CPS is appealing the North Gauteng High Court’s judgment ordering the controversial company to pay back over R316 million with interest to the South African Social Services Agency (Sassa). 

This sitting comes after CPS’ request for leave to appeal by the High Court was rejected and the service provider petitioned the SCA to hear the appeal. 

Should the SCA grant the petition, the court will then hear arguments from the applicants and the respondents in the matter, which include Corruption Watch and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sassa.

In 2014, Sassa paid CPS the amount in question to perform eleven additional registrations that did not form part of its initial monthly service fee which was agreed to in 2012. 

Sassa and then-chief executive officer, Virginia Petersen, accepted the CPS claim at face value and paid the money, without verifying it.  

In their application to the High Court, Corruption Watch contended the “alleged variation agreement concluded by Sassa and CPS” as well as the money paid over, contravened the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA) and the Supply Chain Mangement Policy. 

Judge Maroa Tsoka in his 2018 judgment ruled that the deal was unlawful and criticised it for robbing the fiscus of money intended for the needy and poor.

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