SASSA hiring new staff to address nationwide shortages

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is moving to fill vacant positions across the country as it works to address staff shortages affecting its offices.

SASSA CEO Themba Matlou said the agency has put an intervention plan in place to replace officials who have left, with the organisation aiming to fill most of the vacant positions within 16 days.

Matlou was speaking to the media in Cape Town on Friday as SASSA marked its 20th anniversary. The agency was established in 2006.

According to Matlou, as relayed by EWN, the staffing pressures have been worsened by a recent policy pronouncement from the Department of Public Service and Administration around early retirement and voluntary exit options for public servants.

‘A number of our officials have left the system, and some are leaving the system. We have developed an intervention plan of what we call replacement of all those officials that have left,’ Matlou said.

The CEO said SASSA had already agreed on a timeframe for dealing with the vacancies.

‘We have agreed with the executives that within 16 days, we need to have filled most of those positions that our officials have left,’ he said.

While the longer-term recruitment process is under way, SASSA has also been using temporary measures to boost capacity at its offices.

Matlou said the agency had increased contract-based staffing nationally, with around 1,000 people already appointed as part of efforts to strengthen capacity.

‘In the meantime, we have worked on the contract capacitation of offices. In total, nationally, we have appointed about 1 000,’ he said.

The move comes as SASSA continues to manage the large administrative demands associated with South Africa’s social grant system.

For the agency, the immediate focus is therefore on replacing officials who have departed while bringing additional capacity into offices where staff shortages are being felt.

SASSA’s 20th anniversary comes as the agency looks ahead to addressing those operational pressures while continuing its work supporting millions of grant beneficiaries across the country.

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**Picture: **Sharon Seretlo / Gallo Images

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