Prior to now 12 months, Open Secrets and techniques investigated the function of economic banks within the administration of the Social Reduction of Misery grant. Paperwork we now have obtained reveal the banks are contracted by the Division of Social Improvement and the South African Social Safety Company to digitally confirm grant beneficiaries’ earnings standing and dispense grant funds from Sassa. In three articles we unpack the questions the investigation raised about accountability and transparency as the federal government depends on non-public firms for the digital transformation of its companies. On this first article we clarify why the federal government chooses to make use of banks to confirm grant recipients, how the method works, and the issues in its implementation up to now.
OPEN SECRETS: Digital Profiteers (Half One): A peek behind South Africa’s digitalised grants system
