Mthobisi Nozulela|Published
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has rejected claims that its R30 million communication and marketing contract was intended to improve the public image of its chief executive, Themba Matlou.
The allegations follow a report that R29 million of the three-year contract, scheduled to run from 2025 to 2028, had been spent within its first year. The report also alleged that media engagement sessions organised by SASSA were aimed at discouraging negative reporting about Matlou.
In a statement released to the media on Friday, the agency said the contract was initiated before Matlou became acting CEO in December 2024, when he was still the regional executive manager responsible for Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
It said the contract was intended to strengthen its communication and marketing capacity across all nine provinces and improve public awareness of its services,
Gold Card migration campaign
SASSA cited the migration from Gold Cards to Postbank or other banks as one of the campaigns that required sustained public communication.
"The migration process presented a substantial public communication challenge. The initial deadline was 28 February 2025. As that date approached, a significant number of beneficiaries had yet to migrate, prompting an extension to 20 March 2025".
"By then, more than one million SASSA Gold Card holders had still not migrated. The deadline was subsequently extended to 30 April 2025, while further communication and beneficiary education remained necessary'
SASSA said it used social media, traditional media and public campaigns at taxi ranks and shopping malls to inform beneficiaries about the migration process.
Agency defends media engagements
The agency also defended its media engagements, saying they were intended to help journalists understand its operations and provide accurate information about social grants, eligibility requirements and grant reviews.
SASSA denied that Matlou introduced the engagements when he became acting CEO, saying his first media engagement took place in March 2025.
"These engagements addressed significant operational and policy matters affecting beneficiaries, including card migration, social grant reviews and the Agency’s two decades of service delivery. 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".
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