Sassa hits back at R30m CEO ‘promotion’ claims

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has hit back at claims that a R30 million communication contract was designed to promote its CEO, Themba Matlou, saying the deal was initiated before he took charge of the agency.

Sassa was responding to a Mail & Guardian report published on Friday, titled “R30 million To Make Sassa CEO Look Good”, which the agency described as misleading.

The agency said the report failed to distinguish between its institutional communication responsibilities and Matlou’s tenure as CEO.

“The communication and marketing contract in question was initiated before Mr Matlou assumed the role of Acting CEO in December 2024,” Sassa said.

At the time, Matlou was the regional executive manager responsible for Gauteng and Mpumalanga.

“The contract was therefore not initiated with Mr Matlou in mind,” the agency said.

R30m contract predates Matlou

Sassa said the purpose of the contract was to strengthen its communication and marketing capacity across all nine provinces, improve public awareness of its services and address information gaps between the agency and communities.

It said one of the biggest communication campaigns carried out under the contract involved the migration from Sassa Gold Cards.

The initial deadline for the migration was 28 February 2025, but it was extended to 20 March after a significant number of beneficiaries had not migrated.

“By then, more than one million Sassa Gold Card holders had still not migrated,” Sassa said.

The deadline was subsequently extended again to 30 April 2025.

The agency said the extensions highlighted the need for sustained public education, with beneficiaries requiring information on what was changing, their available options, deadlines and the steps they needed to take.

Sassa said it used social media, online and traditional media, as well as activations at taxi ranks, shopping malls and other public spaces.

“The campaign was driven by an operational necessity and a public service obligation,” it said.

Agency rejects ‘personal promotion’ claim

Sassa said the value of its communication work should be assessed against beneficiaries’ needs rather than an “unsupported assumption” that public funds were used to improve Matlou’s standing.

The agency also rejected claims that its media engagements were designed to influence journalists or secure favourable coverage for its CEO.

“Sassa’s media engagements form part of a broader institutional communication and marketing strategy that predates Mr Matlou’s appointment as CEO,” it said.

According to Sassa, the engagements allow its executives to explain the agency’s mandate, clarify administrative processes, answer questions and correct misconceptions.

Issues raised include social grant reviews, fraud prevention, eligibility requirements, means tests and changes in beneficiaries’ circumstances.

“These are substantive public interest issues that require clear and accurate explanations,” Sassa said.

It also rejected the suggestion that journalists could be persuaded to stop critical reporting by attending its media engagements.

“The suggestion that journalists can be persuaded to abandon critical reporting simply by attending a media engagement is preposterous,” the agency said.

Sassa said journalists remained free to challenge its leadership and report critically on its performance.

“Sassa does not expect favourable coverage in exchange for access to its officials,” it said.

Agency disputes timeline

The agency also described as “a complete fabrication” claims that Matlou started media engagements in December 2024.

“As acting CEO, Matlou held his first media engagement in March 2025, and a series of media engagements followed thereafter in various provinces,” Sassa said.

The engagements covered issues including card migration, social grant reviews and Sassa’s two decades of service delivery.

Sassa said Matlou’s participation in explaining the agency’s work did not establish that public resources were being used for personal promotion.

“The fact that the CEO participates in explaining the work of an institution he leads does not, in itself, establish that public resources are being used to promote him personally,” it said.

Agency calls for evidence-based scrutiny

Sassa also accused the report of conflating the communication contract with other allegations previously levelled against Matlou.

The agency said allegations should be assessed individually and with regard to evidence and the findings of relevant investigative authorities.

“As the Agency understands the position concerning the previous allegations referenced in the reporting, Mr Matlou was cleared of wrongdoing by the Public Protector,” Sassa said.

The agency said it respected investigative journalism and accepted that public institutions and their leaders should be held accountable.

“However, accountability requires accuracy, fairness and a clear distinction between established facts, allegations and inference,” it said.

Sassa encouraged anyone who suspects wrongdoing involving Matlou or another official to report it through the appropriate channels and oversight bodies.

“Sassa will not shield any official from legitimate accountability,” it said.

“Equally, it will not accept the characterisation of institutional communication activities as personal promotion without a sound factual basis.”

The agency said effective communication was an essential part of delivering social assistance to millions of South Africans and vowed to continue cooperating with lawful oversight processes.