Committee on Social Services Concerned with Lack of Progress in Department of Social Development – Africa.com
The Social Services Select Committee yesterday received a briefing from the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) on the results of the audit of the Department of Social Development (DSD) and its entities for the 2023/24 financial year.
The Committee is concerned about the lack of progress in resolving long-standing problems. Key concerns raised by committee members during the AGSA presentation included the regression of audit results, with DSD and the National Development Authority (NDA) moving from clean audits to results-based audits.
Performance reporting also continues to be a challenge, with material misstatements identified in annual performance information for DSD, SASSA and NDA. The Committee also noted with concern the continuing non-compliance with the legislation highlighted in AGSA’s presentation, particularly with regard to irregular, futile and wasteful expenditure. Poor consequence management was noted, with officials failing to take responsibility for breaches.
Weaknesses in systems and controls were also identified, hampering the effective administration of social grants and the handling of public inquiries and disputes.
Delays in DSD and NDA filling critical vacancies, as well as financial losses resulting from significant breaches identified by SASSA and DSD, are also areas of concern.
The Committee is deeply concerned about the negative impact that these ongoing challenges are having on service delivery and the lived experiences of vulnerable South Africans who rely on the social welfare system.
Committee members stressed the urgency of addressing root causes and holding leadership accountable. The committee decided to summon the executive agency, the Minister of Social Development, to come forward to explain its poor performance and provide a detailed turnaround plan to rectify the situation. The Committee urges AGSA to continue to exercise its expanded authority to advance accountability and consequence management where necessary.
Ms Desery Fienies, chair of the committee, said: “The Auditor-General’s findings are deeply concerning and unacceptable. As a committee we will not tolerate the continued failure to deliver quality services to our most vulnerable citizens.”
The Committee stated that it will closely monitor the implementation of AGSA’s recommendations and the Drainage Services Department’s remedial actions to ensure tangible improvements in the next financial year.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the Republic of South Africa: Parliament.
