The Congress of the People (Cope) has made its first new year’s resolution: the party will monitor South African Social Security Association (Sassa) officials “closely”.

It finished the old year with the claim that “after sustained pressure from Cope‚ the minister of social development finally announced that from January 1‚ 2016‚ the illegal and unlawful deductions from pensioners and child grant recipients will come to an end”.

This followed‚ the party’s Dennis Bloem said‚ Cope laying fraud charges against Sassa officials Mpumalanga and the Free State.

“We staged placard demonstrations in many parts of the country to draw attention to this evil and cruel abuse of pensioners and grant recipients. We see it as a victory for social grant recipients‚ pensioners and Cope‚” said Bloem.

“Cope will keep on demanding that all monies that were unlawfully deducted from the recipients be paid back‚ and that all those who stole money from pensioners and grant recipients be brought to book.

“Cope will monitor Sassa officials very closely so that this does not become another empty promise from the minister. We will make surprise visits to pay-points from the January 1‚ 2016 to get feedback.”