Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa made the shocking assertion that social grants and the social safety net could “disappear” if the ANC loses power. A senior Postbank official has now debunked this claim and reaffirmed that grants will continue regardless of the ruling party.
President Ramaphosa Resorts to Fearmongering and Misinformation
While delivering his January 8th statement, Ramaphosa blatantly fearmongered by suggesting that critical social assistance programs are at risk. This appeared to be an attempt to coerce South Africans into ignoring ANC corruption and poor governance.
Such irresponsible fear tactics are unbecoming of a sitting president. As the Postbank official highlighted, grants are enshrined in law and cannot simply vanish with a change of government.
ANC Corruption Puts Social Grants in Peril, Not a DA Government
If anything, ANC maladministration and graft pose the real threat to social grants. Recent reports of widespread fraud and missing payments at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) are deeply alarming.
Over 150,000 beneficiaries did not receive January funds due to SASSA payment verification failures.
SASSA paid out R141 million to 75,000 deceased recipients over three years.
Thousands of Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grants were unlawfully paid to civil servant scammers in 2020.
SASSA has failed to resolve the identity theft of countless SRD applicants.
DA Would Expand the Social Safety Net, Not End It
The DA has clearly committed to strengthening South Africa’s social assistance framework through its official Social Development Policy. This includes:
Increasing the Child Support Grant amount to the food poverty line.
Extending Child Support Grants through the National Senior Certificate exam.
Covering pregnant mothers under Child Support Grants.
Streamlining disability grant applications.
Shielding vulnerable groups from food inflation.
Equipping overburdened social workers and improving their compensation.
President Ramaphosa Should Audit SASSA and Read the Social Assistance Act
Instead of misleading voters, Mr. Ramaphosa should order an independent forensic audit of SASSA’s beneficiary records and payment systems to root out fraud and errors. He should also review the Social Assistance Act, which guarantees South Africans’ constitutional right to receive grants.
With the final voter Registration Weekend approaching on February 2nd-3rd, citizens must register and make their voices heard. Unlike the ANC, the DA will strengthen rather than imperil South Africa’s social safety net.
I’m Anele Zulu, a South African social worker dedicated to serving my country’s most vulnerable. With my degree and field expertise, I empower underprivileged communities through compassionate support and tireless advocacy on this website. My goal is simplifying access to services so families can uplift themselves
