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The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorise a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into the wide-scale fraud at South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), following the suspension of CEO Busisiwe Memela-Khambula.<\/span><\/p>\n This call follows the suspension of Memela-Khambula on Tuesday by the Minister of Social Development Nokuzola Tolashe. <\/span><\/p>\n Tolashe said the suspension is prompted by the need to conduct an investigation without hindrance or interference, given Memela-Khambula\u2019s position as CEO of Sassa. <\/span><\/p>\n She further stated that the Office of the Public Protector has raised a “myriad of serious issues” that have prompted her to take appropriate action as the executive authority over Sassa.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe decision was important to also protect her dignity and integrity and praised the humility the CEO demonstrated when the decision to suspend her was communicated,\u201d Tolashe said.<\/span><\/p>\n She said all the decisions that have been taken are to steer Sassa in the right direction and are taken in the best interest of millions of beneficiaries that depend on social assistance. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhile we deal with a lot of challenges facing Sassa, we want to take decisive decisions that will ensure that our work is transparent, effective, and efficient and we have an organisation that will assist in fighting hunger and poverty in our country,\u201d Tolashe said.<\/span><\/p>\n In the interim, the regional executive manager for Gauteng, Themba Matlou, has been appointed as the acting CEO until the matter has been concluded.<\/span><\/p>\n Democratic Alliance’s (DA) deputy spokesperson on Social Development <\/span>Alexandra Abrahams<\/span> welcomed the suspension of Memela-Khambula, however, she called for swift and thorough action.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cNow the investigation that follows must be executed rapidly, to avoid paying her millions in leave pay, to sit at home,\u201d <\/span>Abrahams said.<\/span><\/p>\n Abrahams said <\/span>the party toughens its urgent call to Ramaphosa to authorise the SIU to probe into the wide-scale fraud at Sassa, arguing that the Department of Social Development \u2018\u2019seems to be out of its depth and slow to action” on numerous issues at Sassa, including the fraud of Social Relief of Distress grants.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhile the Minister of Social Development, Sisisi Tolashe, made the obvious decision in suspending Memela-Khambula, it is regrettable that neither she, nor the Deputy Minister, Ganief Hendricks, attended the final Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Social Development meeting of the year to provide feedback on this matter or on the compromised Sassa Social Relief of Distressed (SRD) R370 grant system,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n According to Abrahams, the <\/span>acting director general, Peter Netshipale, was present in the meeting, but was unable to provide answers to members on the suspension of Memela-Khambula or on the investigation into the SRD R370 fraud scandal.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cHe also was unable to provide a timeline on when answers can be expected,\u201d <\/span>Abrahams said.<\/span><\/p>\n She added: \u201cIt is<\/span> concerning that the SRD grant system remains compromised, with fraudsters continuing to syphon off public funds meant for the poor and vulnerable, while desperate eligible South Africans who are predominately youth, remain locked out of receiving social assistance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Abrahams said<\/span> Sassa beneficiaries, including SRD grant recipients, have suffered under what she described as the “insensitivity and incompetence” of Memela-Khambula.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cUnder <\/span>the CEO\u2019s watch, S<\/span>assa grants are routinely paid late, paid to the wrong persons, or suspended without explanation.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cEvidence of her intervention into corruption and fraud bleeding Sassa dry, of capacitating Sassa offices and ensuring that their systems are operational at all times; ensuring that Sassa telephone lines are manned and answered; as well as addressing the long queues, are scant,\u201d she added.<\/span><\/p>\n Abrahams expressed frustration that <\/span>while Sassa grant beneficiaries struggle to survive, <\/span>Memela-Khambula<\/span> will remain on suspension with full pay.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cShe will be free to enjoy her millions per annum salary while South Africa\u2019s poorest and most vulnerable continue to suffer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Abrahams said they call for an urgent <\/span>and thorough investigation to ensure accountability and to avoid wasting millions on this suspension.<\/span><\/p>\n Politics<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorise a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into the wide-scale fraud at South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), following the suspension of CEO Busisiwe Memela-Khambula. This call follows the suspension of Memela-Khambula on Tuesday by the Minister of Social Development Nokuzola Tolashe. Tolashe said […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[12683,961,14834,1882,7387,426,621,7359,7244],"class_list":{"0":"post-225672","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-politics","7":"tag-authorise","8":"tag-calls","9":"tag-ceos","10":"tag-fraud","11":"tag-probe","12":"tag-ramaphosa","13":"tag-sassa","14":"tag-siu","15":"tag-suspension"},"yoast_head":"\n