The South African Social Security Agency Act makes provision for the effective management, administration and payment of social assistance and services through the establishment of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). Payment is either electronic (EFT) or manual. SASSA contracts service providers to administer its cash payments.

SASSA is responsible for the administration of social assistance grants. In addition to its main function of administering grants it must also:

• Provide assistance to all grant applicants to help them understand and exercise their rights to social security
• Pay beneficiaries what they are entitled to receive
• Provide information about grants to beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries
• Investigate any irregularities relating to grants
• Provide assistance with foreign grants if there is an agreement with other countries to do so

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SASSA AND THE INSPECTORATE

SASSA is the agent that is responsible for implementing social assistance policy, in other words, for process and delivery of social assistance. The inspectorate is a watchdog of the whole social assistance system and SASSA.

The functions of the Inspectorate are to:

• Conduct investigations to ensure the integrity of the social assistance frameworks and systems
• Carry out internal financial audits and audits of sassa to ensure it is sticking to laws and policies
• Investigate fraud, corruption and mismanagement within SASSA
• Establish a complaints mechanism
• Fight against the abuse of social assistance

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SASSA AND THE INDEPENDENT TRIBUNAL FOR SOCIAL ASSISTANCE APPEALS (ITSAA)

In terms of the Social Assistance Act, the minister has to consider written appeals that will go to the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA).

Section 18 includes reconsideration of a decision by SASSA.The function of SASSA in respect of appeals is to:

• Reconsider its own decision before the applicant or beneficiary lodges an appeal with the minister or tribunal
• Make a decision to confirm, vary or set aside its own decision

The functions of the appeals tribunal are to:

• Receive the lodging of an appeal
• Hear appeals for all social grant types
• Make a decision whether to confirm, vary or set aside the decision made by sassa and whether to award the grant temporarily or permanently
• Communicate the outcome of the appeal to the applicant and SASSA

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SASSA AND CASH PAYMENT CONTRACTORS

The payment of grants is now largely made through Electronic Fund Transfers (EFTs). However, the payments of grants in cash still occurs although it is being phased out. SASSA has contractual relationships with cash payment contractors who are responsible for the physical payment of grants in cash at various agreed sites.

Section 26a of the Social Assistance Act makes provision for one deduction of not more than 10% of the value of the social grant for funeral cover only. Unrecognized and unlawful deductions must be reported to SASSA offices to be stopped.