Canaan Mdletshe

Canaan Mdletshe

The South African Social Security Agency is prepared to meet the social welfare and population development MEC, who threatened to cut ties with them.

MEC Meshack Hadebe called a special meeting in Pietermaritzburg on Monday to deal with a range of complaints.

The agency, Sassa, which administers government grants, was accused by local people of corruption and poor service delivery.

But Vusi Mahaye, Sassa's communications regional manager, said that staff shortages had created a backlog. He said the handful of officials could not process the number of applications.

"Sassa is doing its best to fill the vacancies that it inherited from the provincial Welfare Department when it took over the local office.

"MECs play an oversight role, including monitoring and listening to people's complaints and giving guidance to Sassa. The agency will continue to enhance and develop its relationship with all government departments."

He said the agency would meet Hadebe as a matter of urgency.

"It will help both sides to understand each others roles and functions [so that they can] deal with the challenges."