Sassa saga claims first victim

[schumi]

Cape Town - Department of Social Development director general Zane Dangor has resigned from his position.

Dangor confirmed to News24 on Saturday that he tendered his resignation on Friday.

He said it was essentially a breakdown in the relationship between himself and the minister over disagreements on Sassa's legal obligations to the Constitutional Court.

He did not want to comment on whether he thought he had been treated fairly on the Sassa matter.

Dangor was appointed director general in November 2016, after his predecessor left the department.

He had been special adviser to the minister before that and since 2010, according to the department's website.

He could not confirm if [Social Development Minister] Bathabile Dlamini had received his resignation yet.

Department spokesperson Lumka Oliphant could not be immediately reached on Saturday morning.

News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/sassa-saga-claims-first-victim-20170304

 

[TheChamp]

Good move.

 

[Sinbad]

Ja he got a serious hospital pass there. But I can't help wonder how he lasted 6 years as a special adviser to the minister. Either he gave her terrible advice or he was completely ignored.

 

[schumi]

Scopa angry over 'honest' DG's resignation in Sassa matter

Cape Town - Parliament's standing committee on public accounts says it is angry over the resignation of Department of Social Development director general Zane Dangor, calling him "honest and hardworking".

"In our brief interactions with Mr Dangor, he had proven himself to be an honest and hardworking civil servant," committee chairperson Themba Godi said on Saturday.

"He was one of the many officials in the Department and in Sassa who have been frustrated by Minister Bathabile Dlamini’s heavy handed interference in Sassa’s administrative matters."

Godi said the Cash Paymaster Service contract negotiations have been handled to the disadvantage of the state and grant recipients, especially around the issue of deductions, which have been a major thorn for recipients.

"The Minister must now take full responsibility for this. The Department is clearly falling apart."

Godi said the committee is now looking forward to its meeting with Dlamini on Tuesday.

"It is now becoming very difficult to explain the capability of the Minister to effectively run the Department and discharge of her responsibilities.

"Scopa cannot be quiet or indifferent to these levels of mismanagement which create unease and anxiety in the nation, and comes at a huge financial cost to the State.

'Breakdown in relations'

Dangor confirmed to News24 on Saturday that he tendered his resignation on Friday.

He said it was essentially a breakdown in the relations between himself and the minister over disagreements on Sassa's legal obligations to the Constitutional Court.

He did not want to comment on whether he thought he had been treated unfairly on the Sassa matter.

National Treasury on Friday said it cannot intervene in the negotiations with Cash Paymaster Services for the extension of the distribution contract of social grants.

Treasury also said the procurement responsibility should be the responsibility of the accounting officer of the respective department, which in this case was the director general.

The portfolio committee on social development on Wednesday, however, heard that acting Sassa CEO Thamo Mzobe had been put in charge of the three-day negotiations with CPS.

Department spokesperson Lumka Oliphant could not be reached after multiple attempts on Saturday morning.

Dangor was appointed director general in November 2016, after his predecessor left the department.

He had been special adviser to the minister before that since 2010, according to the department's website.

News24
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...nest-dgs-resignation-in-sassa-matter-20170304