Dear Editor
The DA extends its sincere appreciation to the City of Cape Town (CoCT) for coming to the rescue of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) when the Agency failed to provide a suitable alternative site during the commencement of scheduled building renovations at the Khayelitsha local office on Thursday, 14 July 2022.
Through its efficient administration and caring manner, the City facilitated a three-year lease with SASSA commencing from 1 September 2022. This will restore life-saving SASSA services to the vulnerable residents of Khayelitsha at the Kuyasa Sub-council Office.
The CoCT’s Property Management Department worked around the clock after receiving a leasing application from SASSA in early July 2022. This, after SASSA’s alternative site, Bikitsha, was found to be unsuitable to render the service.
While conducting oversight, the DA found that this site is now being used as a SASSA storage facility and will not render services, despite the Minister for Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu’s assurances in answer to a parliamentary question from the DA.
The Minister’s reply highlights the disarray and confusion in which this matter has been handled leaving the vulnerable residents of Khayelitsha paying the price for this incompetence.
For the last month, vulnerable residents of Khayelitsha were forced to pay more for transport in order to access SASSA services at other offices in Mitchells Plain and Eerste River. Many of whom had to return multiple times.
The DA will bring this fruitless and wasteful expenditure by SASSA to the Auditor-General’s attention. It must be investigated why SASSA entered into the Bikitsha lease agreement without due consideration to the occupational health and safety of their own staff as well as vulnerable SASSA beneficiaries given the obvious unsuitability of this site.
Regards
Alexandra Abrahams MP
DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Social Development
