By Friday (17 February), the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) had failed to file papers with the Constitutional Court to bring some clarity to the extension of a contract to pay social security grants.

Sassa is meant to take over the payoff grants from incumbent, Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) on 1 April 2017, following an order from the Consitutional Court, which confirmed that the CPS contract is invalid.

The DA reports that, despite assurances that the Department of Social Development would approach the court for guidance, this was not done by the date stipulated.

And this will leave the 17-million South Africans who rely on social grants in the dark as to what will happen on 1 April 2017, when the contract with CPS expires.