Social Development Department
latest news & developments
Social development budget is not fit for purpose
The under-investment in cash transfers and caring services by the government suggests that many may well fall still further behind
R350 a month: Inside the lives of special grant recipients
The Covid-19 relief grant helped millions of South Africans, but it ended in January. The M&G spoke to unemployed youth who found the money helpful
Majodina is ready to whip, dressed to kill
Pemmy Majodina returns to the parliamentary precinct after having served as a member of the National Council of Provinces between 1999 and 2004
Shabangu promises Sassa will comply with ConCourt order
Social development minister promises Sassa grants will continue to be paid and that their obligations to the Constitutional Court will be met
Dlamini misses ConCourt deadline, says she didn’t
The social development minister missed every deadline during a process in which she was found responsible for a crisis around the payment of grants.
Bathabile Dlamini misses another Constitutional Court deadline
The social development minister has missed a deadline to explain to the Court why she should not pay legal fees from her own pocket.
Ex social development deputy director general says break-in an ‘act of intimidation’
The National Police Commissioner promised to pursue the matter to establish the identities of the officers who dissuaded him from opening a case.
Social grants crisis tests the powers of Constitutional Court
The judiciary stands to gain more legitimacy if it manages to confront the impunity of Sassa and Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini.
Bathabile Dlamini, Sassa acting CEO file late affidavits to Concourt
Dlamini did not apologise for her late submission, but instead said she had ‘made every reasonable effort to comply with this court’s directives’.
Sassa dragged its feet on grants transition matter, CPS affidavit shows
An affidavit filed by the social grants distributor details the correspondence between the company, Sassa and the social development minister.
Extending Net 1 social welfare contract would be unlawful, says Pravin Gordhan
The social development department’s ability to continue to make monthly welfare payments to about 17-million people is in jeopardy.
‘We need national buy-in to provide sanitary pads to poor women and girl learners’
The Kwazulu-Natal education department has set aside R50-million to fund the distribution of pads to schools in the four lowest quintiles.
Social development department ignores Reserve Bank, imperils welfare for 17-million
The department may have to extend its deal with Net 1 UEPS to continue with the R129-billion in annual payments when the contract ends in April.
Gauteng social development leaves R90m unspent
Despite the welfare sector’s shortage of money, the Gauteng social development department has underspent its welfare budget by R90-million.
Short change for a tall order of social development
The problem with the budget allocated for social development services is nowhere near adequate to meet the needs in the sector, writes Jackie Loffell.