New Sassa CEO appointed

The South African Social Security Agency has appointed a new CEO, its fourth in less than two years. Former CIO of Sassa  Abraham Mahlangu has been appointed acting CEO to replace Pearl Bhengu who took up the position in July 2017. Bhengu replaced Thokozani Magwaza who resigned from the position after a high profile spat with then social development minister Bathabile Dlamini.

Mahlangu’s appointment comes in the wake of the decision by Susan Shabangu, the new minister of social development, to suspend Sassa’s tender to procure a service provider for the cash payment of social grants. Thank 

Mahlangu’s appointment has not been formally announced but has been confirmed by Sassa sources. It is unclear when he was appointed but on April 25 he signed off as the acting CEO of Sassa on the confirmatory affidavit to the Minister’s affidavit. The affidavit to the Constitutional Court outlined the minister’s reasons for suspending the tender. Sassa and its CEO were the first and second applicants in the matter.

The contents of the minister’s affidavit, which are critical of Sassa’s tender process, hint at the reasons why Bhengu might have been removed from her position. The minister reveals that the terms of reference contained in the tender had to be returned to Sassa’s bid specification committee three times for further clarity and amendments.

Despite the amendments the minister said issues raised by G4S, one of the potential bidders, were “compelling” and required the suspension of the tender. She has called for the bid evaluation committee to be reconstituted stating that as it is currently constituted it lacked individuals with the necessary technical skill set.

“The acting CEO and I are in agreement that in order to ensure that proposals are evaluated correctly, it is necessary to appoint individuals to the BEC (Bid Evaluation Committee) with the requisite technical knowledge and expertise to evaluate the proposals submitted by bidders,” said Shabangu.