Question NW2086 to the Minister of Social Development
16 October 2020 - NW2086
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Social Development
With reference to the more than 20 000 fraud cases reported by the SA Social Security Agency in 2019, what (a) total number of the specified cases have been resolved, (b) total amount has been recovered, (c) total number of implicated persons have been (i) fired, (ii) suspended, (iii) imprisoned and (iv) found not guilty and (d) total amount has been (i) lost through fraud and (ii) spent on investigations?
Reply:
a) A total of 19448 cases out of 23240 SASSA card related fraud cases reported in 2019 have been resolved. The bulk of these cases involved the fraudulent re-issuance of SASSA/SAPO cards resulting in genuine grant beneficiaries not receiving their money.
b) The money lost during 2019 was reimbursed by the South African Post Office to the value of R45 150 091.32.
c) Regarding implicated officials, this fraud happened within the SAPO environment. In total;
(i) A total of 14 SAPO employees have been dismissed
(ii) Information on the number of employees who have been (ii) suspendedand (iv) found not guilty has been requested from SAPO.
(iii) Seventy two (72) people were arrested of which 14 were SAPO employees.
d) In 2019, the total amount
(i) lost through the SASSA card fraud was R54 055 131.70.
(ii) spent on all fraud investigations in SASSA, including investigations conducted by the Special Investigation Unit was R18 915 137.00.
National AssemblyWritten Reply: 2086 of 2020
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Approved by the Minister of Social Development
Date……………………….