Question NW3151 to the Minister of Social Development
25 November 2022 - NW3151
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Social Development
(1)What number of criminal cases has (a) her department and (b) the SA Social Security Agency (SASSA) lodge against (i) any persons who unduly benefited from receiving social grants through fraud and/or corruption and (ii) officials who have helped such persons to unduly benefit from receiving social grants through fraud and/or corruption in the past 10 years in each case; (2) what number of the charges were (a) prosecuted and (b) successfully prosecuted; (3) how regularly does her department train officials from (a) her department and SASSA in order to (i) recognise and (ii) prevent scams and/or fraudulent activities to obtain social grant payments? NW3861E
Reply:
1. (a-b) (i) During the period under review (2012/2013 to 2021/2022 financial years) SASSA referred a total number of 489 cases for criminal investigations and possible prosecution. These cases involved 1174 individuals, (ii) of which 761 were officials as reflected in the table below.
|
No. |
Year |
Beneficiaries |
Officials |
Money Lenders |
Other |
|
1 |
2021/2022 |
- |
50 |
- |
- |
|
2 |
2020/2021 |
17 |
20 |
- |
- |
|
3 |
2019/2020 |
83 |
16 |
3 |
|
|
4 |
2018/2019 |
73 |
52 |
1 CPS Official 6 Public Works Officials 5 Former SASSA Officials |
|
|
5 |
2017/2018 |
38 |
195 |
53 |
7 private person 1 CPS |
|
6 |
2016/2017 |
1 |
22 |
- |
3 Private Persons |
|
7 |
2015/2016 |
9 |
337 |
5 Doctors 5 Private persons 3 Former SASSA Officials |
|
|
8 |
2014/2015 |
- |
3 |
64 |
16 Private Persons 2 CPS Officials |
|
9 |
2013/2014 |
- |
56 |
- |
|
|
10 |
2012/2013 |
- |
10 |
- |
03 Former SASSA Official 15 Agents/Tout |
|
Subtotal |
221 |
761 |
120 |
72 Private persons |
|
|
Total |
1174 |
2. (a) Of the 489 cases referred to Law Enforcement Agencies, b) 31 were successfully prosecuted.
3. SASSA has an approved Fraud Prevention Strategy that is aligned to the National Anti-Corruption Strategy. (i) Fraud awareness campaigns are conducted on a quarterly basis as per the operational plan. (ii)The emphasis of the strategy is on fraud prevention through fraud awareness capabilities.