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MINISTER TOLASHE LEADS AN INTEGRATED SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO OUTREACH PROGRAMME AT MBEKWENI AND WILL CONDUCT AN OVERSIGHT VISIT AT THE SASSA LOCAL OFFICE IN PAARL
Pretoria, 12 February 2026: The Minister of Social Development, Ms Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe, will conduct an oversight visit at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Paarl Local Office ahead of the Ministerial Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP) scheduled to take place in Mbekweni on Friday, 13 February 2026.
The purpose of the oversight is to monitor social grant reviews, beneficiary biometric enrolment and queue management systems, as well as to assess overall service delivery readiness for the community outreach engagement. This is part of ongoing efforts by Minister Tolashe to ensure that services provided by the social development sector meet the needs of communities and are in line with government’s
District Development Model.
The outreach programme at eMbekweni forms part of Minister Tolashe’s ongoing efforts to bring a full range of social development services closer to communities. It also aims to interface directly with communities on matters of social assistance, substance abuse,
Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) related social ills and is deliberate on other community and SASSA related activities such as social grant applications, COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress, Social Grant Reviews and other government services.
Through the National Development Agency, Minister Tolashe will engage non-profit organizations on matters raised at a sector dialogue to address registration and compliance, capacity building and NPO grant funding. During her working visit to the community of Mbekweni, Minister Tolashe will also assess whether the services provided in the area are in line with government’s District Development
Model, an approach which promotes driven and community-centred interventions that strengthen collaboration between spheres of government and the people they serve.
Community members will access services from other government departments such as Home Affairs and the Department of Health. They will also have an opportunity to interact directly with Minister Tolashe on issues affecting their daily lives. Minister Tolashe will be accompanied by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Themba Matlou and National Development Agency Acting
CEO, Ms Raphaahle Ramokgopa.
Members of the media are invited as follows:
OVERISGHT VISIT AT PAARL LOCAL OFFICE AT 10:00
MINISTERIAL OUTREACH AT MBEKWENI COMMUNITY SPORTS CENTRE AT 11:00
For media confirmations, please contact Andile Tshona on 073 566 3345/ AndileTs@sassa.gov.za.
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT