Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini failed to pitch for a meeting to account on preparations for appointing a new service provider to take-over South Africa Social Security Agency (Sassa) payments as ordered by the Constitutional Court.

The Standing Committee On Public Accounts (Scopa) and the Social Developments Parliamentary Committee held a joint meeting to get a briefing on the Sassa’s preparations to replace Cash Paymaster Services (CPS), yet Dlamini was a no show.

Dlamini cited an official function in KwaZulu-Natal, as her reason for not attending the joint meeting.

Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) Ntombovuyo Mente says a strong message needs to be sent to the Minister.

Mente says, “We need to utilise strong measures to get the Minister here. We need to subpoena the Minister. We can’t be dilly dally. It is only five months left in this term in this annual year. By the first of April we need to have SAPO distributing the grants.”

Scopa chairperson Themba Godi says they are disappointed with the Minister’s failure to attend the meeting.

Members of Parliament have raised concerns that Sassa could fail to meet the deadline in appointing a service provider to distribute social grants by end of March next year.