Question NW1090 to the Minister of Social Development
25 November 2019 - NW1090
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Social Development
What (a) number of investigations have been launched into matters at the SA Social Security Agency (i) in each of the past five financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2019, (b) number of the specified investigations have been concluded, (c) costs have been incurred in conducting each specified investigation, (d) number of persons have been implicated in wrongdoing in finalised investigations and (e) disciplinary action has been taken against the specified persons?
Reply:
(a)(i)
Financial misconduct cases(i.e irregular expenditure, fruitles and wasteful expenditure as well as damages and loses)
|
Financial year |
Number of investigation launched |
|
2014-2015 |
929 |
|
2015-2016 |
723 |
|
2016-2017 |
823 |
|
2017-2018 |
908 |
|
2018-2019 |
348 |
|
Total |
3731 |
Labour Relations
|
Financial year |
Number of Investigations launched |
|
2014-2015 |
11 |
|
2015-2016 |
70 |
|
2016-2017 |
131 |
|
2017-2018 |
364 |
|
2018-2019 |
357 |
|
Total |
933 |
Fraud Investigations
|
Financial year |
Number of investigation launched |
|
2014-2015 |
1328 |
|
2015-2016 |
1122 |
|
2016-2017 |
511 |
|
2017-2018 |
446 |
|
2018-2019 |
565 |
|
Total |
3972 |
(a)(ii)
Financial misconduct cases(i.e irregular expenditure, fruitles and wasteful expenditure as well as damages and loses)
|
Financial year |
Number of investigation launched |
|
1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019 |
99 |
Labour Relations
|
Financial year |
Number of investigation launched |
|
1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019 |
157 |
Fraud Investigations
|
Financial year |
Number of investigation launched |
|
1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019 |
223 |
(b)
Financial misconduct cases (i.e. Irregular expenditure, fruitless and wasteful expenditure as well as damages and loses)
|
Financial year |
Number of specific investigation concluded |
|
2014-2015 |
182 |
|
2015-2016 |
317 |
|
2016-2017 |
216 |
|
2017-2018 |
231 |
|
2018-2019 |
47 |
|
1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019 |
18 |
|
Total |
1 011 |
Labour Relations
|
Financial year |
Number of specific investigation concluded |
|
2014-2015 |
11 |
|
2015-2016 |
70 |
|
2016-2017 |
126 |
|
2017-2018 |
295 |
|
2018-2019 |
311 |
|
1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019 |
152 |
|
Total |
965 |
Fraud Investigations
|
Financial year |
Number of specific investigation concluded |
|
2014-2015 |
1328 |
|
2015-2016 |
1122 |
|
2016-2017 |
510 |
|
2017-2018 |
442 |
|
2018-2019 |
556 |
|
1 April 2019 to 30 September 2019 |
200 |
|
Total |
4158 |
(C)
Financial Misconduct and Labour Relations Cases
- SASSA mainly utilises internal investigating officers for financial misconduct and labour relations cases and they are compensated through subsistence and travel allowance where necessary.
- In the main desktop investigations where the affected officials submit written representation to conclude on the cases, cost are only limited to travel and subsistience.
Fraud Investigations
- SASSA does not track expenditure per case/investigation, however the Total expenditure on Fraud investigations excluding COE over the above period of years up to 30 September 2019 is R 77 885 201.00
(d)
Financial misconduct cases(i.eirregular expenditure, fruitles and wasteful expenditure as well as damages and loses)
- For the above financial years up to 30 September 2019, 411 officials were found negligent and liable for commiting financial misconduct
Labour Relations
- 943 officials have been implicated in wrongdoing in finalised investigations
Fraud Investigations
|
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
|
9 beneficiaries, 337 officials, 5 Doctors, 5 private persons and 3 former SASSA officials |
1 beneficiary, 22 officials and 3 private persons |
38 beneficiaries, 195 officials, 53 money lenders, 7 private persons and 1 CPS official |
73 beneficiaries, 52 SASSA officials, 5 former SASSA officials, 5 private persons. 1 CPS official and 6 public works officials |
(e)
Financial Misconduct
- With regards to financial misconduct cases, the officials found negligent were only held liable for the losses and not necessarily taken through disciplinary process. It is now recently that National Treasury issued the Irregular Expenditure Framework in May 2019 and Fruitless and Wasteful Expenditure framework effective 01 November 2019 requiring that the disciplinary process be taken against officials who committed financial misconduct. The Agency is in the process of implementing the said frameworks.
Labour Relations
- Disciplinary action has been taken against 813 officials for different acts of misconduct.