The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has intensified its crackdown on fraud and corruption within its ranks, resulting in an alleged assassination plot against a senior Eastern Cape official. Regional manager Bandile Maqetuka opened a criminal case after receiving information that a hitman had been hired to kill him. The threat is believed to be linked to Sassa's anti-fraud operations.
Maqetuka was alerted to the plot shortly before traveling to an outreach event in Mthatha. He met with someone who was initially part of the plot, who revealed that the instigator thought he would be stopping at the Dutywa office. This was where Sassa had recently busted a syndicate operating with five officials who were dismissed for allegedly working with the syndicate to create fraudulent beneficiaries and grant applications.
The five officials from the Dutywa office were supplying bank account details, addresses, and beneficiary information to facilitate the scheme. They were dismissed following disciplinary proceedings and subsequently lost their appeals. Sassa is now busy recovering the financial losses suffered, with preservation orders sought to prevent implicated officials from accessing their pension benefits while investigations continue.
Maqetuka revealed that there are about 1,000 cases being followed involving Sassa staff members. Investigations currently underway involve suspected losses of about R10m, though the figure could rise. Sassa's national verification systems routinely identify people receiving grants despite allegedly failing to disclose income, employment, or other financial benefits.
The agency regularly cross-checks its database against information held by banks, government departments, and credit bureaus. This has identified people who are not supposed to be in the system, including those owning companies, getting government tenders, or having undisclosed income. However, employment alone does not automatically disqualify a person from receiving a grant, particularly for non-means-tested grants like foster-care grants.
A similar case was identified at the Mdantsane office in June, where five junior staff members were allegedly found to be operating with a syndicate. Sassa CEO Themba Matlou confirmed the agency was aware of the threats against Maqetuka and said the organisation had significantly strengthened its fraud prevention systems over the past two years.
Matlou said Sassa had mechanisms in place to protect employees facing threats and worked with law enforcement agencies and state security structures. The agency planned to intensify reviews of social grants during the current quarter as part of efforts to clean its database and protect public funds. In the first quarter of the current financial year, Sassa reviewed 8,263 social grants in the Eastern Cape, suspending 4,979 grants and investigating 23 for possible fraud.
Key points
- Sassa has identified about 1,000 cases involving staff members and is investigating suspected losses of around R10m.
- The agency has strengthened its fraud prevention systems, including biometric verification technologies and expanded cybersecurity capabilities.
- Sassa plans to intensify reviews of social grants to clean its database and protect public funds.
