Johannesburg - Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini has arrived for the inquiry set to determine whether she should be held personally responsible for the Sassa grants crisis.
The inquiry which was mandated by the Constitutional Court got underway on Monday morning at the office of the Chief Justice in Joburg.
The Constitutional Court had heard the matter regarding the distribution of social grants, where Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) was allowed an extension by the court to continue distributing social grants for a year, after it was established that Sassa would not be able to take over distribution from the company.
The court did not find Dlamini guilty but decided to establish the inquiry to try and figure out whether the minister should be held personally liable.
It has been established that the Department of Social Development and Sassa did not move to ensure that Sassa would take over from CPS even though they had been mandated by the court to do so.
The former Sassa CEO Thokozani Magwaza laid the blame on the minister saying she worked to frustrate the process. But Dlamini blamed Sassa officials saying they were in charge of procurement.
The inquiry is headed by Judge Benard Ngoepe.
Political Bureau