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Soci al Development Minister Zola Skweyiya says government is moving swiftly to ensure that the South African Social Security Agency is up and running by April 2005.

The minister addressed the media in Cape Town yesterday afternoon at the launch of roadshows to promote the agency.

The drives will be held countrywide, beginning with the Western Cape, in what is said to be significant to ensure the Social Development Department consulted all stakeholders in this regard.

It is expected that the agency not only will shoulder a R55-billion budget annually but also significantly improve service delivery to social grant recipients, especially the poor.

"The distribution of social grants plays a very important role in poverty alleviation in many areas of our country, especially the rural areas," Skweyiya said.

The minister assured that there would be no job losses in provinces because the distribution of grants would become a national function; saying the agency would strengthen provinces to deliver welfare services, especially in rural areas.

Skweyiya outlined care for the aged and children as some of the work that could be undertaken by the provinces.

"The shifting of the social assistance function to national should alleviate the provincial budgetary pressures caused by the demand for social grants," the minister added.

Skweyiya explained that the budget for social grants and its distribution costs and administration would be shifted to the agency.

The agency is expected to improve service delivery by ensuring that competent frontline staff is employed to process applications.

It is also expected that staff would ensure verification and approval within a reduced period of time.

"There is a lot of corruption taking place, there are syndicates doing this," he said, adding that government lost R1,5-billion annually because of fraud committed through social grants.

The visit to the Western Cape will be followed by visits to KwaZulu-Natal on July 22 and 23, Limpopo on July 26 and 27, Gauteng on July 29 and 30, Mpumalanga on August 2 and 3, Free State on August 5 and 6, North West on August 10 and 11, Eastern Cape on August 12 and 13 and Northern Cape on August 16 and 17.

Today, the department's Director-General Vusi Madonsela and project leader Fezile Makiwane will brief Allpay, one of the current service providers, and also engage with the departments of health, local government, home affairs as well as welfare organisations. – BuaNews.

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