SASSA Queues Continue As R147 Million for New Staff Stays Unspent
- Minister of Social Development Dina Pule revealed that R147.2 million set aside to fill 228 SASSA vacancies has not been spent
- Pule explained the hiring delays to an EFF MP who raised concerns about staff shortages and their impact on service delivery
- SASSA deployed contract workers to manage queues while a Critical Posts Committee works to fast-track the stalled recruitment process
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South Africans queuing for hours at SASSA offices may finally have an explanation for the persistent delays. Minister of Social Development Dina Pule confirmed in a written parliamentary response that R147.2 million set aside to recruit 228 new staff members at the South African Social Security Agency has not been touched.
The response came after Economic Freedom Fighters MP Paulnita Marais raised questions about unfilled posts, slow hiring processes, and the knock-on effect on people trying to access their grants.
Where the funding is sitting
Of the 228 vacant positions, 84 are linked to regional branches and the national head office, with R72.3 million allocated for those roles. The remaining 144 posts fall under local and district offices, backed by a R74.9 million budget. Despite both allocations being in place, Pule confirmed that none of the funding has been used.
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Pule pointed to several reasons behind the delays. The Compensation Job Evaluation and Grading System requires that all funded vacancies complete a formal job evaluation before any recruitment can begin. Positions under Programme 1 also need mandatory sign-off from the Department of Public Service and Administration. On top of that, SASSA has struggled to find candidates who meet its Employment Equity Plan targets, and internal promotions keep creating fresh gaps as staff move up within the agency.
What SASSA is doing in the meantime
To ease pressure at offices while the recruitment bottleneck continues, SASSA has brought in contract workers to help with queue management, grant applications, reviews, verification processes and administrative backlogs.
The agency has also set up a Critical Posts Committee under the chief executive officer to prioritise which vacancies get filled first. SASSA is working towards a 120-day recruitment turnaround target as outlined in its Annual Performance Plan. For offices that lose staff in the interim, the agency has committed to direct replacements, with a minimum staffing threshold of 75% for high-density branches and 50% for smaller, low-density offices.
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More on SASSA grants
- Briefly News recently reported on SASSA’s rules for R370 SRD grant beneficiaries changing their banking details on its self-service portal.
- Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has addressed the question of 2027 SASSA grant increases ahead of the Budget Speech.
- South Africans with declined SRD grant applications have an option to appeal the decision through the tribunal.
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Source: Briefly News
