City responds to baseless allegations about SASSA venues request
14 January 2021
Statement by the Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien
The City of Cape Town notes the ANC’s allegations regarding our apparent refusal to grant the Social Security Agency access to City community halls, which is blamed for the chaotic scenes at many SASSA offices around the metropole in recent days.
This attempt at deflecting from SASSA’s shortcomings and their inability to implement corrective measures cannot be left unchallenged.
For the record:
Engagement with SASSA took place in June 2020 through an official request that Community halls be opened to accommodate grant payments. At the meeting, SASSA was informed of certain Community halls not being available due to the City's Coronavirus response.
However, the City’s Recreation and Parks Department did identify several facilities for potential use by other departments for various uses, including health overflow facilities, quarantine and isolation, payout points, etc.
Up to now, the City has attempted to work in good faith with SASSA to ensure that they are able to access our facilities for Grant payouts in the areas where they are most needed. Unfortunately, the facilities identified by the City were rejected by SASSA as they insisted the City install technical infrastructure that would alter the multifunctional nature of these facilities into SASSA office space. Importantly, these spaces, although closed, still belong to our communities and their multi-functional purpose must be retained.
The City also announced an extension of its relationship with SASSA on 1 July 2020 https://www.capetown.gov.za/Media-and-news/City%20formalises%20relationship%20with%20SASSA%20to%20open%20more%20service%20points
However, if there has been a need beyond the Memoranda of Understanding that was signed, the organisation has never sought to engage the City on this formally.
Therefore, it is disappointing that the City is being blamed for the ineptitude of SASSA officials to manage its own crisis.
It is equally disappointing, but not unsurprising that the matter is being turned into a political football.
The heart-breaking queues at SASSA offices are not of the City’s making, but rather SASSA’s inability to effectively manage its mandate.
Instead of targeting the City administration, the opposition would be well served to find more constructive ways to assist SASSA through this crisis, instead of taking potshots at the local government.
The City is more than willing to provide additional assistance to SASSA.
This would, however, require a strategic discussion so that we can ascertain what City resources are required, in an environment that is free of cheap political opportunism, and for the benefit and well-being of the thousands of people who have been affected by the lapsing of their temporary disability grants.
When SASSA is ready to engage us, we are ready to assist them.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
