South African govt to continue to pay benefits despite dispute over process

Johannesburg

THE government will continue paying millions of South Africa's most vulnerable people social security payments on April 1, despite not signing a new deal with an existing service-provider, the Minister of Social Development said on Sunday.

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is scrambling to ensure that as many as 17 million people continue to receive their money, despite concerns that retaining the existing service provider is both unlawful and costly.