA Social Security Agency (SASSA) officials have personal protective equipment (PPEs). Officials have been supplied with gloves and masks. Sanitizers have been placed at strategic points within the offices and all persons entering the offices are sanitised. Officials who required gloves are issued with same. All persons, including beneficiaries and officials are screened when entering the offices and records of the screening is kept. In certain instances, front line staff dealing directly with clients have been provided face shields. Offices and vehicles have been disinfection.

2. There was no budget allocated for the procurement of PPEs, however with the arrival of COVID-19, SASSA had to prioritise within its budget to procure PPEs as this was an emergency. An amount of R31,978,051.67 has been set aside as budget for this purpose and actual spend is R11,390,817.76 for the financial year 2020-21.

(3) The measures implemented by SASSA to ensure compliance to the hygiene protocols at all social grant access points include the following:

(i) Splitting the payment file so that older persons and persons with disabilities are paid on the 3rd of each month and all children’s grants are paid on the 5th of each month.

(ii) Additional support has been utilised from volunteers (CDW), the National Development Agency, Department of Social Development and the Department of Co-operative Governance, Offices of Premiers, SANDF, SAPS, Department of Safety and Traditional Affairs to assist with social distancing regulations and queue marshalling.

(iii) Engagements with local authorities has also resulted in support being provided. In some towns entire streets were cordoned off, and chairs placed in the streets, with the minimum distancing between the chairs for older persons to sit while waiting for their turn in the retail outlets and post offices.

(iv) A standing forum exists between SASSA, retailers, Banking Association and Post Office, to plan for the payment cycle. All retailers and the Post Office have implemented measures to ensure that social distancing is maintained at all times.

Reply:

1. (a)(i) A total of over 15,7 million applications have been received as at 15 June 2020, of which 6,9 million are complete applications.

(ii) 3, 258 000 have been successfully processed and approved for payment

(iii) 1 094 090 have been paid out as at 15 June 2020

(b) To date, the statistics show that 3,336 refugees and 173,898 permanent residents applied for the grant.

(2) A total of 112 foreign nationals have accessed food parcels through the SASSA SRD programme since the Covid-19 state of disaster lockdown was announced at the end of March 2020.

Reply:

(a) There is currently no clarity at National level in terms of the lead Department dealing with Homelessness. However, the Department of Social development in Gauteng, together with Municipalities are rendering services to homeless people.

(b) There is no specific budget allocated to the Department of Social development in Gauteng to deal with homeless people including for the City of Ekurhuleni.

(c) There are no specific social workers assigned to work with homeless people. Currently the Social Work Supervisors in the employment of the department are rendering services to the beneficiaries at the Shelter.

(d) There is no database for homeless people in the specified towns but registers are kept in the three shelters. Based on the Registers maintained at the three (3) Shelters for Homeless an average of 192 beneficiaries access the Shelters. This number constantly fluctuates due to the constant movement of the beneficiaries.

Reply:

a) The total number of number of social workers who have been trained by the State that are unemployed since 1 March 2020 is 5 372.

b) The number of unemployed in each province:

PROVINCE	UNEMPLOYED GRADUATES
Eastern Cape	1164
Kwa-Zulu Natal	1301
Mpumalanga	350
Limpopo	1159
Gauteng	374
North West	241
Western Cape	440
Northern Cape	78
Free State	265
Total	5 372

Reply:

1. (a) There are currently 418 Residential facilities (old age homes) spread nationally as follows:

NAME OF THE PROVINCE	NO. OF FACILITIES
North West	28
Gauteng	76
Limpopo	8
Free State	49
Western Cape	120
Mpumalanga	21
KZN	41
Northern Cape	26
Eastern Cape	49
Total	418

(1) (b) Frail- care facilities:

In terms of the Older Persons Act No. 13 of 2006, Old Age Homes are Frail-Care Facilities. The name used is “residential facility”. The Older Persons Act, 2006 mandates that Older Persons should remain in their communities within their families for as long as possible. Institutional care should be the last resort or the last stage of Social Work intervention, i.e. the continuum of care. For an Older Person to be accommodated in a residential facility, (old age home or frail-care facility), one of the assessments done is one’s ability to perform their activities of daily living, a process which measures the Older Person’s need for assistance or frailty.

2. The total number of COVID-19 infections in (a) Old Age Homes and (b) Frail Care Facilities are as follows:

PROVINCE	NAME OF RESIDENTIAL FACILITY	AREA	NUMBER OF CURRENT INFECTIONS
			Residents	Staff
Kwa Zulu-Natal	Bill Buchanan Old Age Home	No 1 Goodwin Drive, Morningside EThekwini North District Municipality	3	19 tested negative
Eastern Cape	Gelvan Park Frail Aged Home	Gelvan Park Elizabeth Nelson Mandela Metro District	1	1
Eastern Cape	ACVV Huis Genot	Algoa Park Port Elizabeth Nelson Mandela Metro District	1	4
Eastern Cape	Lorraine Frail Care – Life Esidemeni facility	Lorraine Suburb Port Elizabeth Nelson Mandela Metro District	7 Older Persons	10 Staff Members
Mpumalanga	Mayibuyimpilo Residential Facility	Kwa-Mhlanga	1
Western Cape	House of Nazareth	1 Derry Street, Vredehoek 8001 Cape Town	1	5
Western Cape	Sencit Resthaven,	Boradlands Road, Strand	16	1
Western Cape	ACVV Huis Marie Louw	Metro East 18 Fagan Street, Somerset West	1	2
Western Cape	CPOA Lilyhaven	Privet Road, Bonteheuwel	2	1
Western Cape	CPOA Erica Place	Overton Road, Silvertown, Athlone	1
Western Cape	CPOA Oakhaven	Metro South Zuurberg Road, Heideveld	1	2
Western Cape	CPOA Lotus River	Metro South 5 Buck Road, Lotus River	9
Western Cape	CPOA Anchusa	Howard Drive, Meadowridge	1
Western Cape	CPOA Fairmead	College Road, Rondebosch	4
Western Cape	CPOA Seapoint Place	183 Beach Road, Three Anchor Bay	10	2
Western Cape	CPOA The Manor	183 Beach Road, Three Anchor Bay	2	1
Western Cape	CPOA Trianon	Birmingham Road, Diep River	1	1
Western Cape	Highlands House	MetroNorth 234 Upper Buitenkant Street, Cape Town	12	26
Western Cape	Brown & Annie Lawrence Home Private Facility	Metro North 7 Broad Walk, Pinelands		1
Western Cape	Bay CPOA Kronendal Village & Annex Private facility	Metro South Victoria Road, Hout Bay	6	13
Western Cape	The Villa (Alzheimer’s & Dementia) Private facility	Metro North 1 Derry Street, Vredehoek	2	13
Western Cape	Ladies' Christian Home	20 Vrede Street, Garden, Cape Town	5	6
Western Cape	Ons Tuiste ACVV Dienstak	Dreyer Street, Kemperville,		1
Western Cape	Rusthof Tehuis	24 Bauhunia Street, Klein Nederburg, Paarl	9	1
Western Cape	Zonnebloem ACVV-dienstak	61 Caledon Street, Cape Town		1
Western Cape	CPOA SAWAS HOUSE - Independent Living Facility (Private)	Pinelands		2
Western Cape	CPOA Sea Point Place & Annex Private facility	183 Beach Road, Three Anchor Bay	6
Western Cape	Libertas Retirement Centre Private facility	Libertas Retirement Centre		1
Western Cape	Magnolia Tehuis Private Facility	4 Baxter Street, Bellville	1	1
Western Cape	Oasis Care Centre Private Facility	Century Way, Century City, Milnerton	7	27
Western Cape	Othello Frail Care Centre Private Facility	Amelia Street 18, Protea Heights	8
Western Cape	Panorama Palms Retirement Village Private Facility	66 Uys Krige Drive, Panorama		30
Western Cape	Brenton Lodge (Brenthurst Residence) Private Facility	7, 9, 11 Brent Road, Plumstead	1
Western Cape	St. Johannes Heim Private Facility	155 Frans Conradie Drive, Parow	1
Western Cape	CPOA Kronendal Village & Annex	Victoria Road, Hout Bay	4	4
Western Cape	ACVV Jan Swart	Lourensriver Road, Strand	1
Western Cape	Huis Ebenheaser	C/O Valentine & Pool Street, Cloetesville, Stellenbosch	4	2
Western Cape	ACVV Rusoord	4 Devine Street, Paarl		1
Western Cape	Huis Luckhof – Badisa	42 Alma Road, Rosebank	10	1
Western Cape	Huis Nuweland – BADISA	22 Sylvia Road, Claremont	1	2
Western Cape	Auberge – Private facility	20 Upper Bebington Road, Bishops Court	5	3
Western Cape	Van Niekerk/Benadehof – ACVV Private	3030 Neethling Street, Strand	2
Western Cape	Evergreen Retirement Village Private facility	302 Sunrise boulevard, Muizenberg	2	11
Western Cape	Ametis – Strand Naastediens Private facility	4 Gordons bay Road, Strand	5	4
Western Cape	Carlisle Lodge Private facility	116 Kommetjie Road, Fish Hoek
TOTAL	151	221

2. (c) There are 27 fatal cases for Older Persons

PROVINCE	NAME OF RESIDENTIAL FACILITY	AREA	NUMBER OF DEATHS/ FATALITIES
Kwa-Zulu Natal	Bill Buchanan Old Age Home	No 1 Goodwin Drive, Morningside EThekwini North District Municipality	1
Western Cape	House of Nazareth	1 Derry Street, Vredehoek 8001 Cape Town	1
Western Cape	Carlisle Lodge Private facility	116 Kommetjie Road, Fish Hoek	1
Western Cape	Sencit Resthaven, (media enquiry)	Boradlands Road, Strand	3
Western Cape	CPOA Kronendal Village & Annex	Victoria Road, Hout Bay	2
Western Cape	Highlands House	Metro North 234 Upper Buitenkant Street, Cape Town	1
Western Cape	Huis Luckhof – Badisa	42 Alma Road, Rosebank	2
Western Cape	Huis Nuweland - BADISA	22 Sylvia Road, Claremont	1
Western Cape	Auberge – Private facility	20 Upper Bebington Road, Bishops Court	1
Western Cape	Huis Luckhof – Badisa	42 Alma Road, Rosebank	2
Western Cape	The Villa (Alzheimer’s & Dementia) Private facility; Registered	Metro North 1 Derry Street, Vredehoek	2
Western Cape	ACVV Jan Swart	Lourensriver Road, Strand	2
Western Cape	Nazareth House - Cape Town	Metro North	1
Western Cape	Sen-Cit Resthaven	Merto East	3
Western Cape	Oasis Care Centre	Century Way, Century City, Milnerton	1
Western Cape	The Villa (Alzheimer’s & Dementia)	1 Derry Street, Vredehoek	2
Eastern Cape	ACVV Huis Genot	Algoa Park Port Elizabeth Nelson Mandela Metro District	1
Eastern Cape
TOTAL DEATHS	27

(3) In response to this section, it should be noted that the numbers provided are relevant as at the time of submission as the number of infections, the number of recoveries, as well as the number of deaths across these Residential Care Facilities for Older Persons are not static.

(3)(a) There are 151 Older Persons and 221 staff members who are currently infected.

(3)(b) The respective numbers of recovered cases of Covid-19 infections in the specified facilities in each province is not available at the disposal of the Department of Social Development. However, engagements in sourcing the required data from the Department of Health was facilitated. Unfortunately, although the data on recoveries nationally is available, the data has not been disaggregated according to neither age nor specified facilities, including those providing care to Older Persons.

Kindly refer to Annexure (A), where the total number of recoveries in the country as received from the Department of Health are reflected.

(3)(c) A total of 27 deaths of Older Persons in residential care facilities has been reported.

4. According to the South African Policy for Older Persons Services, each residential facility should keep an emergency bed. Some Provinces identify facilities either at District or Provincial level that will keep these beds. During this period of the COVID-19 epidemic, these beds are utilized to quarantine Older Persons during observation.

The national plan of isolating the COVID-19 infected South African citizens will also accommodate Older Persons from residential facilities. South Africa practises a non-discrimination policy. Thus Older Persons will not be discriminated against when the national plan is implemented.

ANNEXURE (A)

Reply:

(1)(a)(i) The total number of grants paid by SASSA is 18,258,883

(ii) There are no social grants directly administered by the Department. All social grants are administered by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) on behalf of the Department of Social Development in line with the provisions of the Social Assistance Act no. 13 of 2004.

(b) The total amounts paid for social grants by SASSA in each of the financial years is:

(aa) 2015-16: R127,225,718,470.00

(bb) 2016-17: R137,752,469,100.00

(cc) 2017-18: R149,958,272,080.00

(dd) 2018-19: R161,678,879,150.00

(ee) 2019-20: R170,894,670,350.00

2. Minister can and does make a statement whenever necessary.

Reply:

Early Childhood Development services registered in terms of Children’s Act 38 of 2005 remain closed under level 3 of risk adjusted approach to Covid-19 within the Republic:

(a) Currently the department is working with civil society, private and International organisations such as UNICEF and Nelson Mandela Foundation to prepare readiness for re-opening. The task team will lead readiness assessment; the outcome of the assessment will determine the date for re-opening.

(b) The opening and closure of ECD services in provinces that remain on level 4 will be determined by the national risk restrictive measures attached to that level. If national risk measures require ECD services to remain closed during that level, ECD services will remain closed

(c) It should be noted that unlike Education there are no public ECD services, ECD services are provided through NPOs. There is therefore no budget specifically allocated to ECD services to provide PPEs except the subsidy to increase access to children whose families are in distress and cannot afford ECD fees. However, the department has requested provinces to use the savings from subsidy for the first quarter to procure PPEs and ensure readiness and compliance with COVID19. Furthermore, the conditional grant makes provision for infrastructure which is minimal.

The department therefore engaged National Treasury to re-purpose the infrastructure grant towards provision of support to ECD services that are basically serving children in disadvantaged communities. The funding thereof is limited and strict criteria will be developed to ensure that support is directed where there is dire need.

(d) The established task team referred to in (a) is in a process of finalising the protocols that will guide the reopening of ECD services, the number of children will be within the protocols guided by risk measures as per the national regulations and Directives. (e) The established team has developed mechanisms for monitoring compliances which places responsibility on the department working in collaboration with the ECD structures. The department will take measures to those ECD services that do not adhere to COVID 19 compliance measures. Such ECD services may face closure as they will be endangering the health and lives of children. (f) It is the responsibility of each ECD operator to ensure that ECD practitioners and all categories of workforce are capacitated on COVID 19 measures and are ready to receive children. The department will work in collaboration with DoH to do spot checks for opening readiness.

Reply:

(a) There are 8 nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) also referred to as Provincial Implementing Agents that were selected to partner with the Department to provide services during the national state of disaster and lockdown period as listed in the table below.

The 8 Organisations (NPOs) were working with a network of 235 Organisations (NPOs) that operate Community Nutrition and Development Centres (CNDCs) in communities across the nine provinces.

One national organisation Kirinox was working with the shelters across the country.

Province	Provincial Implementing Agents (PIAs)	NPO Number	Year of registration
Eastern Cape	Adventist Development & Relief Agency (ADRA)	002-076	2000
Free State	Adventist Development & Relief Agency (ADRA)	002-076	2000
Gauteng	Kagisano	117-036	2013
KwaZulu Natal	South African Food Security Development Agency (SAFSDA)	011-280	2001
Limpopo	Makotse Womens Club	009-730	2002
Mpumalanga	Kago Yabana Foundation	128-095	2013
Northern Cape	Motswedi Wa Sechaba	146-183	2014
North West	Motswedi Wa Sechaba	146-183	2014
Western Cape	Ilitha Labantu	030-804	2003
National	Kirinox	124-809	2013

(b) The specified NGOs were (i) established NGOs in the years reflected on the last column.

We are not aware of an Organisation (ii) less than three months old. All these Organisations have worked with DSD for at-least more than one year.

Reply:

PPE procured by the Department of Social Development (DSD) since 1 Feb 2020

REGION	DESCRIPTION	DATE	NAME OF THE SUPPLIER	MONETORY VALUE	(d) BRANDING	(e) HOW AND WHERE WAS THE PURCHASED EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTED
NDSD	Hand sanitiser alcohol free for DSD officials	17 March 2020	EDS Projects	R 1 379.50	None	DSD offices
NDSD	Latex Powder Free disposable gloves for DSD officials	17 March 2020	Time2go Transport and Logistics	R 116 000.00	None	DSD officials
NDSD	Hand sanitiser 70% alcohol for DSD officials	17 March 2020	Time2go Transport and Logistics	R 196 100.00	None	DSD Offices
NDSD	Surgical face masks	30 March 2020	Bioclin	R4 140.00	None	DSD officials
NDSD	80 000 X 1 litre bottles- Alcohol free hand sanitiser for welfare service facilities in the 9 provinces	31 March 2020	Kevali Chemicals	R 6 716 000.00	None	Nine Provinces
NDSD	9 898 boxes of 50 -Surgical face masks for welfare service facilities in the 9 provinces	31 March 2020	Triple N Medical Distributors	R 7 410 137.70	None	Nine Provinces
NDSD	12 092 boxes of 50 -Examination gloves for welfare service facilities in the 9 provinces	31 March 2020	Triple N Medical Distributors	R 2 781 160.00	None	Nine Provinces
NDSD	3 250 x 5 litre bottles - Sanitiser for general surfaces 70% alcohol for welfare service facilities in the 9 provinces	31 March 2020	Triple N Medical Distributors	R 1 870170.25	None	Nine Provinces
NDSD	30 000 masks Surgical face masks for daily visitors to DSD	08 May 2020	Lesole Facilities Management	R 299700.00	None	DSD Officials & visitors
NDSD	5000 cloth masks for DSD officials	20 May 2020	302k Emporium	R 125 005.00	None	DSD Officials
NDSD	Various items -Equipment for the examination room	12 May 2020	Baltimore Media	R 38 822.85	None	DSD Offices
NDSD	4 x sanitary refuse container - Medical waste removal	13 May 2020	Democratic Cleaning Services	R 8 564.16	None	DSD Offices
NDSD	25 machines electronic hand sanitising machines for HSRC, Harlequins, Office Park and GVB Centre	22 May 2020	Cizivax (pty) Ltd	R 109 975.00	None	DSD Offices
NDSD	Sanitising of the HSRC Building, Harlequins Office Park and GVB Centre on a monthly basis for three months	14 May 2020	Amoka Solutions	R 478 818.60	None	DSD Offices

PPE procured by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) since 1 Feb 2020

REGION	DESCRIPTION	DATE	NAME OF THE SUPPLIER	MONETORY VALUE	(d) BRANDING	(e) HOW AND WHERE
SASSA staff at HO	Hand Sanitizers	17/03/2020	STAZA Cleaning Services	18,302.25	None	Emergency Procurement
SASSA staff at HO	Cloth Masks	4/5/2020	Shabalala Thabe Health Services	30,000.00	None	Emergency Procurement
SASSA staff at HO	Handheld Infrared Thermometers	28/04/2020	Imperial Health Services	17,600.00	None	Emergency Procurement
SASSA staf at HO	Disinfection and Sanitation of SASSA Head	24/04/2020	Chegoetso Projects and Services	58,375.00	None	Quotation Process
Sassa Limpopo region	500ml Hand Sanitizers	26-Mar-20	MDP Sure Clean	R36,800.00	MDP Sure Clean
Sassa Limpopo region	Office Sanitisation	21-Apr-20	Limpopo Supplement Traders	R158,759.23	NONE	The appointed service provider is the cleaning services contractor for the Agency in the Region
Sassa Limpopo region	Face Cloth Masks	1-May-20	Seding sa Tsebo Development Primary Co-Operative	R25,000.00	NONE	The appointed service provider is the contracted school uniform supplier for the Agency in the Region Registered with the Dept. of Small Business Due to the delay and lack of response by IHS, the Region a new purchase order was issued as guided by Instruction Note No. 5 of 2020/21
Sassa Limpopo region	20 Litre Handsanitizer	1-May-20	ScrubMobi	R486,000.00	RCC Hand sanitizer
Sassa Limpopo region	500 ML Spray Bottles	1-May-20	ScrubMobi	R22,500.00	NONE	Due to the delay and lack of response by IHS, the Region a new purchase order was issued as guided by Instruction Note No. 5 of 2020/21
Sassa Limpopo region	Digital Thermometer (infrared non-contact)	1-May-20	Royal Base General Trading and Projects	R162,000.00	NONE	Due to the delay and lack of response by IHS, the Region a new purchase order was issued as guided by Instruction Note No. 5 of 2020/21
Sassa Limpopo region	Face Shields	8-May-20	Digital and Communication Solutions	R108,000.00	NONE	Purchase order issued as guided by Instruction Note No. 5 of 2020/22
Sassa EC region	Gloves	20-03-2020	Xhobani Security Services	133,400.00	NONE	Emergency Procurement
Sassa EC region	Hand Sanitzers	20-03-2020	Xhobani Security Services	69,230.00	NONE	Emergency Procurement
Sassa EC region	Surgical Masks	20-03-2020	Xhobani Security Services	316,250.00	NONE	Emergency Procurement
Sassa EC region	Gloves - 330 boxes	15/04/2020	My Peace Mali Investments	33,000.00	NONE	Normal Procurement process
Sassa EC region	Hand Sanitzers 25 litres x 55	15/04/2020	My Peace Mali Investments	231,000.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Sassa EC region	Surgical Masks - 1100	15/04/2020	My Peace Mali Investments	60,500.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Sassa EC region	Hand Sanitzers (20 x 5 litre)	15/04/2020	Kwasa Food Suppliers	13,000.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Sassa EC region	Disinfecting and Sanitizing of Regional and Amathole District Offices	15/04/2020	Lucob Cleaning Services	213,948.30	NONE	Normal Procument process
Sassa EC region	Disinfecting and Sanitizing of Chris Hani and Joe Gqabi District Offices	15/04/2020	Colirose Catering and Cleaning Service	129,632.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Sassa EC region	Disinfecting and Sanitizing of OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo District	28-04-2020	ZEDEK Cleaning services	188,244.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Sassa EC region	Disinfecting and Sanitizing of Nelson Mandela Metro and Sarah Baartman	28-04-2020	Kaisers Cleaning services	90,897.14	NONE	Normal Procument process
Sassa EC region	Surgical Masks (16000)	28-04-2020	Multi Surge	73,600.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Sassa EC region	1000 Cloth Masks (Branding)	28-04-2020	Buzwe Bethu Trading	45,000.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Sassa EC region	Body Thermometer infrared ( 150)	29-04-2020	A D Medical	307,500.23	NONE	Normal Procument process
Nelson Mandela Metro	Hand Sanitzers	19-03-2020	Emilux	1,995.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
	Facial Shield Masks (40)	14-04-2020	Regent Corporate Administrators 65 CC Golden Sttiches 1 Co Op	2,000.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
	Cloth Masks (274)	05-04-2020		9,590.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
	Body Thermometer infrared ( 7)	05-05-2020			NONE	Normal Procument process
Sarah Baartman District	Hand Sanitzers	24-03-2020	In Your Tank Petroleum (Pty)Ltd	43,400.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Joe Gqabi District Office	Hand Sanitzers	24-03-2020	Cyber Enginering & Projects	1,984.50	NONE	Normal Procument process
	Cloth Masks	18-03-2020	Thamtham Investments	1,999.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
	Cloth Masks	24-04-2020	Kaizen Primary Co-op	1,980.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Chris Hani District Office	Hand Sanitzers	30-04-2020	Kaizen Primary Co-op	5,000.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
	Surgical Masks	19-03-2020	Gold Apple	2,000.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
	Cloth Masks	17-04-2020	24/7 Services	25,990.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Alfred Nzo District Office	Hand Sanitzers	05-05-2020	Imvelo Sewing Co-op	11,900.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
	Cloth Masks	18-03-2020	K2012012150 South Africa	1,998.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Amathole District	Hand Sanitzers	02-05-2020	Sinozinto Multi Purpose Co-Op	8,400.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
	Facial Shield Masks (40)	23-03-2020	Iviama Trading	1,998.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
	Cloth Masks and Gloves	19-04-2020	Regent Corporate Administrators 65 CC	1,739.13	NONE	Normal Procument process
		04-05-2020	Afriwaste Group	135,780.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
OR Tambo District	Cloth Masks (100)	06/05/2020	Cador Multipurpose Co-op	2,000.00	NONE	Normal Procument process
Sassa NC region	Emergency procurement of Hand Sanitizers(600);Latex gloves (260) and Masks (200)	20-Mar-20	Ideal Lifestyle	320,567.00		Emergency Procurement method was used, complying to the Agency's SCM Delegations.
Sassa NC region	5litre Disinfectants (100) and 13600 surgical Masks.	14-Apr-20	Supra Healthcare (KZN)	297,735.00		Procurement method used was the National Treasury Instruction No.8 of 2019/2020.
Sassa NC region	500ml -Bottle spray (100); Latex Gloves (55000); 25ltr Liquid Sanitizers (200) and 500ml Gel hand sanitizers (2100).	29-Apr-20	I H S	502,797.00		Procurement method used was the National Treasury Instruction no.3 of 2020/2021.
Sassa NC region	Disinfecting and Sanitizing of all SASSA Offices in the Northern Cape	28-Apr-20	Ideal Lifestyle	251,735.00		Emergency Procurement method was used, complying with the Agency's SCM Delegations.
Sassa NC region	Body Thermometer infrared ( 64 )	28-Apr-20	New Age Medident	99,200.00		Procurement method used was the National Treasury Instruction No.8 of 2019/2020. Procurement request was received on 06 April 2020 before the issuing of Instruction Note 03 of 2020/21.
Sassa NC region	Face cloth Masks (3layers)	28-Apr-20				National Treasury Instruction Note 05 of 2020/21
Sassa MP region	Supply and delivery of Sanitizers & Disinfectant	31-Mar-20	Masana Hygiene Services	184,894.14		Single sourcing
Sassa MP region	Supply and delivery for Protective Items ( masks and hand gloves)	31-Mar-20	Be Sure Events Solutions	3,259,100.00		Single sourcing
Sassa MP region	Delivery of disinfectant services for 54 offices	20-Apr-20	Masana Hygiene Services	247,980.25		Single sourcing
Sassa MP region	Delivery of disinfectent services for 151 vehicles	20-Apr-20	Masana Hygiene Services	21,706.25		Single sourcing
Sassa FS region	Pump bottle Hand Sanitzers(806) and 3 Ply Surgical face Masks (15 000)	19/03/2020	Kamatshika Services	573,590.00		Variation of an Order
Sassa FS region	5 litre Disinfectants (1000)	19/03/2020	Kamatshika Services			Procurement method used was the National Treasury Instruction No.8 of 2019/2020.
Sassa FS region	500ml - SanitizersBottle spray (6 780)	19/03/2020	Kamatshika Services			Procurement method used was the National Treasury Instruction No.5 of 2020/2021.
Sassa FS region	Examination gloves (Medium 300 boxes) (Large 682 boxes) (X large 491 Boxes)	19/03/2020	Kamatshika Services			Supplier were selected from CSD
Sassa FS region	Body Thermometer infrared ( 55 )	20-May-07	Chubaba Trading	109 999.45		Procurement method used was the National Treasury Instruction No.8 of 2019/2020.
Sassa FS region	Face cloth Masks (3layers) 1300	20-May-07	Chubaba Trading			Procurement method used was the National Treasury Instruction No.5 of 2020/2021.
Sassa FS region	Surgical Masks 1400 boxes (50 masks per box)	20-May-07	Chubaba Trading			Supplier were selected from CSD
Sassa FS region	Plastic Face Shield	20-May-07	Chubaba Trading			Supplier were selected from CSD
Sassa KZN region	Emergency procurement of 5liters Sanitzers (32) and disposable hand gloves (30)	18-Mar-20	Uminathi EMS	R26,519.00		Emergency Procurement method was used, complying to the Agency's SCM Delegations.
Sassa KZN region	Emergency procurement of 500ml Hand Sanitizers (400), 5l Hand Sanitizers (20) and 1l Hand Sanitizers (100)	18-Mar-20	Ukumhlophe Investment Trading	R69,000.00		Emergency Procurement method was used, complying to the Agency's SCM Delegations.
Sassa KZN region	Emergency procurement of 500ml Hand Sanitizers (2100), 20L Hand Sanitizers (20), Disposable Gloves (2000) and Disposable Masks (5800)	18-Mar-20	Sbonisiwe Investment	R656,995.00		Emergency Procurement method was used, complying to the Agency's SCM Delegations.
Sassa KZN region	Emergency procurement of 500ml Hand Sanitizers (280), 100ml Hand Sanitizers (924), Surgical Gloves (51 boxes) and Disposable Masks (1280)	20-Mar-20	Syahamba Trading Enterprise	R236,127.00		Emergency Procurement method was used, complying with the Agency's SCM Delegations.
Sassa KZN region	Disinfecting and Sanitizing of all SASSA Offices in KZN Region	24-Apr-20	Mthanti Construction and Projects	R293,634.69		Scope expansion in terms of sub-paragraph 9.1 of the National Treasury Instruction Note 3 or 2016/2017 Procurement method was used and Agency's SCM Delegations.
Sassa KZN region	Emergency procurement of Cloth Masks (4000)	24-Apr-20	Mandingozeli Primary Co-operative	R180,000.00		Emergency Procurement method was used, complying to the Agency's SCM Delegations before National Treasury issued any Instruction notes,
Sassa KZN region	Surgical Gloves (3600) and N95 - Mask Respirator (500).	28-Apr-20	I H S	R526,665.00		Procurement method used was the National Treasury Instruction no.3 of 2020/2021.
	Digital Body thermometer Infrared non contact (120), 500ml -Bottle spray (1000) ;5ltr Liquid Sanitizers (900) and 500ml Gel hand sanitizers (3600).	28-Apr-20	I H S	R712,395.00		Procurement method used was the National Treasury Instruction no.3 of 2020/2021.
Sassa NW region	Emergency procurement of Hand Sanitzers(600);Latex gloves (260) and Masks (200)	20-Mar-20	OLWE2 PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY	R 538,500.00		Emergency Procurement method was used, complying to the Agency's SCM Delegations.
Sassa NW region	1. Surgical Masks (5000) 2. Hand Sanitzers(70) 20L 3. Latex gloves (400) 4. 500ML empty bottles (1200)	24-Mar-20	MKHWEBENI NAYE TRADING	R 359,300.00		Emergency Procurement method was used, complying to the Agency's SCM Delegations.
Sassa NW region	1. Hand Sanitzers(520) 2.Latex gloves (1000)	28-Mar-20	UMZANSI IT	R 417,571.20		Quotations: The National Treasury approved list of suppliers were invited, they responded by saying they don’t have stock due to high volume demand, normal suppliers were invited
Sassa NW region	1. Mask N95 (95) 2.Latex gloves (40) 3. Setrile devices, UV-C indoor sterile air	16-Mar-20	4 MLK TRADING ENTERPRISES	R 249,861.65		Quotations: The procurement process was embarked on before the Treasury instruction note 3
Sassa NW region	Surgical Mask 3 PLY (541)	30-Apr-20	DOUBLE V GROUP	R 432,800.00		Quotations: The National Treasury approved list of suppliers were invited, they did not respond. Normal suppliers were invited in compliance with Treasury Practice note No. 5 of 2020/21.
Sassa NW region	Thermometer	5-May-20	DOUBLE V GROUP	R133,100.00		Emergency Procurement method was used, complying with the Agency's SCM Delegations. (A survey was conducted from different suppliers to assess the ability to deliver, the appointed supplier was awarded based on the stock availability and the capacity to deliver immediately). The prices charged were based on what the market was offering at that time, and the fact that the items were urgently needed for staff at local Offices, we had to use availability of stock and ability to deliver immediately.
Sassa NW region	Cloth mask	7-May-20	IKGODISENG SEWING PROJECT PRIMARY COOPERATIVE LIMITED			The cooperative were appointed for the delivery of cloth masks
Sassa NW region	Face shield mask	7-May-20	REFILWEJUNIOR (PTY) LTD	R 83,190.00		Quotations: The National Treasury approved list of suppliers were invited, they did not respond normal suppliers were invited normal suppliers were invited in compliance with Treasury Practice note No. 5 of 2020/21.
Sassa NW region	Social distancing floor marking tapes	6-May-20	KEFILWE MOD TRADING ENTERPRISE	24,000.00		Quotations: Normal suppliers were invited normal suppliers were invited in compliance with Treasury Practice note No. 5 of 2020/21.
Sassa GP region	Procurement of Hand Sanitizers (150), Latex gloves (1000) and Masks (200).	20-Mar-20	Mbeu Protection Services	R204,930.00		Request for Quotation (RFQ) in line with section 3.3 of National Treasury Practice Note 3 2007/2008 read together with National Treasury Instruction Note 3 of 2019/2020.
Sassa GP region	Procurement of 5litre Hand Soaps (500), 5 litre bleach (500) and 500 litre myth elated spirit (500) and 5000 hygiene bar soaps and 100 20 Litre Containers.	20-Mar-20	CJJ Holdings	R354,670.00		Request for Quotation (RFQ) in line with section 3.3 of National Treasury Practice Note 3 2007/2008 read together with National Treasury Instruction Note 3 of 2019/2020.
Sassa GP region	Procurement of 1200 Sanitizer.	20-Mar-20	Nobhula Events and Marketing	R333,600.00		Request for Quotation (RFQ) in line with section 3.3 of National Treasury Practice Note 3 2007/2008 read together with National Treasury Instruction Note 3 of 2019/2020.
Sassa GP region	Procurement of 5000 3Ply surgical Mask	10-Apr-20	Majodina Group (Pty) Ltd	R103,500.00		Request for Quotation (RFQ) in line with section 3.3 of National Treasury Practice Note 3 2007/2008 read together with National Treasury Instruction Note 3 of 2019/2020.
Sassa GP region	Procurement of 1000 Sanitizers (500ml)	8-Apr-20	Epic Securities	R80,000.00		Request for Quotation (RFQ) in line with section 3.3 of National Treasury Practice Note 3 2007/2008 read together with National Treasury Instruction Note 3 of 2019/2020.
Sassa GP region	Disinfecting and Sanitizing of 50 SASSA Offices in the Gauteng Region	23-Apr-20	Xamhunto Trading Enterprise	R494,385.00		Request for Quotation (RFQ) in line with section 3.3 of National Treasury Practice Note 3 2007/2008 read together with National Treasury Instruction Note 5 of 2020/2021.
Sassa GP region	Procurement of surgical masks, 70 infrared thermometers, desk disinfectants (500ml), and saniters (500ml spray).	23-Apr-20	Majodina Group (Pty) Ltd	R366,535.00		Request for Quotation (RFQ) in line with section 3.3 of National Treasury Practice Note 3 2007/2008 read together with National Treasury Instruction Note 5 of 2020/2021.
Sassa GP region	Procurement of Face Shield (1000) and Examination Gloves.	23-Apr-20	Servimax55cc	R187,000.00		Request for Quotation (RFQ) in line with section 3.3 of National Treasury Practice Note 3 2007/2008 read together with National Treasury Instruction Note 5 of 2020/2021.
Sassa WC region	Hand Sanitizers 500ml	3/23/2020	Lechoba Medical	R309,825		RTCOVID19-008
Sassa WC region	Surgical Masks	3/23/2020	Triple N Medical	R221,340		RTCOVID19-007
Sassa WC region	Protective Gloves	3/25/2020	Evergreen Latex	R81,030		RT76-2020
Sassa WC region	Thermometer	3/25/2020	Multi Surge	R92,000		RTCOVID19-018
Sassa WC region	Protective Gloves	4/21/2020	National Treasury	R15,180		NT Instruction No3 of 2020/21
Sassa WC region	Plastic Shields	5/6/2020	Creative Graphics	R103,500		Normal Procurement
Sassa WC region	Cloth Masks	4/26/2020	Playtime Productions	R36,000		Normal Procurement
Sassa WC region	Desensitizing of WC SASSA 32 Sites and Vehicles	4/30/2020	The Specialists Franchise Holdings	R110,459		Emergency Procurement
Sassa WC region	Sanitizers, Cloves and Masks	TBC	Pronto Clean	R110,216		Emergency Procurement

PPE procured by the National Development Agency (NDA) since 1 Feb 2020

	Description	a) Date Purchased	b) Name of supplier	c) Value	d) Branding	e) How and where distributed
	Hand sanitizers	25 March 2020	Amanadaana Holdings	R70,000	None	NDA Head Office NDA Provincial and District offices (by courier)
	Surface Disinfectants	25 March 2020	Amanadaana Holdings	R65,000	None	NDA Head Office NDA Provincial and District offices (by courier)
	Protective cover bodysuits - 520 suits	8 April 2020	Motla Investments	R414,278.80	None	52 CSO’s in 52 Districts as part of NDA’s Volunteer Programme (by courier)
	Non-sterile Gloves - 20 boxes of 100 pairs each	8 April 2020	Motla Investments	R187,200	None	52 CSO’s in 52 Districts as part of NDA’s Volunteer Programme (by courier)
	Medicated hand sanitizers (70% alcohol) – 520 bottles	8 April 2020	Motla Investments	R75,530	None	52 CSO’s in 52 Districts as part of NDA’s Volunteer Programme (by courier)
	Surgical masks (RT 296-08-271) – 4160 masks	8 April 2020	Motla Investments	R116,480	None	52 CSO’s in 52 Districts as part of NDA’s Volunteer Programme (by courier)

 

Reply:

1. (a) List of SASSA approved service providers is attached as Annexure A

The Department did not select new service providers to partner with the Department to provide food relief to needy families during the national state of disaster as Provincial Implementing Agents (PIAs) that operate Provincial Food Distribution Centres (PFDCs) were already appointed to provide food to households in need through the Community Nutrition and Development Centres (CNDCs).

 

However, the Department partnered with the Solidarity Fund to fund food parcels which was allocated to provinces through the PIAs as reflected on section (b) below.

(b) The value of the contracts awarded to Implementing Agents (NPOs) was:

PROVINCE	IMPLEMENTING AGENT	VALUE OF CONTRACTS
Eastern Cape	ADRA-SA	R4 812 756.00
Free State	ADRA-SA	R8 514 876.00
Gauteng	Kagisano	R2 221 272.00
Kwa Zulu Natal	Action Development Agency	R9 625 512.00
Limpopo	Makotse Women’s Club	R3 517 014.00
Mpumalanga	Kago Ya Bana	R2 036 166.00
Northern Cape	Thabang	R4 072 422.00
North West	Motswedi wa sechaba	R4 997 862.00
Western Cape	Ilithalabantu	R3 702 120.00
Total	National	R43 500 000.00

(b) The contracts entered into with the service providers are not limited to a specific value or number of food parcels. They are contracted to provide social relief of distress in the form of food parcels as and when ordered by SASSA. Provision of food parcels is needs based, hence the inability to contract any service provider for a specific number of food parcels. The appointment of service providers is based on the unit price per food parcel. The budget for the service is included in the provincial allocation for social relief of distress and not per service provider.

2. DSD ensures that the most part of the R700 spent on a food contents = 94% and only 6% is on (b) transport, (c) security and (d) packing of each food parcel;

The value (R1200) of a relief parcel is inclusive of all costs, including the food items, storage, transport, packaging and delivery. The various items are not separately costed. Relief parcels are delivered to specific identified delivery points by the service provider, on each order issued by SASSA.

(3) The remainder of the 250 000 food parcels is being distributed by the Solidarity Fund, only 58,000 are being delivered jointly with DSD. The Remaining 170,000 food parcels are being independently delivered by the Solidarity Fund in partnership with NGOs. The Fund is reaching vulnerable households through three channels:

I. 25% through the Department of Social Development’s 235 Community Nutrition and Development Centres (CNDCs) –

• The Solidarity Fund has partnered with DSD to enable the delivery of once off food parcels to approximately 58,750 families who previously benefited from cooked meals prepared by 235 CNDCs (whose operations have been affected by the COVID-19 lock-down)
• The Solidarity Fund and DSD entered into agreement with the existing Provincial Implementing Agents in each province to make these deliveries.

II. 50% through large national food distribution Non-Profit Organisations that have expansive reach across the country through their own network of >400 community based organisations (CBOs)

• • Food Forward South Africa
  • Afrika Tikkun
  • Islamic Relief
  • Lunchbox Fund

III. 25% through a range of Community Based Organisations and Faith Based Organisations at provincial and local level. These include but are not limited to the South African Council of Churches, the Nedlac Community Constituency, C-19 People’s Coalition, Hope Africa, Community Chest, SA Youth Movement, Rural Democracy Trust, Inqaba Yokulinda, and Hlanganisa among others.  A full list of partners will be published shortly.

The Solidarity Fund’s food parcels have been distributed across all 9 provinces. They have been allocated across provinces according to the percentage of people below the poverty line that live within each province.

Food relief is being provided through food parcels and will run until mid-May. As of 10 May, 2020, the Fund had already distributed 218,413 parcels to households (87% of 250,000 target) and the full 250,000 parcels have been delivered to CBOs that are making their final household deliveries in the coming days. The map below shows the national coverage to date.

Total deliveries by 10 May

Total delivered by 10 May

NW905E

Reply:

(a) It is not a requirement for any applicant for the special relief grant of R350 per month to have a bank account. The various methods of payment which are available in order to ensure that all citizens are accommodated are:

• Direct deposits into bank accounts, where the applicant has a bank account and provides that information to SASSA on request;
• Money transfers into cell phones for those clients who have a cell phone and elect to receive the payment through this channel. The money transfer is then cashed out at one of four participating bank ATMs or at the retail outlets contracted to those banks;
• Payment through the South African Post Office. This channel is available for all citizens who do not have a bank account, or a mobile phone. Payment is made over the counter on production of an identity document and the SMS notification of payment.

(b) (i) One of the requirements contained in the signed Directions is that the applicant must be a South African citizen, permanent resident or refugee as registered on the Department of Home Affairs database. This implies that applicants without identity documents cannot be accepted. The identity number is one of the very few control measures to ensure that the grant does go to the right person, and for purposes of auditability and accountability cannot be compromised.

(ii) Proof of residence is not a requirement. The only requirement is for the applicant to provide an address on the application – this address could even just be the name of the town in which he/she resides.

Reply:

Social Relief of Distress (SRD) is provided to an applicant, both male and female, who meets the eligibility requirements as set in the Social Assistance Act, 2004. SASSA has not issued food parcels only to males in the areas noted, as is illustrated in the summary below:

(a). WARD 75: ISIPINGO AND LAMONTVILLE:

1. PERIOD APRIL 2019 TO MAY 2020

Of the total of 152 citizens who received social relief of distress in this period, 77 were females, while 75 were males.

2. PERIOD APRIL 2020 TO MAY 2020:

During this period a total of 56 food parcels were issued by SASSA, Provincial Department of Social Development and Ethekwini Municipality. Of these, 48 went to females and only 8 were issued to males.

(b) KWAMASHU MENS HOSTEL: WARD 39:

1. PERIOD: MAY 2019 TO MARCH 2020:

For this period a total of 294 qualifying citizens received social relief of distress. Of this number, 150 were female and 144 were male.

2. PERIOD APRIL 2020 TO MAY 2020

For the period from April to May 2020 a total of 47 food parcels were issued, of which 32 were issued to females and 15 to males. The food parcels were issued by both SASSA and Ethekwini Municipality.

Reply:

1. (a) SASSA is utilising the services of:-

1. Vodacom SA to provide the USSD channel for capturing the grant applications.
2. GovChat to provide the WhatsApp channel for capturing the grants applications.
3. 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.
4. National Treasury for Account verification and Cash flow Management
5. Bankserv for processing of the payment files from SASSA as per the Industry EFT payments process.
6. 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.

Reply:

1. (a) The regulation 9 of the Social Assistance Act 2004 indicates the following: A person in need of immediate temporary assistance qualifies for SRD if he or she:

i. has insufficient means;

ii. Is a South African citizen or permanent resident or a refugee

And complies with any of the following conditions-

(i) is awaiting payment of an approved social grant; or

The breadwinner -

i. has been assessed to be disabled for a period of less than six months

ii. of that household has died and an application is made within 12 months following the death of the breadwinner; or

iii. that household has been admitted to a public or private institution for at least one month

In addition to the above, Regulation 9(5) makes provision for social relief of distress to provide to persons where the households have been affected by a disaster (declared or undeclared). The above provisions are what informs the provision of any social relief of distress, including food parcels, by SASSA.

On the COVID-19 food parcels issued by DSD the following is considered:

• Households that have no source of income to buy food
• Households that were serviced by DSD centre based feeding programmes such as Community Nutrition and Development Centres (CNDCs), Drop-in Centres, Home Community Based Care Centres (HCBCC), Luncheon Clubs and etc that are closed due to lock-down,
• Households of orphans and vulnerable children needing support due to closure of the Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDs) National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP)
• Child-headed households

(b) The number of persons have received food parcels from the Government each month since 1 February 2020 (please note that information is not available for daily statistics) is indicated below:

Month	No of food parcels (SASSA)
February 2020	2,485
March 2020	5,378
April to 11May 2020	116 206

The Department started distributing food parcels specifically for COVID-19 through the Provinces on the 30th March 2020. Not all the provinces started on the same day due to procurement delays. The number of persons that have received food parcels from the Government each day since 1 February 2020 is as reflected on the table below:

DATES	EC	FS	GP	KZN	Limp	Mp	NC	NW	WC	TOTAL
30-Mar	0	0	514	0	0	0	0	0	0	514
31-Mar	0	0	293	0	0	0	0	0	0	293
01-Apr	0	0	451	0	0	0	0	0	0	451
02-Apr	0	0	936	0	0	0	0	0	0	936
03-Apr	0	0	1 385	0	0	0	105	0	0	1 490
04-Apr	0	0	0	0	0	0	20	0	0	20
05-Apr	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
06-Apr	0	0	2 379	0	0	0	5 693	0	0	8 072
07-Apr	0	0	2 438	0	0	0	1 056	0	0	3 494
08-Apr	0	0	2 790	0	0	0	2 011	0	0	4 801
09-Apr	0	0	2 303	0	0	0	1 570	0	0	3 873
10-Apr	0	0	0	0	0	0	141	164	1 050	1 355
11-Apr	0	0	0	0	1 751	495	1 121	164	2 000	5 531
12-Apr	0	0	0	0	833	1 506	0	164	2 500	5 003
13-Apr	0	0	1 843	0	2 000	351	0	1 310	1 500	7 004
14-Apr	0	0	1 963	0	8 847	131	705	164	490	12 300
15-Apr	0	0	2 952	0	1 500	0	1 018	164	2 020	7 654
16-Apr	0	0	3 151	0	1 990	0	3 258	164	1 655	10 218
17-Apr	354	0	3 126	0	1 990	2 627	1 161	0	750	10 008
18-Apr	546	0	814	0	500	2 375	188	164	2 750	7 337
19-Apr	890	0	0	0	1 990	2 627	0	164	486	6 157
20-Apr	666	0	3 224	540	1 819	1 805	1 223	164	4 575	14 016
21-Apr	400	0	2 680	1750	1 819	432	1225	164	1 080	9 550
22-Apr	575	0	2 159	3 000	473	1 831	1 644	5 082	2 010	16 774
23-Apr	1 010	0	2 440	2 000	3 277	82	1 523	0	576	10 908
24-Apr	380	525	1 467	1 250	1 983	131	1 528	0	666	7 930
25-Apr	875	782	617	2 500	1 000	4 352	364	856	3 400	14 746
26-Apr	275	394	54	2 000	233	4 192	0	6 296	2 010	15 454
27-Apr	369	434	855	2 500	1 500	1 943	0	1 206	5 200	14 007
28-Apr	384	414	2 146	2 441	1 500	2 538	0	206	1 450	11 079
29-Apr	1 000	443	12 058	1 300	267	83	0	1 338	4 700	21 189
30-Apr	330	454	4 713	875	1 500	316	0	462	3 650	12 300
01-May	530	309	5 163	335	1 000	0	0	412	2 355	10 104
02-May	0	466	234	200	500	0	450	0	3 030	4 880
03-May	141	503	3 936	450	1 322	0	100	0	2 015	8 467
04-May	675	0	2 421	750	350	0	1 682	668	3 000	9 546
05-May	2 289	918	2 983	2 300	1 300	138	2 502	1 030	342	13 802
06-May	1 074	271	6 140	2 400	2 000	186	1 704	412	478	14 665
07-May	2 400	148	3 729	575	1 200	133	1 786	618	450	11 039
08-May	1 059	570	2 552	800	780	0	2 645	998	2 000	11 404
09-May	2 300	875	2 081	875	650	0	913	750	1 950	10 394
10-May	754	300	5 527	985	1 200	0	0	800	1 900	11 466
11-May	898	243	4 965	1 075	1 000	0	2 421	650	2 700	13 952
12-May	154	566	4 518	586	570	0	2 639	1 300	1 060	11 393
13-May	0	639	3 634	789	380	0	0	0	1 500	6 942
TOTAL	20 328	9 254	107 634	32 276	49 024	28 274	42 396	26 034	67 298	382 518

(c) The food parcels contains the following food and other goods/ none food items:

Food Group	Items	Unit	Qty	Indicative cost per unit	Monthly cost (Rands)
Starch	Maize meal	KG	10	6	R60	R226
	Rice	KG	8	12	R96
	Potatoes	KG	7	10	R70
Protein	Pilchards	400g TIN	6	20	R120	R350
	Baked Beans	410g TIN	6	10	R60
	Lentils	KG	2	20	R40
	Milk Powder	KG/Litres	1 / 6	130	R130
Veg	Butternut	KG	10	6	R60	R60
Seasoning	Onions	KG	2	6	R12	R52
	Oil	LIT	2	20	R40
Other	Soap	Bar	2	8	R16	R16
Total monthly cost for food per month	R704	R704

Please also see food parcel content attached as Annexure A for normal SASSA SRD food parcel

See Annexure B for an amended food parcel being provided as a response to the current disaster.

(d) The cost of the food parcel was determined through the tender process. The cost of a food parcel varies by supplier, but cannot exceed R1 500. However, the food parcels provided by SASSA, with the reduced content is R1 200.

The DSD cost of each food parcel is R700.00 per food parcel. This was done to create uniformity and reduce the levels of disparities between the SASSA SRD and the DSD Food Relief food parcels. This amount excludes the sourcing, handling & distribution costs and the SASSA amount is inclusive.

(2) The name(s) of the service provider(s) that was contracted to provide food parcels in each province are:

Province	Name of service provider
Eastern Cape	Adventist Development & Relief Agency (ADRA)
Free State	Adventist Development & Relief Agency (ADRA)
Gauteng	Kagisano
	Believers Care Society
	Entokozweni Development
	Siyabonga Development
	Carol Shaw
	Bokamoso Development
	Rorisang PTY LTD
	Barath Chemicals & Engineering
	Mohlodi 247 Business Solutions
	Schutz Trading and Enterprise
	Chobokwane PTY LTD
KwaZulu Natal	Action Development Agency (ADA)
Limpopo	Makotse Womens Club
Mpumalanga	Kago Yabana Foundation
Northern Cape	Motswedi Wa Sechaba
	Islamic Relief South Africa
	Lunchbox
North West	Motswedi Wa Sechaba
	Wolrd Focus Projects
	Mekgwe Mobile Shop (PTY) LTD
	RXD Logistics 9
	Re Thusa Botlhe Catering & Cleaning Services
	Mabogo Dinku Enterprise & Projects
	DM Mega Enterprise
	Mojero Trading
	Blink Of Africa Group of Companies
	Matshota Trading Enterprise
	Owabo Bonke Trading Projects
	Pefect Girlz
Western Cape	Ilitha Labantu
	Islamic Relief South Africa
	Mustadafin Foundation
	The South Africa Red Cross Society
	SANZAF

 

The name(s) of the service provider(s) that have been contracted by SASSA to provide food parcels in each province are attached as Annexure C.

(3) The majority of the applicants for social relief are also self-referrals by citizens experiencing undue hardship. However, SASSA does work with a range of stakeholders in administering this programme. These stakeholders include the Department of Health and Department of Education for the zero hunger programme which supports nutritionally challenged children.

With regards to social relief in the form of food parcels provided as a response to the current disaster, SASSA is a member of the provincial coordinating structures (Provjocs) in all provinces where the provision of social relief of distress is jointly coordinated by different key stakeholders (Municipalities and Government departments). In addition, SASSA has received lists of citizens who have been unable to contact SASSA directly from various NGOs and civil society organisations. The citizens off these lists have been contacted and an application form completed for each one. Those applications which have been approved are then issued with food parcels.

The Departmental officials profile households to identity people in need of food assistance and refer those in need to various social development centres that provide social development services including food assistance.

A community member is then serviced by one of the following DSD centre based programmes depending on the age and other social needs of the individual: Early Childhood Development Centre (ECD), a Community Nutrition and Development Centre (CNDC), Drop-in Centre (DIC), Home Community Based Care Centre (HCBCC), or the Luncheon Club.

The Department collaborates with non-profit organisations to then service the identified persons in need of social services. All DSD centres are operated by non-profit organisations and food parcels were 1st provided to DSD centres with already profiled beneficiaries that were receiving food assistance even prior to lock-down.

During lock-down these beneficiaries would have been more vulnerable. The food parcels intervention targeted them through the DSD centre based programmes. Refer to the attached - list of CNDCs from the provinces operated by NPOs.

Another mechanism is the call centre, which was established in most provinces during COVID-19 lock-down for receiving more people in need of assistance beyond DSD centres and self-referrals.

Call-centres in Provinces:

The Provinces received requests for food relief through the Call Centre or provided email. The information is shared with Provincial DSD Team, which then cluster requests by District and service area. Teams are then allocated to respond to the requests. On assessment, the team on the ground makes the determination based on set assessment criteria. Food parcels then get delivered to the households by the officials.

(4) The demand for food parcels has definitely increased since the lock-down was announced. In trying to ensure the Department was able to respond to the increased demand, the application form for SRD was reduced, to capture only essential information and Ministerial Directions signed on 30 March 2020 enabling SASSA to take telephonic applications, so that the need for face to face interviews could be dispensed with.

The content of the relief parcel and price was reduced as a strategy to stretch the budget and provide assistance to as many deserving beneficiaries as possible. The fresh produce, samp (which requires a long time to cook which means increased energy costs for those already struggling) were excluded and each parcel was issued at a standardised price of R1 200 per food parcel in all provinces.

The qualifying criteria for SASSA applications was limited to include specific categories only, in an effort to prevent duplication with other organisations also providing food relief. The following categories of clients were identified for assistance by SASSA:

• People who did not receive grants in April 2020 because their grants were suspended: temporary disability grants;
• Children who turned 18 after lockdown
• Grant beneficiaries who experienced challenges in April to access the grants (card lost or faulty; failed bank verification; fraud; etc)
• People who should have applied but could not do so as a result of the lockdown (people who turn 60 years old; new born babies whose care givers would have applied for CSG)
• Persons experiencing undue hardship but do not fall into one of the above categories.

A number of the above categories of clients have been addressed through the latest Directions signed on 9 May – these include the reinstatement of temporary disability grants and care dependency grants and care dependency grants where the care dependent children turn 18 years of age in February, March and April 2020. The grant amounts have also been increased as from May 2020 has also been implemented to try and ensure that social grant beneficiaries are cushioned from the impact of the disaster.

The introduction of the special relief grant of R350 per month as from May has also addressed the last category – that is persons experiencing undue hardship.

(5) The Department and SASSA has, as indicated above, cooperated with various civil society organisations in receiving information about citizens who could potentially qualify for food relief. However, distribution was done by Departmental (SASSA & DSD) staff only to ensure accountability.

National Assembly written Reply: 649 of 2020

Reply:

Yes.

The Attached list contains the (a) names of each person who registered with the department to receive food parcels in the (i) Rustenburg and (ii) Kgetlengrivier Local Municipalities and (b) dates on which the specified persons received food parcels

Reply:

1(a) The number of foreign nationals in receipt of social grants as at January 2020 is 48 062.

(b) SASSA does not record the countries from which these citizens emanate, so is unable to provide that detail.

2(a) A total of 112 foreign nationals have received support in the form of social relief of distress (food parcels) since 1 April 2020.

(b) No undocumented foreign nationals have received assistance from SASSA during the period of the disaster.

Reply:

The measure implemented to limit the numbers of beneficiaries who try to access their grants on the day the money becomes available will not be reversed and the payment dates agreed with National Treasury for the remainder of the financial year will stand. This means that SASSA will continue with the split payment files as it is believed that the numbers would have been significantly higher had this split not been done.

The measures which will be implemented to try and manage the numbers of beneficiaries who access their social grants are as follows:

• The grant payments will continue in accordance with the dates as agreed with National Treasury (namely 3rd of each month for older persons and persons with disabilities and 5th of each month for all child grants – except where the 3rd and 5th respectively fall on a weekend or public holiday, in which case that specific date will be moved forward to the next working day after the 3rd or the 5th)
• Further splitting of the file between the older persons and persons with disabilities is being considered for the July payment cycle. (This cannot be done in June, as we are still finalising the development for the payment of the care givers grants as well as the special relief grant)
• Every beneficiary has their grant paid into a bank account – regardless of whether the account is with their personal bank or the SASSA/SAPO card account. Communication to advise beneficiaries of the fact that their card is a bank account and can be used as a debit card to swipe to pay for purchases and that there is no need to withdraw cash will be strengthened. The communication will also emphasize the fact that, once the grant is paid into the account, it will not be taken back if not utilised immediately.

• SASSA is negotiating with the banking sector to introduce additional mobile banking ATMs in rural areas in an effort to limit the numbers of beneficiaries who have to travel to towns to access their money. However, issues such as the availability of the infrastructure and security still have to be finalised.
• SASSA is also engaging the retail sector to see how they can assist. However, it should be understood that the banking and retail sector are not SASSA pay points – they are access channels through which beneficiaries and all other South Africans transact. All retailers have been implementing the relevant hygiene protocols in their stores, and have also dedicated additional till points specifically for older persons on the first few days of grant payments, in an effort to manage the numbers of beneficiaries. The challenge remains outside the stores, in malls and other points which is extremely difficult to control.

• SASSA is working with other stakeholders, including local authorities, to ensure that there are marshals at the busier access points to help with queue management and the maintenance of social distancing while waiting to access the retail outlets, bank ATMS and post office premises.
• In the Eastern Cape, negotiations have been undertaken with SAPO for them to utilise community halls to distribute the cash from, rather than some of their post offices which were not designed to cater for large number of beneficiaries. These community halls are used as extensions of the post office over the counter service and has really assisted to reduce the queues outside the facilities.
• Eastern Cape has also identified specific communities where there is a concentration of infections and arranged for SAPO to go to these areas, to prevent the beneficiaries from going into the towns – supporting the need to self-quarantine

• SASSA will continue to service the 1 740 cash pay points in the rural areas. At these pay points, hygiene protocols and social distancing is managed directly by SASSA and challenges have not been experienced.

An appeal is made to all in leadership positions to support SASSA in trying to limit the numbers of beneficiaries who go to the various access channels to access their grants.

Reply:

1. The costs in terms of procurement to have the system operation are:

(a) The USSD application platform was procured through the National Treasury RT 15 Transversal Contract with an estimated usage value of R15m.

SASSA has used an existing contract and service provider, Prosense Technology, to leverage and expand on existing capabilities to create and effect payments. The same contractor also effected the development of a website to receive applications and for the secure upload of banking details for the special Covid 19 SRD grant. This also included the building of Applications Programme Interface (APIs) to interface with other government datasets for the purposes of validation. It also includes API’s and other interface mechanisms to do account verification and payments. The services was procured through the variation of this existing contract with Prosense Technologies to the value of R2.9 million which includes the development work as well as monthly support and maintenance of the environment till 31 March 2021.

(b) No other costs were incurred to have the system operational to receive applications.

2. SASSA has used an existing contract and service provider, Prosense Technology, to leverage and expand on existing capabilities to create and effect payments. The same contractor also effected the development of a website to receive applications and for the secure upload of banking details for the special Covid 19 SRD grant. This also included the building of Applications Programme Interface (APIs) to interface with other government datasets for the purposes of validation. It also includes API’s and other interface mechanisms to do account verification and payments. The services was procured through the variation of this existing contract with Prosense Technologies to the value of R2 967 000.00 which includes the development work as well as monthly support and maintenance of the environment till 31 March 2021.

3. SASSA has no contract with the company Capital Appreciation and therefor there is also no costs involved.

4. The initial number was used for test/pilot purposes. It became apparent that the anticipated numbers of applications would burden and overwhelm the Covid 19 Department of Health WhatsApp Hotline. SASSA was advised to apply for its own WhatsApp line which would have taken anything between 6 weeks and possibly several months to obtain. SASSA was then offered a free WhatsApp platform by GovChat.

Reply:

The Department has established state treatment centres in all the nine provinces. The total number of (a)state treatment centres in the country are thirteen (13) centres. The breakdown of treatment centres in provinces is as follows: Gauteng (1) Dr FF Ribeiro treatment treatmentcentre; Limpopo (1)Seshegotreatment centre; Northern Cape (1) Northern Cape treatment centre; Eastern Cape (1) Ernest Malgastreatment centre; Western Cape (2)Denovo and Kensington treatment centres; KwaZulu Natal(2)Madadeni and Newlands Park treatment centres; Mpumalanga (2) centres Swartfointen and Nkangala treatment centres; Free State (1)Botshabelo treatment centres ; and North West (2)Taung and J B Marks treatment centres. Taung treatment centre (North West) and Botshabelo (Free State) are not yet operational.

The bed capacity in each centre (b)and the location of the centres(c)is as follows:

Province and name of the centre	Bed capacity	(c) Location
Gauteng DrFF Ribeiro centre	300	Zonderwater Cullinan, Pretoria
Limpopo Seshego centre	72	Seshego Zone 1 Polokwane, Limpopo
Northern Cape Northern Cape centre	40	R31 National road, Kimberly
Eastern Cape Ernest Malgas centre	38	New Brighton 2, Port Elizabeth
Western Cape Denovo centre	120	Old Paarl Road Kraaifontein, Cape Town
Western Cape Kensington centre	30	Kensington Road Maitland, Cape Town
KwaZulu Natal Madadeni centre	44	Madadeni Township, Newcastle
KwaZulu Natal Newlands Park centres	100	New Land West-Newlands Park, Durban
Mpumalanga - Swartfointen centre	50	R40 Road White River, Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga -Nkangala centre	Operationalisation underway it will have 50 bed capacity	Nkangala district: Blesfontein Farm Ogies
Free State - Botshabelo centre	Construction is underway: will have 40 bed capacity	Botshabelo, Bloemfontein
North West - J B Marks	40 capacity	Tlokwe-Potchefstroom
North West - Taung	Once operational it will have 20 bed capacity	Greater Taung Nr.1 Village

State treatment centres (d) have started to implementSubstance Use Disorders (SUD) treatment, in an inpatient treatment setting. The SUDtreatment include the medical and psychosocial treatment services. The treatment is also based on individual service users’ treatment needs identified during the assessment process.

The treatment modalities that are usedare individual therapeutic counselling, therapeutic group counselling and family therapy. In terms of treatment regime for specific drugs, the centres observe the Department of Health Standard Treatment Guidelines for Essential Medicines List, of South Africa.

(e).The treatment period/duration range from 6 weeks to 16 weeks based on the needs of each service user.

Reply:

1. The foster care orders that were due to lapse on 28 November 2019 for the respective provinces are as follows:

E. Cape: 896

Free State: 2041

Gauteng: 4 281

KZN: 12 445

Limpopo: 3 051

Mpumalanga:486

N. Cape: 345

N. West: 2 045

W. Cape: 4 888

These orders are now deemed to be valid by the North Gauteng High Court Order that was issued on 26 November 2019 therefore, there is no backlog of lapsed foster care orders.

2. Foster care orders that will be completed before the new deadline of November 2020;

EASTERN CAPE:

The Eastern Cape Province will ensure extension of all foster care orders affected by the NGHCO, before it expires on 26 November 2020. As already indicated above on the interpretation and implementation of the North Gauteng High Court Order and the Eastern Cape Province intersectoral position on the management of these foster care orders so as to avoid having all the affected orders lapsing on the same day when the NGHCO expires on 26 November 2020. Intersectoral collaboration and provision of tools of trade to social workers at service offices brought about the success in relation to the 2017 Judgement. The following measures which will ensure extension of foster care orders beyond 26 November 2020 will continue:

• Case-flow Meetings with Presiding Officers and Social Workers / Case Managers.
• Monthly engagements with Department of Social Development and SASSA Senior Management as well as Judicial Cluster Heads with their Sub Cluster Heads for strategic decisions and monitoring on implementation of resolutions taken for management of foster care.
• DSD – Social Workers to approach courts with a social work report and the required documentation as provided for in the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 as amended with all the relevant parties appearing before the Presiding Officer as required.
• Allocation of court dates and issuing of orders for child protection matters
• Judiciary to prioritize issuing of court orders affected by North Gauteng High Court.
• DSD Social Workers to ensure that all orders issued by courts are collected and submitted to SASSA, captured and updated on the system by SASSA
• South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) expedite capturing and updating of all orders issued by the courts and submitted to them by DSD respectively.
• The three entities at local level will continue meeting on a weekly basis to ensure reconciliation of figures, jointly looking at the draft final report to be submitted to the Provincial Office as well as ensuring that all orders due to lapse are extended and updated on SOCPEN.
• Sharing of resources by the three entities when the need arise.
• Funding of Designated Child Protection Organisations rendering child protection services.
• Implementation of s186 of the Children’s Act (that allows long term placement until the child turns 18) which will subsequently ease the current high caseloads of orders due for extension.
• Form 30 Applications (for screening of prospective foster parents and adoptive parents against Part B of the Child Protection Register) continue to be sent to National DSD timeously to ensure a shortened response time by National DSD.
• Timeous submission of a list of all children who have applied for Unabridged Birth Certificates to National DSD for possible exemption from paying as well as expediting processing by the Department of Home Affairs.
• The Province will continuously ensure that the budget is available for advertisements in line with Regulation 56 of the Children’s Act (tracing parents of children found to be in need of care and protection which is a key requirement for all alternative care placements including foster care order extensions).
• Eastern Cape Province will continue addressing shortages of social workers and social work supervisors, filling Departmental vacant funded posts as well as funding of Designated Child Protection Organizations (DCPOs).
• The Province will continue with its efforts in providing tools of trade for social workers at service office level.

FREE STATE:

At the time of the expiry of the North Gauteng High Court Order, 2041 orders were due to lapse, but all these orders are deemed valid in line with the North Gauteng High Court Order extension. The Provincial and District Plans are reviewed to ensure the management of the extension of foster care orders in the Province.

GAUTENG:

Gauteng Province is committed to finalise all lapsed orders by end of November 2020. However, the extension of the foster care orders is dependent on other Stakeholders including, Department of Justice, Home Affairs, etc.

Furthermore, there are challenges experienced from some of the Stakeholders, such as:

• Different interpretation of the High Court ruling
• Requirement of a Police Clearance Certificate for extension of Orders which has cost implications for the client.
• Delay in getting court dates.
• Requirement of an Unabridged Birth Certificate which has cost implications for the client.

KZN:

The Province of KwaZulu-Natal has implemented various strategies to ensure effective implementation of the North Gauteng High Court Order Interim Regime issued 26 November 2019 in order to meet the new deadline date. The strategies include amongst others:

• Facilitation of the Foster Care Mondays by District Directors and Foster Care Fridays facilitated by the Service Office Managers that will take form of working sessions between Social Development and South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) with the following outputs at the end of each working session:
• Number of foster care orders captured
• Reconciled foster care statistics
• Weekly Report on Foster Care for onward submission at Head Office.

• Monthly foster care meetings to be facilitated by the Chief Director, Social Welfare Services to track and monitor implementation of the North Gauteng High Court Order Interim Regime issued 26 November 2019.

• Provincial Intersectoral Foster Care meetings quarterly to be facilitated by the Acting Deputy Director General, Developmental Welfare Services between Department of Justice, Department of Home Affairs for purposes of identifying challenges that might have a negative impact towards effective implementation of the North Gauteng High Court Order Interim Regime issued 26 November 2019 and development of integrated interventions to address the identified challenges.

LIMPOPO:

All the foster care cases covered by North Gauteng High Court Order will have been completed by November 2020. The Province has developed action plans in the districts which are monitored on weekly basis to ensure that the cases are attended to.

MPUMALANGA:

All court orders projected to lapse by November 2020 will be attended to before the expiry of the

North Gauteng High Court Order on Foster Care.

NORTHERN CAPE:

The Northern Cape, Department of Social Development, has systems in place to monitor the implementation of the NGHCO. There is a good working relationship between DSD, SASSA and Department of Justice. The Department of Social Development in the Northern Cape Province resolve to implement the provisions of the Children’s Act in full.

NORTH WEST:

The Province will ensure the review of all the foster care orders that are due to lapse in 2020 and extend all eligible placement s through intensifying monthly monitoring of performance at all levels and capacitating all 18 alternative care units.

WESTERN CAPE:

The North Gauteng High Court Order granted on the 26th of November 2019 deemed all foster care orders valid until 25 November 2020.

The Western Cape Department of Social Development has a provincial foster care management plan in place to manage foster care in the province to ensure that orders are extended before the termination of the current High Court Order. This plan is dependent on the other processes in collaboration with other departments namely:

a) Social workers to approach the children's coats with any timelines to obtain foster care orders for the full duration of the two years or beyond in terms of section 186 of the Children's Act 38 of 2005.

b) Regions were cautioned against issuing confirmation letters for the duration of the current North Gauteng High Court Order to prevent a repetition of a large number of foster care orders lapsing simultaneously on 25 November 2020.

c) The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to extend foster care orders for two years or beyond.

d)Form 30 notifications are to be issued within the required timeframe by the National Department of Social Development.

e) Birth certificates of children in the alternative care system to be issued timelessly by the Department of Home Affairs.

f) Foster care orders to be submitted to SASSA timeously to ensure the continuation of the foster child grants.

The Western Cape remains committed to ensure the care and protection of children in the alternative care system

Reply:

1(a) SASSA, working together with SAPO, is still exploring possible alternatives to the cash pay points. No final decision has been made yet and no date has been set for implementation.

(b) All parties involved in the grant payment process agree that it is important that we move away from cash payments due to the security issues and the high cost of delivering cash to pay points. The only viable alternative that is been seriously considered is exploring the move to existing and future cashless payment platforms such as more use of cards at ATMs, Point of Sale platforms and Mobile solutions. No alternative payment channel will be introduced until it has been tested and confirmed that it is fit for purpose.

2(a) (i) and (ii) SAPO uses Fidelity Security Service (Pty) Ltd to pay beneficiaries at Cash Pay Points.

(b) Two Requests for Proposals (RFPs) were issued to appoint a service provider for the provision of cash at pay points:

Interim Solution

RFP/26/18/19/ Cash Conveyance and Handling/RA – this RFP was issued as an interim measure (using cash bags) whilst the long -time process (using cash dispensers) was in the process.

A close RFP was issued on 16 August 2018 to five companies. The close bid process was approved by National Treasury. Four of the five companies that were invited indicated that they will not participate in the RFP process some indicating that they did not have the capacity to provide the service.

Fidelity Security Services (Pty) Ltd was the only bidder that responded and the tender was awarded to them. The contract was for a period of six months commencing from 1 October 2018 up until 31 March 2019 to allow for the long-term solution to be finalised.

Long-Term Solution

RFP/18/19/36 Cash Conveyance and Handling Processing and Dispensing Service for SASSA Grant Payouts/KN .

An open tender process was advertised on the National Treasury e-Tender portal on 13 August 2018. Only two bidders submitted proposals (G4S Cash Management Solutions (Pty) Ltd and Fidelity Security Services (Pty) Ltd).

G4S Cash Management Solutions (Pty) Ltd was disqualified due to not complying fully with the tender requirements. The tender was awarded to Fidelity Security Services (Pty) Ltd for the period of two years commencing on 1 May 2019 up until 30 April 2021.

3. (a) All tenders above R10m falls within the delegation of the Board of Directors for approval. However on the 10 November 2017 the Board of Directors resolved that The GCEO (Mr Mark Barnes) and the GCOO (Ms Lindiwe Kwele) were duly authorised to engage, negotiate, take decisions and sign any documents relating to the provision of payment services and systems for social assistance without referring back to the Board of Directors for guidance. The appointment of the CIT Company for both Interim and Long term solutions was therefore duly approved by the two delegated officials.

3. (b) The contracts for both RFP/26/18/19/ Cash Conveyance and Handling/RA and RFP/18/19/36 Cash Conveyance and Handling Processing and Dispensing Service for SASSA Grant Payouts/KN are attached.

 

Reply:

The DSD has been in constant engagement with the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) in terms of providing general the status update on the issues that were raised by the report.

The Department has developed a draft Intersectoral policy framework on the provision of sheltering services. The policy is meant to address amongst others the various roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders in the provision of the sheltering services. The Victim Support Service (VSS) Bill and Policy that were presented to Cabinet and approved in December 2019, are part of the legislation frameworks that are key in the responding to issues of sheltering services. The VSS Bill is in progress to be published for public comments.

It is critical to highlight that the Department is continuing with the partnership forged with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. The partnership is meant to increase the numbers of shelters across the country. So far, infrastructures/buildings considered to be provide sheltering services for abused women and children have been identified in Gauteng and the Western Cape.

It is critical to highlight that most of the deadlines indicated in the areas forming part of the report, have been drastically effected by the COVID-19 situation that is facing the country.

The deadlines that were proposed will now be reviewed to execute this activities in 2020/2021.Below are the specifics in terms of the areas raised by the report that the Department is addressing:

The late payment of tranches severely undermines the functioning of shelters. In turn, the CGE recommends that urgent action on the part of DSD is taken to instil safeguards within its contract management system wherein it provides clear pre-warning of required payments and in turn accountability of those officials responsible for effecting the payments whom do so late. The DSD is afforded the ambit to devise its own safeguard. Although, it must be effective and able to be rolled out throughout the nine provinces. The safeguard including time frames for roll out to the nine provinces must be provided to the CGE within three months of release of this report.

The DSD has developed a draft Sector Funding Policy that is meant to provide guidance across all nine provinces in terms standardised funding and implementation of funding model that is consistence across all province.

The draft Sector Funding Policy has been presented for consideration and approval to Minister and Members of Executive Council (MINMEC) meeting that was held in the current quarter. The MINMEC will make inputs and the approval of the policy will take place in last quarter of this financial year.

The National DSD in the current 2019/20 resume the implementation of the multi-year (3yrs) contract with National NGOs of which is another way of fast-tracking payment to services provider. This approach going forward will be proposed to provinces as it will cut-down on administration burden that are often resulting in delays.

The DSD to finalise its policy regarding GBV Prevention Programme for LGBTIQA+ Persons within six months from the date of release of this report, including clear directives to shelters to comply and not unfairly disseminate against LGBTIQA+ persons, including a clearly communicated complaints process for survivors to report any discriminatory action on the part of a shelter.

DSD has conducted consultations in 2017/18 which included various stakeholders across all nine province on the development of GBV prevention guideline for LGBTIQ+ persons. The document has been presented in the first and second quarters of this financial year to the Provincial and National Task Team for LGBTI led by the Department for Justice for endorsement. In quarter three and four the document will be presented to other stakeholders for inputs and endorsement. DSD funded shelters were consulted widely on the guideline document.

An admission criteria that will be LGBTIQ+ friendly will be included on the guideline document to be finalised by 31 March 2021. Furthermore, the DSD will identify and support three Shelters that will be piloted as LGBTIQ+ friendly shelter to create a model that can be replicated across the country.

Provincial DSDs have been motivated across all nine provinces to incorporate in their funding criteria preference of funding NGOs that are prioritising services to LGBTIQ+ persons. For example, Gauteng DSD in the current financial year is funding organisation (BadumetseBatho centre) that is providing services to LGBTI community in the Sedibeng areas and the following are the components funded: 1 Social Work post, 1 Social Auxiliary Work post and 20 volunteers for the NGO.

The guideline document is in the last phase of development whereby it is presented to various stakeholders for inputs. This is done through internal DSD workforce with a number of other competing demands. Hence it has not yet been finalized as per the CGE proposed timeline of six months. It will be available a refined draft by 31 March 2020.

DSD after consulting key stakeholders to provide the CGE with:

A standardised policy detailing the manner and criteria to fulfil when survivors wish to apply for extension at a shelter. This should also include a costing analysis wherein the costs of extensions are forecast and budgeted for and a clear complaints mechanism for survivors to appeal any negative decision.

The DSD in the current financial year is developing an Intersectoral Policy on sheltering services and it will include a detailed criteria to be fulfilled in instance where a victim/survivor need to apply for an extension of stay at a shelter. A draft Policy on Sheltering service will be available for consultation by 31 March 2020.

The Department has undertaken a process of costing analysis on the implementation of the Policy and Bill on Victim Support Services and that process covers cost analysis of the shelters. Deloitte was appointed as a service provider and by 31 March 2020 a cost analysis report that covers shelters will be available.

A standardised policy detailing the monitoring of survivors after existing the shelter including clear indicators to determine if the survivor is adjusting favourably.

The DSD has developed a draft Victim Support Services Policy and Bill that were presented to Cabinet on 03 December 2019 for endorsement to gazette for public comments by March 2020. Both the VSS Policy and Bill are designed to serve the purpose of monitoring and evaluation of Victim Support Services including shelters across all nine provinces. Both documents will incorporate monitoring and evaluation of services at different levels, by district office, provinces and national office. The oversight will also be conducted by other different stakeholders including Chapter Nine Institutions and the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME). DSD provinces will be monitored through the monthly and quarterly reports on indicators that they are implementing.

The aspect of monitoring the victim/survivor favourable adjustment will be prioritised in the development of the monitoring tools.

The two policies as per recommendations 4.1 and 4.2 must be provided to the CGE within six months after release of the investigative report.

Both Policies: Intersectoral Policy on Sheltering Services and Victim Support Services Policy will be shared with CGE by 31 March 2020 as draft documents. They are both still in development phases hence and need to undergo approval processes hence the department could not share them as per the timeline of six month proposed.

DSD in consultation with key stakeholders:

1. To standardise salaries and/or stipends of persons employed by shelters, including detailing criteria. Such standardisation must be taken into account during the budget allocation provided to shelters.

2. Detail and set the educational requirements and core skills needed for the requisite job roles in shelters.

Skills Development in Provinces for Shelters are not Accredited

The Department developed the Victim Support Services (VSS) Policy and Bill which were approved by Cabinet in December 2019. The VSS Policy and Bill, amongst other elements, will be addressing the regulation of the provision of sheltering services, registration of Victim Support Services facilities and accreditation of programmes rendered in the shelters including skills development programmes in shelters.

Furthermore, the Department has embarked on the project of ensuring that skills development programmes that are rendered in shelters across all nine provinces are accredited. This exercise is conducted in consultation with various SETAs including the Department line function SETA, the Health and Welfare SETA (HWSETA). A draft capacity building plan for the sector will be in place by 31 March 2020 developed by the National VEP Technical which will cover proposed accredited training for shelters.

The deployment of 200 social workers are not recognising previous experience and not looking at unemployment of current NGO service providers

The DSD appointed in December and January 200 social workers across all nine provinces to deal with the fight against GBV. They were all provided with training on trauma debriefing and psychosocial support services. All provinces resumed the processes of permanent appointment however, some were affected by the lockdown period to conclude permanent appointments. Therefore, all 200 Social Workers appointment will be finalized post the lockdown period.

The Department failed to implement the NAWONGO judgement and an explanation needs to be provided in this regard

Post the Nawongo judgement, the Department acknowledged that it requires additional capacity to assist with implementation of the 2014 court approved policy, as the policy required a change of organisational functions, systems, processes and structures. The Free State Department therefore approached KPMG, who assisted in drafting of the funding policy and costing models in line with the 2014 court approved policy.

These were sent to court and the court accepted them as working progress. This was aimed at supporting the Department with the implementation of the policy.

There were extensive consultations between the national and provincial departments of social development, more specifically DSD Free State and National and Provincial Treasuries; as well as with the NPO sector, on how the Court approved policy will be implemented.

These reforms were prescribed around the time where provincial budgets were negatively affected by the global economic crises, resulting to no additional funds becoming available to the provinces since the 2010/11 financial year. Most provinces were affected by means of a declining budget growth rate which was more or less in line with the inflation over the years thus leaving no room for expansion or response to budget pressures. The sluggish growth of the provincial budget happened in the midst of increasing demand to fund improvement in conditions of service (annual salary adjustments) as well compensation of employees’ pressures from core service delivery departments such as Education and Health. In prior years funding for annual salary adjustments was catered for by National Treasury, however over the last few years; provinces were and are still expected to fund such adjustments within their own constrained allocations.

A case in point is with the commencement of the 2019/20 budget processes, where National and Provincial Treasuries already alluded that there will be no additional funding over the MTEF, as National Treasury indicated to the province that growth is fragile and that there is a subdued growth in tax revenue.

Given the above, the challenges that led to the Department not fully implementing the NAWONGO Court judgement are as follows:

a) Implementation of the 2014 Policy was objectively impossible without the unqualified support and financial backing of National Treasury.

b) Funding for welfare services must still take place within the budgeting process which is beyond the relevant department’s control.

c) The current NPO budget which does not cover the core costs of even one service (i.e. out of 11 statutory services and 29 other services) and

d) The NPO budget has decreased in real terms each year since the court case and therefore, the provisions of the Nawongo Court judgement could not be realized in terms of the core cost of services.

e) The costing model that was developed in partnership with KPMG was rejected by the National Treasury as it was declared to be expensive, in light of the budget constraints and therefore it could not be implemented.

Only increased funding for transfers to NPOs will ensure the full compliance with the court order. The implication is that there are other parties that are necessary to increase the funding of the Department, i.e. the Executive Council of Provinces, Provincial Treasuries, and the National Treasury.

The Commission is concerned about The Department’s ability to monitor and evaluate provinces

The Victim Support Services Policy and Bill caters for monitoring and evaluation of Victim Support Services facilities including shelters in provinces, development of monitoring tools and systems. It also includes monitoring and evaluation of these services at different levels, by district office, provinces and national office. The oversight will also be conducted by other different stakeholders including Chapter Nine Institutions and the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME). Provinces are monitored through the monthly and quarterly reports on indicators that they are implementing.

 

Reply:

Social relief of distress in the form of food parcels, provided by SASSA is distributed in accordance with the provisions of the Social Assistance Act. For every applicant who calls in, an application form is completed and approved, prior to the delivery of the support.

In addition to individual requests for assistance, SASSA has also accepted referrals from the provincial coordinating structures, NGOs and civil society organisations. Where these referrals have been received, SASSA has contacted the citizens on the lists provided and completed the application form telephonically.

The various channels through which applications can be lodged have been implemented in an effort to ensure that everyone in need has been able to apply.

Reply:

The Department has not given municipal councillors any role in distributing food parcels during the national lockdown to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department assigned Provincial, District and Local DSD officials and its Agencies to handle the food parcels distribution.

Reply:

(1)(a)

The SASSA Act No 9 of 2004, Section 6.1 (a) stipulates that the CEO is responsible for the management of the Agency subject to the direction of the Minister. This in essence includes inter alia the review of the operating model to enable the efficient service delivery.

The proposed model is not yet implemented since it is still on route for approval by the three Ministers in line with section 7(2) of the SASSA Act, 2004.

Kindly note that the three Regional Executive Managers are seconded on a temporary basis to manage two additional Regions each for the period of six months which will lapse at the end of October 2020. It should be noted that the said employees are not compensated as a result of the job enlargement and consultations took place before they were seconded. The secondments are in line with the Staffing Practices Policy of SASSA.

(b)

The CEO, in consultation with EXCO, identified the need to review and streamline the current operating model, business processes and Organisational structure to ensure alignment to the strategic direction of the Agency.

The following strategic considerations were taken into account:

• The National Development Plan
• The President’s expectations, the Minister’s expectations, the CEO’s expectations and the Stakeholder’s expectations
• The strategic direction of the Agency in alignment with its Mandate
• The CEO extensively consulted with internal stakeholders through roadshows across the Provinces
• The assessment of the current operating model and the desired “future” state
• The segregation of functions between Core and Support functions
• The composition of EXCO as well as the synergy between EXCO and the Regional Executive Managers
• The rationalisation of Organisation Structure i.eSpan of control, lines of reporting, delegations of Authority, staff complement, the evaluation and grading system
• Different and yet complementary roles with respect to strategic, tactical and operational planning

(2) SASSA is in the process of obtaining the necessary approval from the Minister, in consultation with the Ministers of Finance and Public Service and Administration. At this stage there is no approval therefore implementation cannot be effected as it is depended on approval by the three Ministers.

(3) (a) The Regional Executive Manager’s positions were evaluated and graded at salary level 15. The newly proposed Cluster Head positions are not yet evaluated and graded as the said process will follow after the approval by the relevant structures.

(b) The outcomes of the evaluation and grading processes is dependent on the approval of the operating model by the Ministers. In the event that the operating model is approved, the said job will be subjected to the evaluation and grading process.

(4) The secondment of the cluster heads is in line with:

1. The current SASSA Staffing Practices Policy which states that “the secondment of a staff member from another Branch/Department/Organisation may be considered when the need exists to fill a vacant post on a temporary basis”.
2. Section 62 of the Public Service Regulations, 2016, which states that “a secondment may only take place if the employee or person being seconded has the necessary competency and the period of secondment does not exceed 12 calendar months, unless due to operational reasons determined otherwise by the Minister”.

The secondments of the Cluster Heads were approved in line with the above legislative framework, policy provision and Human Capital Management Delegations for a period of six months, effective from 01 May 2020 until 31 October 2020. The seconded employees have the necessary competencies since they have occupied the same position i.e Regional Executive Managers for more than seven years.

As already mentioned, the three Regional Executive Managers were duly consulted and they accepted additional responsibilities at no additional costs to the Agency. Whether the operating model is approved or not approved, relevant Human Resources (HR) interventions will be effected.

(5) The operating model was developed in October 2019 which was before the realisation of the COVID 19 pandemic. As a result, the proposed model did not directly address the COVID-19 pandemic, however the Agency developed a broad Risk Plan that ensured the efficient rendering of essential services during any calamity.This was based on the SWOT as well as the PESTLE Analysis deliberations conducted during the proposed operating model sessions. SASSA has subsequently adopted a Risk Plan with mitigating strategies which incorporates COVID 19 pandemic. Same will beincluded in the operating model if approved.

Reply:

a) The appeals committee was appointed on 25 May 2019.

b) The then Minister was requested to consider and appoint an Appeals Authority.

c) (i) Adv. Zandile Gail Mpungose, (Chairperson); Adv. Sivalingam Pather; Mr James Cornwall; and Mr James Makiwane.

(ii) Adv. Mpungose – attorney in private practice;

Adv. Pather – is a Director of Labour Relations in the National Prosecuting Authority.

Mr Cornwall – retired / former chief negotiator for the employer in the Public Health and Welfare Sectoral Bargaining Council.

Mr Makiwane – Former manager of Labour Relations in the private sector.

d) The Committee considers appeals referred to the Minister and takes a final decision on whether to uphold the sanction or appeal. Such outcomes are then communicated to the appellant.

e) The Appeals Panel derives its authority from clause 8 of the Disciplinary Code and Procedures for the Public Service (Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) Resolution 1 of 2003.

Reply:

1. The following are categories of registrations:

Area of service	Theme	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20
Family services	Including Substance Abuse, family life/parent education, family violence shelters	1107	1131	1271
Victim Support	Victim violence shelters and services	679	699	770
Services to Children		49482	50538	53761
	Adoption Services	14	18	20
	Child Protection	314	308	331
	Child welfare, child services, day care	36927	35870	37536
	Children’s Homes	863	816	860
	Community –Based Care Services for Children	1813	1885	2128
	ECD and Partial Care Centres	7818	9700	10870
	Homes for Children with Special Needs	286	320	333
	Schools of Industry/ Reform Schools	480	412	413
	Secure Care	97	129	151
	Temporary Safe Care/ Place of Safety	870	1080	1119
Services to people with disabilities	Homes, recreation and other specialized services for people with disabilities	3423	3626	4162
Services to the elderly	Elderly care; recreation, meal programs and other services geared towards senior citizens	6941	7146	7360

2. The NPO Database captures those NPOs that opt to wind up and those that opt to Voluntary Deregister. Below is a total number:

Area of service	Dissolved (wound up) in terms of section 23(2)	Voluntary Deregistered: according to section 23(1)
Family services	4	1
Victim Support	0	4
Services to Children	3	46
Services to people with disabilities	3	7
Services to the elderly	1	12
Totals	11	70

 

Reply:

1. The challenges experienced with the May payment file were as a result of multiple factors. Firstly, technical development was required to implement the decision to split the payment files to ease congestion at access points. This required the separation of grants for older persons and persons with disabilities together with the child grants that are received by these beneficiaries, from the stand alone children’s grants.

The second technical adjustment which was required was the addition of the top up amounts announced by the President in his relief package designed to provide the most vulnerable members of our society with the ability to withstand the effects of the pandemic and in particular the lockdown. The addition of the top up amounts required programmatic changes, as the system is programmed to read the means test requirements when any increase is affected. For the top up amounts, the means test requirements had to be by-passed.

Both the above changes were implemented within a relatively short space of time, and there was not sufficient time to complete the full automation of the extraction process prior to the extraction of payments.

Furthermore, the naming convention of files had to change to accommodate the split of the grant types, as well as an extraction of less than 500 000 records per file to meet the Bank transfer requirements. This resulted in some manual intervention being required with the extraction of files.

During the manual extraction, some of the files between Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal as well as Free State and Northern Cape were mixed, resulting in 457 044 transactions for KwaZulu-Natal not being extracted; 435 004 for Western Cape being extracted in duplicate; and 165 412 transactions for Northern Cape being extracted in duplicate.

The challenge between Free State and Northern Cape records were picked up on Thursday, 30 April 2020 and the double payments were recalled through the approved banking process.

The challenge with the KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape files was only picked up late on Sunday, 3 May 2020. While the recall files were sent to the banks through the South African Reserve Bank, not all the double payments could be reversed in time, before beneficiaries starting accessing their money.

a) The non-payments for KwaZulu-Natal were addressed through the extraction of a second file in the evening of 3 May and sent to the banks on 4 May. By 5 May all beneficiaries had access to their funds.

B) While a number of the double payments were reversed in time by the banks, some were not done in time, and the beneficiaries were able to access the double payment. The final numbers will only be confirmed after the reconciliations are complete.

2. A full investigation is underway. Given the changes in standard procedures and the manual interventions required in a usually automated environment; shortcomings of additional controls, both within the SITA and the SASSA environment, were identified. The implementation of these controls will be addressed to ensure that a similar situation does not occur in the future.

3. Since the matter is still under investigation, no disciplinary action has been taken yet. A decision as to consequences to be implemented will be made on conclusion of the investigation.

4. The affected beneficiaries will be expected to repay the amounts received in error, in terms of Section 17 of the Social Assistance Act, 2004. Immediately the error was picked up, SASSA communicated broadly, appealing to beneficiaries to return the money they should not have received, or to leave the second payment in their account. Some heeded the call and repaid the amount to SASSA, while banks were able to reverse a significant number of the double payments.

a) For those who withdrew and utilised the funds that they were not entitled to, there will be no payment of the grant in June, as they effectively received the June money in advance. Those who, on personal submission, indicate that they are unable to repay the amount in a single amount, will be allowed to sign an acknowledgement of debt and repay the amount over a 3 month period. The refund will be deducted directly from their social grant payments for the next 3 months, with their consent.

Reply:

a) Yes, the Gender Based Violence Command Centre compiles/records statistics. See below records of calls, USSDs as well as SMSs recorded:

(b)

All Gender Based Violence emergency calls are referred to SA Police Service. However, not all received calls are reported or referred to SA Police Service. It is dependent on the merit of case as well as the present issue of the client. The Gender Based Violence Command Centre is equipped with Social Work Practitioners who provides immediate psychosocial social support services including emotional support through trauma counselling and victim containment.

Reply:

1. The Ministerial Directive, No. 6(k)(vii) as amended and gazetted on 09 May 2020, states that:

“Temporary disability grants which lapsed in February and March 2020, must be reinstated and continue to be paid from the date they were suspended until end of October 2020; temporary disability grants which did not lapse during April 2020, as contemplated in directive (l)(v) must continue to be paid until end of October 2020; and temporary disability grants which are due to lapse in May 2020 and June 2020, must continue to be paid until end of October 2020”.

The Directive further makes provision for Care Dependency grants which lapsed during the period beginning from February to April 2020 must be reinstated and continue to be paid until end of October 2020; and Care Dependency grants which lapsed during May 2020 or are due to lapse when the care dependent child turns 18 years of age, will not lapse until end of October 2020 and must continue to be paid until end of October 2020.

2. This option at present is not being considered. Most of the elderly have funeral cover for this. What is of concern is that many households are currently depending on the income from the elderly’s grant and are left destitute when the elderly pass on. The COVID-19 pandemic has also perpetuated the problem with more people becoming financially distressed.

To mitigate the impact of the pandemic, the President announced a relief package in the form of a Special COVID -19 Social Relief grant to the value of R350.00 per month to individuals who are: South African Citizens, Permanent Residents or Refugees registered on the Department of Home Affairs database; the applicant should currently be residing within the borders of the Republic of South Africa; be above the age of 18, unemployed; not receiving any form of income; not receiving any social grant; should not be receiving an unemployment insurance benefit and not qualifying to receive one; not receiving a stipend from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and other financial aid; not receiving any other government COVID-19 response support; and not residing in a government funded or subsidised institution. The benefit came into effect in May 2020 and will be paid to qualifying individuals from date of application until end of October 2020.

Reply:

(a) SASSA currently pays grants to 579 beneficiaries in Namibia, broken down as follows:

     59 disability grants

     520 grants for older persons.

However, at this stage, SASSA is unable to confirm how many of the above beneficiaries carry dual citizenship as the grant is paid on the South African identity number. A review project is planned for the 2020/21 financial year to determine this and to confirm whether approval was obtained to retain the South African citizenship prior to taking Namibian citizenship as is required in terms of the South African Citizenship Act, Act 88 of 1995.

2. SASSA does not service any pay points in Namibia. Social grants are paid through direct deposit into the beneficiaries’ personal bank accounts or in cash through Nampost at the post office in Walvis Bay.

Reply:

The number of names added to (a) Part A and (b) Part B of the Child Protection Register in each year since its establishment

Year	2004/5	2005/6	2006/7	2007/8	2008/9
	4 442	2 610	3 593	1 965	3 636

Year	2009/10	2010/11	2011/12	2012/13
	1 956	1 348	4 474	4 477

Year	2013/14	2014/15	2015/16	2016/17
	3 874	2 879	3 050	7 607

Year	2017/18	2018/19	2019/20	Total
	3 206	9 153	7 313	65 583

 

(b) Part B: Persons found unsuitable to work with children

Year	2011/12	2012/13	2013/14	2014/15	2015/16
	45	260	212	87	99

Year	2016/17	2017/18	2018/19	2019/20	Total
	281	23	509	144	1 660

Reply:

For the financial year 2019/20, a total of 22 497 cases of fraud from SASSA/SAPO card were reported. Of these, 18 278 have been reimbursed to the total value of R43 399 071, 76.

Reply:

1. 

(a) The decision to introduce the CoVID-19 social relief fund is a Cabinet decision that stated that it should be administered for a period between May and October 2020.

(b) Cabinet has not entertained the idea of increasing this grant.

Reply:

a) To my knowledge there were no food parcels that were distributed in furtherance of a party political objective. Still, to my knowledge all the food that was distributed by the Department was targeted at addressing the intended purpose of disaster relief that is related to the national lockdown to curb the spread of CoVID-19.

b) As a result, there is no action necessary because no Departmental food parcels were distributed in furtherance of political party objectives.

Reply:

a) It is incorrect of the Honourable Member to suggest that there is no form of acknowledgement when a person is applying for the social relief grant using the stated number.

b) There is an acknowledgement in the form of unique reference number that is sent to all successful applicants.

Reply:

The Department is not in the business of registering beneficiaries. Instead, it provides social services to its beneficiaries. Under the conditions that accompany the CoVID-19 pandemic, the Department and its entities provide services as determined by the regulations that are relevant to the different levels of the lockdown period.

Reply:

(a)(b)(c) No, the Department of Social Development is not paying for the Former Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini to attend the 64th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women which was scheduled to take place from 09 March 2020 in New York, United States of America.

Reply:

The qualifying criteria for receipt of any form of social relief of distress, which includes relief parcels and vouchers, is set in the Social Assistance Act, Act 13 of 2004

In terms of regulation 9 to the above Act, social relief may only be given to South Africa citizens, permanent residents, refugees and representatives of a cluster foster care scheme who have insufficient means and meets on or more of the following criteria:

• Is awaiting payment of an approval grant
• Is assessed by a medical officer to be disabled for a period of less than 6 months:
• Is in a household where the breadwinners has died, and application is made within 12 months of the date of the death:
• The breadwinner has been admitted to a public or private institution for at least one month:
• The breadwinner has been admitted to an institution funded by the State( including a prison of Psychiatric facility)
• The person has been affected by a disaster
• Refusal of the application for social relief of distress may cause undue hardship

(b) All applications for social relief of distress are finally approved or rejected by a SASSA official, who is obliged to ensure that the requirements as set in legislation have been met. Community development workers may refer cases they identify in the course of their work, but they do not make the final decision.

Social relief of distress is provided by SASSA within the available budget. In addition, the approved policy makes it clear that the programme is offered within the confines of Section 195 of the Constitution, which requires all services to be provided impartially, fairly and equitably. The introduction to the policy states” The state and therefore SASSA is responsible for the issuance of social relief of distress (SRD). The role of political parties and the state is therefore separately and must be applied accordingly”.

The above explicit directive acts to ensure that SASSA can account for all SRD issued and that those who receive assistance meet the qualifying criteria as set in legislature.

Reply:

The department of Social Development does not have any plans to build rehabilitation centres in Mhluzi Township in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality.

The Department is funding Greater Nkangala Rehabilitation Centre in Steve Tshwete Municipality which is a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO). The centre is a Community Based service which is located at Mhluzi Township. It provides prevention, treatment and aftercare services to communities around the Steve Tshwete Municipality.

Furthermore, the Department has a state owned treatment centre in White river called Swartfontein Treatment centre. The centre is operational and has the bed capacity of 50 service users.

Reply:

1. Chairperson the updated Gender Based Violence Command Centre (GBVCC) statistics from inception to date are as follows:

GBV command centre call statistics report: November 2013 February 2020

DATE/YEAR	TELEPHONE CALLS RECEIVED	USSD’S RECEIVED	SMS’S RECEIVED
Jan- 16 Feb 2020	712401	2593	640
2019	87092	8741	787
2018	88957	12481	848
2017	163682	17332	1340
2016	60590	36692	39
2015	44614	46571	N/A
2014	2384	1419	N/A
2013	376	32	N/A

 

(b) Furthermore chairperson the GBV Command Centre is comprised of the below workforce:

STAFF BREAKDOWN IN TERMS OF NUMBERS
Command Centre Manager	01
Social Work Supervisors	07
Social Workers	36
Social Auxiliary Workers	02
Technical Manager	01
Technical Shift Supervisors	04
Information Technical Support	02
Quality Assurance Manager	01
Quality Assurers	02
Total staff complement	56

Chairperson the 2019/2020 financial year operational cost breakdown of running the Command Centre which consist of compensation of the team or employees indicated above is as follows:

ECONOMIC CLASSIFICATION OF ITEMS	R'000
Current payments
Compensation of Employees	15 843 000
Good and Services	5 158 000
Transfers and Subsidies	0
TOTAL	21 001 000

Reply:

1(a). It is imperative to contextualise the relationship between the Department of Social Development and (NDA) National Development Agency. As you may be aware, the NDA is a National Development Agency, which falls within the Social Development Portfolio. The Department and its two Agencies, which are South African Social Security Agency(SASSA) and the NDA have adopted the “Portfolio Approach” which is a more impactful approach used to deliver on our joint mandate and implement programme to avoid fragmentation and improve integration. This approach is inclusive of the three spheres of government. The role of the NDA in the CARA project is therefore against this background and should not be viewed as a commercial service provider to the Department.

Furthermore, section 4 of the National Development Agency Act, 1998 (Act No. 108 of 1998) mandates the NDA to act as a key conduit for funding from the Government of the Republic, foreign governments and other National and International donors for development work to be carried out by CSO’s. The CARA project is one of a few projects which are aimed at fulfilling this legislative mandate of the NDA and is therefore in line with the current legislative framework.

As far as I am aware the NDA has received an unqualified audit opinion with findings for the past three audits periods namely 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19. After a clean audit, the unqualified audit opinion is seconded best audit opinion the Auditor General SA assessed the overall financial viability of the NDA as good and this is contained in pages 22-24 of the 2018-19 management letter.

(b) the administration fee of the 6% is intended to cover all administrative expenses associated with the implementation of the projects because this extra work would not have been catered for in the finalised budget.

2. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NDA and DSD has not yet been finalised and signed. The MoU is currently being vetted by legal services after which it will be signed by both parties before money is transferred.

3. The MoU will be made available once it has been signed.

4. (a) The total number of proposals received is 592,with the following provincial breakdown:

PROVINCE	RECEIVED PROPOSALS
Gauteng	105
Eastern Cape	102
Western Cape	56
Mpumalanga	97
Free State	29
Northern Cape	29
North West	19
Limpopo	98
KwaZulu Natal	57
Total	592

4(b) The request for Proposal was advertised in the City Press on Sunday 12th January and the Daily Sun on Monday 13th January. The City Press is a Sunday weekly newspaper with a circulation of 39 172 and a readership of 1 68 000. The Daily Sun is the biggest daily newspaper in the country with a circulation of 105 131 and readership of 3 821 000.

5(a) The Criminal Assets Recovery Account Funding has been a standing item in the VEP Management Forum quarterly meetings with Provincial VEP Coordinators and process reports have been presented in the presence of Provincial VEP Coordinators. Furthermore, when the date for advertising the call for proposal was announced by NDA a communication sent to all Social Development Provincial VEP Coordinators with an indication to communicate this information to NGOs within their Provinces.

(b) There is no specific allocation per Province.

The provincial allocation will be based on the qualifying and approved proposal after the assessment.

Reply:

1. The National Office developed and trained the provinces on web-based Foster Care Monitoring Tool by March 2019. The National Office completed the hand over stage of the monitoring tool in April 2019 for implementation by provinces.

2. (a) The development of the web-based Foster Care Monitoring Tool was completed in March 2019.

(b) According to the National plan, provinces are to implement the monitoring tool. Provinces started implementation from April 2019.

3. There were no specific cost implications for the development of the web-based Foster Care Monitoring Tool as the Department utilised the existing resources.

4. The web-based Foster Care Monitoring Tool was developed within the Department, thus no service provider was appointed.

Reply:

1. In terms of the SASSA Act, there is no requirement for Cabinet to approve the appointment. Notwithstanding, it has been a practice that such appointments serve before Cabinet.

2. Cabinet considered and approved the appointment on 25 January 2019.

(3)(a) R2,650,000.00 per annum.

(3)(b) The annual salaries of the previous CEOs of SASSA, were, with effect from date of appointment as follows:

i) Mr EBF Makiwane: R1,239,900.00

ii) Ms VL Peterson: R1,339,518.00

iii) Mr TW Magwaza: R1,689,750.00

Reply:

Respective provincial departments are engaging various provincial Treasuries to secure funding for appointment of social work scholarship graduates. In this regard by end September 2019 a total of 239 social work graduates were appointed by provinces as follows: Gauteng appointed 140 permanent, Western Cape appointed 14 on one year contract and 8 on 24 months internship, Northern Cape, North West and Eastern Cape also appointed 23, 21 and 31 graduates respectively on internships.

The Department secured special allocation of R93 million, which will be used by provincial departments of Social Development for employment of 200 social work graduates.

These graduates will be appointed to support the Gender Based Violence Programme.

The 2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework baseline for the scholarship programme has been reduced, where funds will be shifted towards employment of scholarship graduates. The implication is that budget has been allocated for the next three years where R112.6 million will be allocated for 2020/21, R139.4 million for 2021/22 and R146.1 million for 2022/23. These funds will be shifted to provincial equitable share to sustain employment of 326 scholarship graduates.

________________________

Approved by the Minister of Social Development

Date……………………….

Reply:

(1)   SASSA has instituted legal proceedings against CPS for the recovery of R 74 million payments made to CPS. In the months of February and March 2018 SASSA paid 2 160 678 and 2 388 403 beneficiaries respectively, directly into their bank accounts without using the services of CPS.

CPS has, upon receipt of the summons claiming payment of R 74 million, filed a notice of exception to SASSA`s particulars of claim, demanding that SASSA provides more facts (such as contractual basis and principles upon which the claim is based). SASSA amended its particulars of claim (by incorporating other terms of the contract [contract for the payment of social grant services concluded with CPS during 2012]) and filed the notice to amend on 27 September 2019. CPS has filed a notice of objection to SASSA`s amendment on 11 October 2019. This matter is still pending arguments in Court.

(2)(a)  SASSA has sent a letter to CPS on 10 October 2019 demanding that CPS implements paragraph 36.2 (ordering CPS to pay R 316 million with interests) of the High Court order since CPS`s appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has been dismissed. CPS indicated in its letter dated 14 October 2019 that it is preparing to appeal to the Constitutional Court (CC) against the SCA judgment. SASSA will await the outcome of the intended appeal and if the SCA judgment is not overturned, SASSA will enforce paragraph 36.2 of the High Court judgment.

(2)(b)  The official who authorised the R 316 million transaction (afforded CPS the right to claim R 316 million) is no longer in the employ of SASSA and it is only recently in  September 2019, that the Court made a ruling on the R316m payment which  was made in 2014.

 

Supported/Not supported

-----------------------------------

Mr M Toni

Acting Director-General: Dept. of Social Development

Date:

Supported/Not supported

-----------------------------------

Ms H Bogopane-Zulu

Deputy Minister: Dept. of Social Development

Date:

Approved/Not approved

-----------------------------------

Ms L Zulu, MP

Minister: Department of Social Development

Date:

Reply:

Department of Social Development (DSD) plays a leadership role to facilitate the establishment, coordination, and the implementation of the shelters/safe spaces for all victims of crime and violence.

Furthermore, the Department forms part of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster that has been given an important mandate to implement strategies and programmes that contribute towards priority 5 (social cohesion and safe communities) of the sixth government administration.

Is it therefore critical to note that due to the nature and sensitivity of the services rendered to victims of crime and violence, the Department is not in a position to provide the location of the shelters/safe houses/crisis centres since their safety is paramount.

Attached is Annexure A: Database for shelters/safe houses/ crisis centres.

Reply:

The Department has embarked in process of developing a sector funding policy. The policy will provide guidelines to assist all Provinces to implement in a standardised way and address inconsistencies regarding funding. The draft sector funding policy was presented to MINMEC during the third quarter for consideration and approval. The MECs have not yet approved the policy and indicated the need for sufficient time to give the final inputs.

Furthermore, the Department developed the Victim Support Services (VSS) Policy and Bill which will be tabled to Cabinet during this financial year, 2019/20. The VSS Policy and Bill, amongst other elements, will be addressing the regulation of the provision of sheltering services.

The Department initiated a multi-year contracts approach to address the delays in funding of NGOs including shelters across provinces.

Reply:

The Department has developed a draft training and development framework that seeks to address capacity building plans across the sector as a systematic approach to training. The framework will be looking into three year period. The framework will be ready following consultations with various stakeholders by 31 March 2020. The framework will cover the various thematic areas such as training within Gender Based Violence, Substance Abuse, Mental health, etc.

 

Reply:

1. Yes, the Minister retained some of the officials who served the previous / former Minister, but also released some of the officials in accordance with the Ministerial Handbook.

2. It is key to indicate that prior the introduction of Ministerial Handbook there were officials across Ministerial portfolios which were appointed permanently within Offices of different Ministers hence the below categories of staff compliments within Minister’s Office:

2.1 Permanent Contract:

The Accounting Officer is bound to accommodate officials with permanent contractual agreement. Furthermore they can be approached by considering the skills, competencies and qualifications they possess for correct placement in the vacant posts within the department by following due processes. The department has then placed the six (6) officials within the available vacancies in line with their expertise, competencies and skills.

The Minister retained an official whose contract was linked to the former Minister’s term of office. Minister needed the official’s skills and competencies to continue performing the work within her office;

The Minister did not have a vacancy for the Chief of Staff and the department found a placement in the department for the official. Transitionally the official is being managed by the Deputy Director-General: Corporate Support Services whilst finding a permanent placement. Furthermore the final placement will be addressed through the processes of organisational reconfiguration. Below is the list of officials redeployed within the department:-

a) Initials and surname	b) Redeployment	(c)(i)Current job description	(c)(ii) Current remuneration package
Ms SP Baninzi	Chief Directorate: Auxiliary Services	Administrative Assistant	R316,791.00 p.a.
Mr MM Koma	Office of the Director-General	Director: Stakeholder Management, Donor Funding and Coordination	R1,105,641.00 p.a.
Ms V Mangcu	Chief Directorate: Legal Services	Director: Legal Services	R1,245,495.00 p.a.
Ms M Nkone	Office of the Director-General (Cape Town Office)	Food Aid Service	R145,281.00 p.a.
Mr HLH Xaba	Office of the Director-General	Senior Administrative Officer.	R376,596.00 p.a.
Ms S Gola	Chief Directorate: Information Management Systems Technology	Administrative/secretarial Support	R470,040.00 p.a.
Ms TM Zabo	Branch Corporate Support Services	Providing support to the Deputy Director-General: Corporate Support services	R1,495,956.00 p.a.
Mr D Sambamba	Chief Directorate: Legal Services	Director: Legal Services	R1,245,495.00

_______________________

Approved by the Minister of Social Development

Date……………………….