The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has referred nearly 6 000 civil servants who defrauded the agency of the R350 social relief of distress (SRD) grants to their departments for disciplinary proceedings.
Sassa CEO Busisiwe Memela issued letters to these government departments at both the national and provincial-levels advising them of the identification of public servants on the Covid-19 SRD database in September, 2022.
Memela requested that consequence management be implemented against the implicated officials by their respective government departments.
This is according to Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu who was responding to parliamentary questions from DA MP Bridget Masango.
Masango wrote to Zulu questioning progress made regarding consequence management of the 5 812 public servants who fraudulently received SRD grants, and the 33 833 public servants who fraudulently received other social grants.
Masango also asked whether her department and the Sassa had launched an investigation to determine whether the wrongful payments formed part of a scheme to defraud the state.
Zulu said Memela issued letters requesting disciplinary action to be taken against the officials to the Department of Basic Education, the Deeds Office, Department of Labour, Department of Justice, Department of Social Development, Limpopo’s provincial department of health, the SAPS and the Department of Correctional Services.
“The indicated departments are to be approached by the Sassa to establish progress with regard to the execution of consequence management,” she said.
Regarding the 33 833 public servants who fraudulently received other social grants, Zulu said the information was to be obtained from the Sassa’s fraud and compliance department.
She also said the Department of Public Service and Administration did not launch an investigation to determine whether the wrongful payments form part of a scheme to defraud the state.
“The Department of Public Service and Administration does not have a legal mandate to carry out investigations,” Zulu said, adding that Sassa had launched its own investigation.
Cape Times