MPs applaud whistleblowers after arrests of Sassa employees for R260 million grant fraud scheme
Three Sassa (SA Social Security Agency ) employees were arrested in Johannesburg last week for their role in an alleged R260 million fraud scheme.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development Bridget Masango. Picture: X.com/HealthSocClust
JOHANNESBURG - The parliamentary portfolio committee on social development has commended whistleblowers for lifting the lid on social grant fraud.
Three Sassa (SA Social Security Agency ) employees were arrested in Johannesburg last week for their role in an alleged R265 million fraud scheme.
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Police say they were alerted to the scheme after receiving a tip-off from Shoprite employees in Soweto.
Earlier this month, police in the Eastern Cape arrested three Sassa officials after being tipped off by community members of corrupt activities at the department’s Idutywa office.
Committee chairperson Bridget Masango says these arrests send a strong message to those defrauding the government.
"When corruption is allowed to thrive in institutions that provide important social welfare services such as SASSA, it is the vulnerable beneficiaries who suffer the most."