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Cape Town – SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) CEO Thokozani Magwaza was forced to resign following irreconcilable differences with social development minister Bathabile Dlamini, Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) chairperson Themba Godi said on Monday afternoon.
“As far as I understand, Mr Magwaza was actually asked to leave because he did not see eye to eye with the minister,” Godi told News24.
“Last week Mr Magwaza announced the disillusion of work streams which irregularly were appointed by the minister according to the treasury. This led to increased tension between the CEO and the minister.”
Godi could not say where he had received the information.
In a statement on Monday, Dlamini said Magwaza resigned following a "consultative process" led by the head of legal services Advocate Nkosinathi Dladla.
"The department would like to thank Mr Magwaza for the role he played as the CEO of Sassa and wish him well in his future endeavours."
Magwaza did not respond to phone calls and messages from News24.
He reportedly received several death threats before his resignation.
Godi previously condemned the intimidation of Magwaza, saying it was a way to "open the door for the looting of public funds".
Former social development director general Zane Dangor resigned in March, citing a breakdown in the relationship between himself and Dlamini. This was due to their disagreement about Sassa's legal obligations to the Constitutional Court.
Dangor's home was ransacked a week later. Nothing was taken, leading to suspicions, by him, that it was an attempt at intimidation.
In March, the Constitutional Court ordered Sassa and Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) to continue paying social grants for 12 months from April 1.
