SASSA’s inability to recoup money from fraudsters concerns committee
The Portfolio Committee on Social Development has voiced concerns on the South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA’s) inability to recover monies that had been fraudulently usurped from the Agency.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Ms Zoleka Capa, said it looked as though there is a brick wall in recouping what is owed to the Agency from fraudsters.
“This is an area that Sassa and the national department need to improve on. It is an intolerable situation that money that should be going to poor people ends up in wrong hands,” Ms Capa said.
SASSA in Kimberley revealed to the Committee that well over R9m had been fraudulently stolen and was owed to the Agency, but only R500 000 had been recouped. It was revealed that more than 200 fraud and corruption cases against officials dated back to 2012, and none had been closed.
Ms Capa said suspensions were another area of concern as that impacted on service delivery while officials sat home and received their salaries.
“This suspension of senior staff means the government cannot fill the positions; while someone is being paid for work that is not being done, and that could only mean a stalled service provision. People are getting paid while poor people suffer. The Committee does not agree with this, however, it accepts that there are procedural processes involved,” she said.
The Committee is on a week-long visit to the Northern Cape visiting home care centres, fresh produce gardens and projects administered by the department.
Ms Capa said the Committee is satisfied with how the biggest Sassa office in Kimberley (Tlokomelo Local Office) is operated.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact:
Sibongile Maputi
Tel: 021 403 8041
Cell: 081 052 6060
E-mail: smaputi@parliament.gov.za
