Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund - Statement on Social Grant’s Issue

The Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (The Fund) is extremely concerned about the manner in which the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is handling the extension of its contract with Cash Paymaster Services, and the tension between The Department of Social Development and Treasury on this matter.

This unfortunate and unwarranted situation is likely to affect most vulnerable families whose wellbeing depends on social grants. These grants are a lifeline to 17 million poor and vulnerable South Africans who rely on the money on a monthly basis from the government just to get by, of which over 12 million are children who are beneficiaries of the Child Support Grant.
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The Fund is at the cold of the war against poverty.  This circumstance is causing untold pain amongst extremely vulnerable people.