Welfare algorithm is excluding too many of SA's poor, activists argue
She is one of an estimated 10-million eligible South Africans excluded from welfare payments due to administrative obstacles, including problems with an algorithm-based income verification check, recent research has found.
Mtshali, who sells tomatoes in Soweto, had her online application for a Social Relief from Distress (SRD) grant rejected more than six times, receiving an automated message that said "means income source identified".
She said the automated means test, which scans bank accounts for a poverty line threshold of R624, likely took into account money she was occasionally loaned by family members, which does not qualify as monthly income.
She has travelled to her local branch of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) several times to query her rejections, only to be told to lodge her appeal online.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
36 minutes ago
- The Citizen
Leave and a commission don't make Mchunu immune from prosecution, parliament hears
Ramaphosa placed Mchunu on leave over the weekend, but parliament's legal advisor said such a decision did not grant him immunity. He may be placed on special leave, but Police Minister Senzo Mchunu must still answer to corruption allegations against him, argue parliament's legal advisors and MPs. On Wednesday, the portfolio committees on police, justice and constitutional development met to discuss their approach to explosive allegations made by Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner alleged corruption, criminal collusion, cover-ups, and misconduct by police top brass, including Mchunu. Speaker of parliament, Thoko Didiza, rejected a request for a parliamentary debate on the claims and instead requested that committees investigate them. Mchunu 'does not have legal immunity' Ramaphosa placed Mchunu on leave over the weekend, but parliament's legal advisor, Advocate Andile Tetyana, said such a decision did not grant Mchunu immunity. 'Minister Mchunu is not clothed with legal immunity by virtue of him being on special leave. We know for a fact now that he will be a material witness in the work of the commission, and should criminal conduct be found on his part, he will be charged and prosecuted,' he told parliament on Wednesday. This was seconded by MK party MP Mzwanele Manyi. 'We must be clear that the fact that there is a judicial commission of inquiry does not insulate people from being arrested tomorrow. People are not on holiday now. 'The committee must make it clear that Mkhwanazi must arrest people tomorrow, or the next day. We must supervise what he is doing. He must give us regular reports so we can give him all the support he needs.' Parliament's options after Mkhwanazi allegations They were speaking as the portfolio committees on police, justice and constitutional development met to discuss their approach to the allegations made by Mkhwanazi. Tetyana said parliament has three options to deal with the claims made by the provincial commissioner. He said the first option is appointing a judicial commission of inquiry, the second is establishing an ad hoc committee to investigate the claims, and the third is to have parliamentary committees work together to come up with their own findings. 'The committees of parliament in our view can deal with low-hanging fruit [issues],' Tetyana said while suggesting the interviewing of high-profile police officials implicated by Mkhwanazi. A judicial commission of inquiry was formed by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday. The commission will be led by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga and will provide preliminary reports at three and six months. Scepticism about commissions and political will Advocate Tetyana acknowledged that this committee may be met with mistrust because South Africans have lost faith in commissions of inquiry. 'I am not saying the commission is invalid, all I am saying is that there is scepticism about commissions of inquiry in general, and that is based on what people will say, that there have been commissions in the past and nothing has happened,' he said. ALSO READ: DA brands Ramaphosa's decision to suspend Mchunu an illusion of reform' Tetyana said the problem with commissions is that if there is no political will to implement their findings, it may delegitimise the entire process. 'If there is no political will, then even the work of the commission will amount to nothing,' he said. Manyi said he is concerned that the recommendations of this inquiry will not be implemented. 'The bottom line is that we have people that are dying every day, we are investing time and energy in an institution that cannot find a person guilty or innocent, that cannot ascribe liability. I am struggling to understand why we are doing this,' he said. He said parliament should have strict oversight over the judicial inquiry. 'We are dealing with rogueness at all levels, so the role of parliament must be strong.' Time frames ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip said he is concerned about the lack of urgency in the commission of inquiry. 'There is a judicial commission of inquiry that is taking shape, it will take shape over the next six to 12 months, which is ridiculous. 'We cannot wait 12 months while people die on the streets and more people are helping themselves through nepotism and corruption in the police services,' he said. Considering the arguments, there was an overwhelming view that an ad hoc committee should be established. However, the two committees will meet next week to chart a way forward. NOW READ: DA reveals Mchunu is now under criminal investigation
The Citizen
3 hours ago
- The Citizen
Reports of SA man arrested in US as eSwatini welcomes immigrants deported from US
The man is accused of using a weapon to commit a felony, among other crimes. A South African man is reportedly among those arrested during a raid by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. On Monday, a verified X account of ICE Denver announced the arrest of the 37-year-old man. He is accused of driving under the influence (DUI), using a weapon to commit a felony, and terroristic threats. 'He will remain in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings,' said ICE Denver. While social media users say his detention disproves claims that only black people are being targeted for deportation, some South Africans said they did not want him back. ICE raids According to AFP, the raids are a promise being fulfilled by US President Donald Trump, who campaigned on a pledge to deport millions of undocumented migrants. 'He has taken several actions aimed at accelerating deportations and reducing border crossings,' reports the news agency. ALSO READ: Trump tariffs unsettle SA farmers as Africa eyes agricultural growth In June alone, ICE agents arrested at least 1 361 illegal immigrants in the Houston area who have been charged with, or have been convicted of, a criminal offence after illegally entering the US. According to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston acting Field Office Director Gabriel Martinez on Monday, among those arrested were 32 convicted of child sex offences, nine convicted for homicide-related offences, 16 documented members of a transnational gang or drug cartel, and one convicted for hijacking an aeroplane on its way to Key West from Cuba. 'The number of dangerous criminal aliens that they removed from local communities across Southeast Texas last month is just another example of their selfless and unyielding efforts to return our local communities to places where we can all raise our families without having to worry about child predators, gang members, or other violent criminal aliens preying on our loved ones,' said Martinez in a statement. ALSO READ: Trump's new 30% tariff less about trade and more about power On Thursday, 10 July, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided a cannabis farm in Ventura County outside Los Angeles. About 200 migrants were detained, and clashes erupted with protesters. One worker, being chased by ICE agents, fell from the roof of a greenhouse and died on Saturday. US deportees land in Swaziland Meanwhile, the US Department of Homeland Security announced on Tuesday that a flight carrying immigrants deported from the US had landed in eSwatini. 'Today, DHS conducted a third-country deportation flight to eSwatini. These criminal illegal aliens are so uniquely barbaric that their home countries refused to take them back,' announced the department on social media. ALSO READ: Why South Africa must act fast after Trump's tariff blow 'Under the leadership of President Donald Trump, we are removing these convicted criminals from our soil so they can never hurt another American victim.' The department deported five men from Vietnam, Jamaica, Laos, Cuba and Yemen. They were convicted of child rape, murder, robbery, second-degree homicide and assault, among other crimes. This comes after the US Supreme Court in June paved the way for the Trump administration to resume deportations of undocumented migrants to countries that are not their own. Additional reporting by AFP READ NEXT: Russia suggests Trump is emboldening Ukraine, delaying peace
The Citizen
4 hours ago
- The Citizen
‘Get your popcorn factory ready' — McKenzie on commission investigating Mkhwanazi allegations
McKenzie says he knows things the commission may find useful. Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie says he will testify at the commission set up by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. On Sunday, 6 July, Mkhwanazi alleged that the judiciary and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, among others, were corrupt and colluding with criminal networks. Mkhwanazi said an investigation with the Gauteng organised crime investigation unit unmasked a syndicate which involves politicians, law enforcement, metro police, correctional services, prosecutors, the judiciary, and is controlled by drug cartels as well as businesspeople. ALSO READ: Senzo Mchunu investigation will take longer to finalise, says Public Protector Although Mchunu has denied the allegations, he has since been placed on a leave of absence. To address these allegations and their implications, Ramaphosa announced on Sunday that he would establish a judicial commission of inquiry, chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. Justice Madlanga will be assisted by Advocate Sesi Baloyi SC and Advocate Sandile Khumalo SC. The commission will investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates. Among the allegations that the commission may investigate are the facilitation of organised crime, suppression or manipulation of investigations, inducement into criminal actions by law enforcement leadership, commission of any other criminal offences, and intimidation, victimisation, or targeted removal of whistleblowers or officials resisting criminal influence. ALSO READ: Charges laid against Mchunu as pressure mounts on Ramaphosa to act amid national security concerns The commission will further investigate the role of current or former senior officials in certain institutions who may have aided or abetted the alleged criminal activity; failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings; or benefited financially or politically from a syndicate's operations. McKenzie: Get your popcorn ready Speaking to Newzroom Africa on Tuesday, McKenzie said South Africans should get their popcorn ready and expect to hear explosive revelations at the commission. He said the commission was a good move and would be able to investigate and expose the truth. He said he, too, would testify at the commission as he knew things. ALSO READ: Mchunu denies ties to Cat Matlala, as tenderpreneur bust with cellphone in prison 'Mkhwanazi is blaming Mchunu, and the minister is blaming him. So, let's get to the truth of it. It's just that people must understand, it's frustrating when you want action right now, and you want things to happen,' McKenzie told the news channel. 'But this thing is so delicate that I'm telling you, what is going to come out of that… [whistles]. South Africans must be ready. I'm also going to testify at the commission because I know things. If they call me, I'm going. 'There are guns in the Western Cape that kill our people. This one is not 'get your popcorn ready', you must get your popcorn factory ready because this thing, the corruption that's going to come out of there … every gang boss of every cartel in the world, always you hear they're being arrested in South Africa. They are here. What are these people doing here?' READ NEXT: Political killings task team 'nothing more than a terror group', millions spent on it 'disgraceful'
