The SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) has apologised for delays in making payments to beneficiaries of a R350 social relief grant meant for millions of unemployed during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Explaining the cause of the delays, Memela-Khambula said in the statement: "We received just under five million applications for this new grant and we had to compare information provided by applicants with other government and private databases to ensure that people with an income and recipients of other social grants are not included in these applications.
In a statement on Friday, the DA's Bridget Masango said Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu and Memela should hang their heads in shame.
"The reality is that the president announced the special Covid-19 social relief of distress grant on 21 April, 2020; therefore, Sassa had more than three weeks to plan as well as to vet and approve a significant proportion of applications," said Masango.
"It's ridiculous that only 10 people have received this grant and no amount of spin will justify this mammoth failure on the part of Minister Zulu and CEO Memela," said Masango in a statement.
