The establishment of an Inspectorate for Social Assistance will enable the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to better assist impoverished South Africans, the Democratic Alliance said.
"The DA believes that the introduction of a robust Inspectorate is of the utmost priority if the mismanagement and corruption that is rampant in SASSA is to be abated," the party's social development spokeswoman Patricia Kopane said in a statement.
She said Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini revealed in response to a parliamentary question on Monday that the Inspectorate for Social Assistance, mandated to maintain the integrity of SASSA, had not yet been established.
This was despite being provided for in Chapter 4 of the Social Assistance Act, Act 13 of 2004.
She said the existence of such a body could have helped decrease the high levels of social grant fraud and corruption facing SASSA.
On Monday Dlamini said SASSA had lost R238 million to social grant fraud since 2005.
"SASSA's long history of mismanagement clearly demonstrates the need for robust oversight to ensure the integrity and accountability of this important body.
"To achieve this end, I shall be recommending that an Ad Hoc Parliamentary Committee be formed to monitor the effective establishment of such a body," Kopane said.
SASSA is the agency responsible for administering social services grants to South Africans.
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