THE South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is keeping mum on how it plans to recoup millions of rands from a company that was hired to provide security services to its offices but allegedly failed to deliver on the contract.
The awarding of the contract has also called into question the agency’s supply chain management systems.
Staff and security guards at Sassa offices in the Western Cape have also raised concerns over issues pertaining to safety after weeks of instability.
A clash between security guards in October raised fears among staff of a repeat of the violent security guard strike in 2006 where numerous people died. Last month’s strike saw some social grants recipients turned away at some centres.
Last year, Sassa appointed Limpopo-based Mathara Investment Security company to provide services at all its nine Western Cape regions including the regional office in Golden Acre mall in the CBD.
The agency received about 40 bids to an advert issued in July 2021, some from Western Cape based companies and others from other provinces for a contract valid for 36 months.
According to Sassa the contract was worth over R34 million.
However, a few months into the contract, security guards raised concerns over unpaid salaries, lack of uniforms and other relevant equipment to carry out their duties as well as alleged failure to pay UIF contributions.
They also alleged that even though they believed the company received around R13 000 per individual from Sassa, the workers were paid not more than R5 000 per month in salaries, with the highest paid only receiving around R7 000 per month.
One security guard, who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisal, said they were not paid earlier this year and in September.
“Most of us had to make loans to survive and we are still paying those.”
Sassa operates 16 offices in the province, some spread across the Cape Flats.
“One morning we saw the security guards no longer in Mathara-branded uniforms but were now wearing Bokwe Security ones.
“There was commotion as Mathara staff and guards came in to take over. Security guards then left their posts again,“ said one staff member.
An official for the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) Mlisela Magadla said Sassa’s interim intervention was to hire Bokwe Security Company to provide services until a new tender contract was advertised.
He confirmed that staff at the offices in the province were left unguarded for up to a week due to the debacle.
“It appears that something went wrong and affected service delivery. What’s puzzling is why management did not take action earlier,“ he said.
Magadla said the Mathara contract was first terminated on October 18 but the company ignored it, resulting in the later clash with Bokwe security guards.
The union has called for insourcing of the security services.
Founder and director of Mathara Investments Company, Mary-Jane Ramusi declined to comment and referred queries to Sassa.
Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi would not give details on whether any monies already paid to the company would be recouped.
“The matter between Mathara and Sassa remains an internal contractual matter and if there’s a need to communicate publicly Sassa will do so without breaking the contractual relationship between the two,” he said.
Regarding allegations of unpaid salaries, Letsatsi said workers should raise the matter with the security company.
“Bokwe was appointed for the interim period following proper emergency procurement processes,” he added.