23 Feb 2023

Local authorities as implementers of the Ipelegeng programme ensure that beneficiaries within their jurisdiction received their dues, Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Ms Annah Mokgethi has said.

Minister Mokgethi said this in response to a question in Parliament recently where she indicated that local authorities may use different legitimate, efficient and effective payment platforms to ensure smooth running of the programme.

“Owing to the number of beneficiaries that a local authority has to pay, these services are usually outsourced, therefore service providers are engaged using government procurement processes,” she said.

In April last year, she said, the City of Francistown entered into a contract for payment of Ipelegeng beneficiaries with Stanbic Bank through the Unayo facility, adding the bank was procured through an open bidding process.

“After the award processes were completed, City of Francistown began engagement processes with various stakeholders expected to use these services,” she added.

She told MPs that consultations with Ward Development Committees and Ipelegeng beneficiaries’ representatives were undertaken on April 6 last year where they were addressed about the new Unayo facility payment method, how it works and how the system operated,” she explained.

Also, she indicated that the council ensured that beneficiaries were sensitised on Unayo facility each time they were engaged and were to receive their payments since they rotated on monthly.

“However, I have been made aware that despite these consultative and awareness creation efforts, there are concerns from beneficiaries that they are unable to access or withdraw all their monies from the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), especially amounts below P10. Any amount not dispensed remains in the beneficiaries account,” she said.

She further explained that the Unayo facility allowed beneficiaries to access their money from both ATMs and any other registered vendor. 

“My ministry sees the use of Unayo facility and any other mobile cash transfer services as a positive development given that beneficiaries access their money as and when they are in need. 

They do not have to queue and crime risks are minimized,” she added.

That, she added contributed to government’s efforts on digitilisation and financial inclusion, adding that the ministry would however strengthen public awareness efforts to ensure that beneficiaries were not inconvenienced.

“The bank charges P3.05 for each transaction per beneficiary and all these charges are borne by the local authority. No charges go to the beneficiaries as they receive all their dues,” Ms Mokgethi said.

Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi had wanted to know if there were consultations done with beneficiaries before their wages were paid through the Unayo facility as well as charged by the facility and on wages. ENDs