Johannesburg - South African Social Security Agency CEO Thokozani Magwaza has been fired by Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini.
Magwaza joins a long list of Directors-General and senior officials in government who have been fired by their bosses in recent days.
The Standing Committee on Public Accounts had complained early on Monday about death threats against Magwaza.
This came at the time Sassa was finalising a contract with the South African Post Office to pay social grants to 17 million beneficiaries, said Scopa chairman Themba Godi.
The contract between Sassa and Sapo would have replaced the contract with Cash Paymaster Services after it was thrown out by the Constitutional Court early this year.
Scopa had also warned that Magwaza could join the list of DGs fired by their Ministers because of disagreements.
Godi had expressed support for Magwaza and that the state must provide protection.
In a statement Dlamini’s spokesperson Lumka Oliphant confirmed the axing of Magwaza.
“The Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini and the CEO of Sassa, Mr Thokozani Magwaza, have agreed to terminate the services of the latter after a consultative process led by the head of legal services, advocate Nkosinathi Dladla, in terms of the provisions of his contract of employment,” said Oliphant.