SASSA'S NEW HOPE
Drum English|5 December 2019
Busisiwe Memela-Khambula is determined to get the beleaguered agency back on track for the millions of people who rely on grants to survive
Khosi Biyela
SASSA'S NEW HOPE

THE poorest of the poor are counting on her. Children, struggling single parents, the elderly, people with disabilities – all those who can barely fend for themselves are looking to her to sort out the mess that has brought them to the brink of despair.

Busisiwe Memela-Khambula knows she has a gigantic job on her hands. Through more than 17 million grants she has millions of people relying on her to put food on the table and a backlog of issues stretching back to 2012.

“It hasn’t been easy,” the 61-year-old CEO of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) admits.

“Last month was very frustrating for me. We thought we had everything under control but our system collapsed.”

Beneficiaries were turned away empty-handed because there was no money at pay points – an all-too-familiar experience for far too many people.

But she’s determined to turn things around, the former managing director of Postbank and the Land Bank says.

After “a lot of thinking and praying”, Busisiwe agreed to take on one of the toughest jobs in SA because she’s long believed the only solution to Sassa’s ongoing crisis is for the South African Post Office (Sapo) to handle the distribution of grant payments.

“When I was with Postbank we approached Sassa for business – we actually begged them but they turned us down multiple times,” she says.

At the time, Sassa had a contract with Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) – a contract that was declared invalid by the Constitutional Court in 2014, leaving Sassa to review its payment model.

A bungled attempt by former social development minister Bathabile Dlamini for Sassa itself to manage the R10-billion payment contract resulted in chaos when the agency admitted it would not be able to do this when the CPS contract ended.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة 5 December 2019 من Drum English.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة 5 December 2019 من Drum English.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من DRUM ENGLISH مشاهدة الكل
Homegrown Heroes
Drum English

Homegrown Heroes

Drum speaks to two volunteers in the Covid-19 vaccine trial and the professor heading the team in Africa

time-read
5 mins  |
9 July 2020
The Big Clean Up
Drum English

The Big Clean Up

Whenever a Covid-19 case is confirmed at a shop, they call in the deep-cleaners. We find out exactly how they disinfect stores and supermarkets

time-read
5 mins  |
9 July 2020
I'm Back & Better!
Drum English

I'm Back & Better!

Babes Wodumo shares what she’s been up to in lockdown – and there’s some new music on the horizon

time-read
5 mins  |
9 July 2020
Not An Easy Ride
Drum English

Not An Easy Ride

Taxi commuters and industry players tell DRUM what’s driving them to defy lockdown rules

time-read
5 mins  |
16 July 2020
Mam' Mary Bows Out
Drum English

Mam' Mary Bows Out

Iconic actress Mary Twala is fondly remembered by friends and family for her humour and talent

time-read
6 mins  |
16 July 2020
‘They Lived For Each Other'
Drum English

‘They Lived For Each Other'

This Cape Town teen’s parents died from Covid-19 on the same day. Now she’s alone and battling the virus too

time-read
6 mins  |
9 July 2020
Stranger Than Fiction
Drum English

Stranger Than Fiction

For actor Mangaliso Ngema and his daughter Khosi Ngema, her role in Blood & Water was like watching their family’s real-life story unfold

time-read
5 mins  |
9 July 2020
I Was Raped By A Pastor
Drum English

I Was Raped By A Pastor

His accusations against a well-known man of the cloth turned an Eastern Cape man’s life into turmoil but now more victims have spoken out

time-read
5 mins  |
16 July 2020
My Fight With Life And Death
Drum English

My Fight With Life And Death

More Covid-19 patients, too few beds and staff, constant sanitising and personal fears – a Western Cape doctor shares her experience

time-read
6 mins  |
16 July 2020
I AM ENOUGH
Drum English

I AM ENOUGH

Ten years after being set alight, Thembi Maphanga is living life to the fullest

time-read
5 mins  |
9 July 2020