SASSA
By Nkosana Khumalo
Two more South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) employees, previously on a wanted list, handed themselves over to police on Sunday and Monday, intensifying a crackdown on fraud within the agency. The surrenders follow the arrest of four SASSA workers last Friday, with one suspect still evading capture. This brings the total number of SASSA officials nabbed in March 2025 to eight, as authorities dig deeper into a web of corruption that’s siphoning millions from the country’s social grant system.
A Wave of Arrests Shakes SASSA
The past few weeks have seen a flurry of police action targeting SASSA, the agency tasked with delivering social grants to millions of South Africans. On Sunday, 23 March, and Monday, 24 March, two employees turned themselves in after being linked to a massive fraud scheme. This follows the dramatic arrest of four colleagues on Friday, 21 March, at a SASSA office in Gauteng. One suspect remains at large, with police hot on their trail.
In total, 11 people have been arrested this month in connection with the scam, though SASSA clarified that not all are staff members—three are outsiders tied to the operation. “All the suspects are facing charges of fraud and are expected to appear in court on Tuesday, 1 April 2025,” said Gauteng police spokesperson Mavela Masondo. Earlier in March, seven other SASSA officials were nabbed—four in Gauteng and three in the Eastern Cape—showing just how widespread the problem has become.
The Fraud That’s Bleeding SASSA Dry
At the heart of this crackdown is a fraud syndicate accused of stealing over R260 million from SASSA, money meant for the elderly, disabled, and children who rely on grants to survive. The scheme involves fake SASSA cards—sometimes called “ghost cards”—used to siphon cash meant for vulnerable beneficiaries. Police first got wind of it in February 2025, when a tip-off led them to a Soweto shop where suspects were caught withdrawing large sums using stolen cards. That bust uncovered over 150 fraudulent cards, cash, and even a gun, pointing to a well-organised network.
The latest arrests reveal an ugly truth: some SASSA insiders are in on it. The two who surrendered were on a wanted list after Friday’s raid, where four employees were caught red-handed at a Johannesburg office. The fifth suspect from that day is still out there, but police are closing in. “We’re following every lead,” Masondo said, hinting at more arrests to come.
SASSA Fights Back
SASSA isn’t sitting idly by. The agency welcomed the latest developments, with national spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi saying, “As SASSA, we will continue to work with the law enforcement agencies and provide them with all the necessary information at our disposal that they need to ensure successful prosecution of all those involved.” In a statement, SASSA expressed relief at the progress, adding, “We are pleased by the latest development and hope the law will take its course.”
This isn’t just talk—SASSA’s been working hand-in-hand with police since the year began. In the Eastern Cape, three officials were arrested on 4 March after an unannounced visit by a regional manager uncovered piles of suspicious documents—birth certificates, bank cards, and IDs—stashed in a desk. That bust, sparked by community tip-offs, set the tone for the nationwide purge.
Whistleblowers: The Unsung Heroes
The Portfolio Committee on Social Development has been quick to praise the real MVPs: whistleblowers. “The committee commends SASSA for collaborating with law enforcement to eliminate corruption within the agency. The continued arrests of SASSA officials suspected of fraud and corruption send a strong message of zero tolerance for malfeasance,” said committee chair Bridget Masango. She highlighted how ordinary citizens and shop workers—like those in Soweto who flagged dodgy withdrawals—have been key to cracking the case.
Masango’s words carry weight. The committee has long slammed SASSA for slow investigations, a point the Auditor-General echoed in 2024, noting delays that let fraud fester. Now, with whistleblowers stepping up, the tide’s turning. “It’s about accountability,” Masango added, urging more South Africans to blow the whistle on corruption.
The Human Cost of Fraud
Behind the headlines is a grim reality: every rand stolen is a rand taken from someone who needs it. SASSA supports over 18 million people—pensioners scraping by on R2,090 a month, parents relying on R510 child grants, and disabled folks counting on R2,090 to cover medical costs (SASSA, 2025). When fraudsters drain R260 million, it’s not just numbers—it’s empty stomachs, unpaid bills, and kids out of school.
Take Soweto’s pensioners, for instance. In January 2025, dozens queued at ATMs only to find their accounts empty, drained by ghost cards traced back to this syndicate (Local Reports). “I couldn’t buy my medicine,” one granny told reporters, her voice shaking. It’s a betrayal that cuts deep, especially when trusted SASSA workers are the culprits.
A Nationwide Problem
March has been a brutal month for SASSA’s reputation. The Gauteng arrests—four on 14 March, plus the latest four—followed the Eastern Cape bust on 4 March. Together, they paint a picture of corruption stretching across provinces. In Johannesburg, the Friday raid nabbed three staffers at the office and a fourth at her Soweto home, with over 1,300 charges now piled against them, from cybercrime to theft. The Eastern Cape case saw officials caught with forged documents, a classic trick to fake grant claims.
Social Development Minister Nokuzola Tolashe has had enough. In February 2025, she ordered SASSA to root out “bad apples” after a R265 million fraud estimate surfaced (Government Statement). “We won’t stop until the system is clean,” she vowed, backing up Letsatsi’s pledge to keep the pressure on.
🔴 Central News Weekly Edition | Issue 98 🔴 Download the Latest Print and E-Edition | Headline: “Fezile Dabi Mayor Khasudi: ‘The Boreholes Exist, and the DA is Delivering for Residents”
Download Here:
Direct PDF Link:
https://centralnews.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Central-News-Issue-098.pdf
Read all our publications on magzter:
https://www.magzter.com/ZA/Central-News-Pty-Ltd/Central-News/Newspaper/All-Issues
Central News also offers Sponsored Editorial Content, Podcasts , Radio / Social Media Simulcast, Video Production , Live Streaming Services, Press Conferences, and Paid Interviews (Video/Audio) etc.
We guarantee exceptional exposure, reach, and engagement, with an excellent return on investment.
Advertisement:
To place your advert on our platforms (Print Newspaper or Digital Platforms) : Please email : sales@centralnews.co.za
For Business Related:
business@centralnews.co.za
Newsroom:
Send your Stories / Media Statements To: newsroom@centralnews.co.za
General Info:
info@centralnews.co.za
Office Administrator:
admin@centralnews.co.za
Whatsapp / Call: 081 495 5487
Website: https://www.centralnews.co.za
Social Media Platforms (@centralnewsza) : Linkedin, Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube