Seven SASSA officials arrested in March
Seven officials from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) were arrested in March for their alleged involvement in fraud.
On Friday, three suspects were apprehended at the Johannesburg Local Office, while the fourth was taken into custody at her home in Soweto.
The investigation was triggered when employees at a Shoprite in Dlamini, Soweto, became suspicious of two women carrying what appeared to be fraudulent SASSA cards.
Police were alerted, and upon arrival, they discovered multiple cards in the women’s possession.
Further questioning led authorities to a vehicle where a SASSA employee was waiting.
Inside the vehicle, officers uncovered 139 SASSA cards, 60 Tyme Bank cards, eight FNB cards, SIM cards, ID photos, and five passports.
The SASSA employee then identified an Ethiopian man as his accomplice.
With investigations still ongoing, authorities have warned that more arrests could follow.
All four suspects are set to appear before the Lenasia Magistrates' Court on Monday to face fraud charges.
Meanwhile, at the beginning of March, three SASSA officials were arrested at the Idutywa Local Office in the Eastern Cape.
The Portfolio Committee on Social Development has praised whistleblowers for assisting law enforcement in identifying fraudulent activities within SASSA.
"The committee commends SASSA for working with law enforcement to root out corruption at the agency. The trend of arresting SASSA officials suspected of fraud and corruption sends a strong message of intolerance of malfeasance," said the committee’s chair, Bridget Masango.
Masango described whistleblowing as a critical tool in the battle against corruption.
"The committee is of the view that the decisive action taken by SASSA will stimulate whistleblowing and deter fraud and corruption where it takes place."
"SASSA will not rest until all the bad apples currently in the system are cleansed to ensure an efficient and dignified organisation that will serve its beneficiaries with integrity. In addition, SASSA appeals to and encourages members of the public to work together with the agency and report grant fraud or corruption," added SASSA spokeswoman Omphemetse Molopyane.
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