Department welcomes conviction of five social grant fraudsters | Western Cape Government

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Department welcomes conviction of five social grant fraudsters

11 November 2015

The Western Cape Department of Social Development welcomes the guilty verdict handed down yesterday at the Specialized Commercial Crimes Court in Bellville to five former SASSA employees.

This should serve as a strong message and a deterrent to any other would-be criminals looking to commit social grant fraud, whether from within or outside the system.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is a national entity run by the National Department of Social Development. However as a provincial department we have played an active role in assisting SASSA to clean up its administration and to identify people who are defrauding the system, exploiting the poor.

The Western Cape Minister of Social Development, Adv. Albert Fritz, has been vocal on calling on SASSA to improve its systems, and clean up its administration. This has been in light of the numerous complaints the provincial department receives about SASSA, specifically related to illegal deductions from old age state pensions, corruption, and grant fraud.

To date the Ministry has dealt with and assisted SASSA with 602 cases since 2010.

The Ministry will continue to play its oversight role of SASSA in the Western Cape. The public can report any suspected social grant fraud to the departments hotline on 0800 220 250.

Media Enquiries: 

Sihle Ngobese

Spokesperson for Albert Fritz, Minister of Social Development

Western Cape Government

7th floor, 14 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town, 8000

Tel : (021) 483 9217

Cell :  076 083 6543

Email : Sihle.Ngobese@westerncape.gov.za