Cape Town - An SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) Malmesbury employee, alleged to have aided in a disability grant fraud scheme that cost the agency more than R1.8 million, is one of 10 suspects arrested by the Hawks for fraud.
The suspects, aged between 27 and 58, made their first appearance in the Malmesbury Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, where they face fraud and corruption charges.
The Hawks’ serious corruption investigation team members arrested the suspects hours apart, some on Monday and others on Tuesday.
According to Hawks spokesperson, Bonnie Nxumalo, an ongoing investigation by the Hawks started in April 2022 into allegations of individuals who were defrauding Sassa.
It is alleged individuals from Eastern Cape and Western Cape submitted fraudulent medical documents to apply for the disability grants at Sassa offices in Malmesbury.
“They were allegedly assisted by one of the suspects who is neither a Sassa nor health employee, who ‘recruited’ these individuals at a fee.
“The fraudulent activities were conducted with the assistance of a Sassa employee.
“Sassa suffered a loss of more than R1.8 million due to these fraudulent grant payments.
“The suspects were arrested on February 13 and 14,” said Nxumalo.
The investigation into the fraud scheme is continuing, with the Hawks stating more arrests were imminent.
This comes a few days after the Hawks’ serious corruption investigation team in Limpopo also arrested 15 suspects aged between 28 and 58, in connection with Sassa disability grant fraud.
A medical doctor is alleged to have connived with a Sassa official to enable people who were not disabled to get disability grants.
Other suspects yet to be arrested include another medical doctor.
Cape Times