Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday would not comment on Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini's role in the social grants crisis, as the Constitutional Court was dealing with the matter.

The court was seeking clarity on the matter and better-placed to make a judgment, he said to questions in the National Assembly.

"The minister has approached the court, with a particular prayer, and it's up to the Constitutional Court, a court that is so well-endowed with wise brains, and is going to deliberate on this matter."

"Given the timeframe, I am absolutely certain that the court is going to pull out all the stops and deal with it at the level of urgency it requires."

He was respond to Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane, who had asked him if he would support the call for Dlamini to resign over the Sassa crisis.

He said Parliament should allow the social development department and the ministry to deal with the matter.

Prescribed bedtime reading

Ramaphosa earlier told the House that as leader of government business in Parliament, he could only do so much in calling ministers and members of the executive to account. He said Parliament had more power to call ministers to account before committees.

"Now if they don't come, and they don't account, use the Constitution. You have that power that is clearly in the Constitution. Read your Constitution every night, love your Constitution, use it as your weapon," he said before sitting.

He joked that the Constitution should become prescribed bedtime reading for opposition MPs. Inkatha Freedom Party MP Mkuleko Hlengwa said Dlamini's appearance at the standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) on Tuesday left them none the wiser of how social grants would be paid from April 1.

He wanted to know why government was allowing the department to continue partnering with Cash Paymaster Services, a "corrupt bunch of looters". He asked how CPS fitted into plans for radical economic transformation.

Ramaphosa said he had no idea about the "supposed romantic link" with CPS that Hlengwa was suggesting.