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Judgment in social grants deductions case tomorrow 9 May 2017

- Lee-Anne Bruce

On 9 May 2017 the North Gauteng High Court will hand down judgment in a matter brought by NET1 against SASSA. This judgment forms part of the ongoing litigation by the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS) on behalf of the Black Sash Trust to ensure the protection of social grant beneficiaries and to maintain the integrity of the social assistance system.

In June 2016, NET1 and its affiliate companies launched an application in the Pretoria High Court seeking  to allow deductions from social grants. CALS intervened in the matter on behalf of the Black Sash Trust to ensure that the State complies with its constitutional obligation to provide social assistance and that private companies do not deduct monies off these grants.

The Black Sash has requested the Court declare that the State has an obligation to protect social grants beneficiaries from exploitative practices that prevent beneficiaries from receiving their full grant, and that the Minister of Social Development be directed to make regulations that adequately protect social grant beneficiaries.

The Black Sash and CALS hope that the order will be another victory in protecting social grant beneficiaries and the integrity of the grant making process.

Judgment will be handed down in Pretoria High Court on 9 May 2017, 10h00 in Court 8B.

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