President Zuma In South Africa Denies Crisis Over Welfare Benefits

President Zuma of South Africa

South African President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday there was no "crisis" as doubts mounted over the payment of welfare benefits to 17 million people because of a court battle involving a service-provider. The chaos in South Africa's social security agency comes three years after the Constitutional Court ruled that the tender won by Cash Paymaster Services (CPS), a unit of technology company Net1, was illegal. The government had until April 1 of this year to take responsibility for social service payments or find a new provider, but failed to do so.

Zuma has told parliament his government was "doing everything possible" to ensure welfare payments are distributed. "There is no crisis," Zuma said in response to a question from the opposition in parliament. With opposition party EFF (Economic Freedom Fighters) led by charismatic politician Julius Malema are calling for land reform and representing the poorest people in the country, the thought of 17 million angry citizens ought to home the minds of those dealing with this matter. There has been increasing violence against white farmers in remote regions often involving both torture and murder. Criminality but some would argue tinged with resentment at the enormous inequality that exists in South Africa.