Durban — The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has met the Department of Social Development and South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) on delays of payment to grant recipients after a number of grant recipients got some or none of their grants this month.
Earlier in the month, Postbank reported it had experienced a technical glitch that resulted in some payments not being cleared.
In a statement, the commission said it met the department and Sassa last Friday to discuss a number of issues including the recent delay in the payment of grants to a large number of pensioners and people with disabilities.
The precise nature of the switching “glitches” experienced by Postbank, as well as the important matter of whether those switching glitches will affect the next round of social grant payouts, the SAHRC said.
It said that the two entities stated:
- Sassa had experienced no issues in relation to payment into the bank accounts of all grant beneficiaries.
- Only beneficiaries, pensioners and persons with disability, who held accounts at Postbank were impacted by the technical glitches experienced by Postbank.
- Not all who are Postbank clients were negatively impacted as the Postbank payment system had experienced intermittent glitches.
- Both Sassa and the Department of Social Development were in liaison with Postbank whose staff were remedying the situation on a case-by-case basis.
- Sassa was legally obliged to pay grants into the bank accounts of grant beneficiaries but cannot be legally responsible for what occurs between banks and their clients who are account holders.
The SAHRC indicated that while it appreciates that Sassa had in a timely manner, paid grants into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts, it is on the basis that Sassa has a contractual relationship with various banks that beneficiaries approach these banks and open bank accounts.
Moreover, Postbank is subsidised by the government to mitigate any bank charges that beneficiaries would otherwise have to pay, thus enabling that bank to be a preferred choice by some beneficiaries.
“Consequently, the relevant state organs have a moral, if not strictly legal, responsibility to ensure that vulnerable groups who depend on their grants get access to their money, in a reliable manner every month.
“The commission will be engaging with Postbank to canvass the matter of outstanding grant payments in relation to the September 2023 payment cycle, and importantly the state of readiness on the part of Postbank regarding the October 2023 payment cycle,” the commission said.
It said that it would continue monitoring the situation and issue further media statements over the next few days.
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