Question NW4094 to the Minister of Social Development
23 December 2022 - NW4094
Arries, Ms LH to ask the Minister of Social Development
What number of the total number of 761 officials of the SA Social Security Agency who were found to have been involved in fraudulent activities, (a) have faced disciplinary hearings and (b) have repaid the monies they accumulated through fraudulent activities?
Reply:
The figure of 761 is not the number of officials but it is the number of financial misconduct cases. These cases are not related to fraudulent activities, but to the following
- failure to prevent occurrence of irregular expenditure;
- fruitless and wasteful expenditure;
- damages and losses within SASSA.
In addressing these cases, SASSA has implemented the following disciplinary corrective actions: :
a) Disciplinary corrective measures were completed were completed against two hundred and twenty-one (221) officials . The outcomes were used to support submissions of condonation to National Treasury for irregular expenditure cases. It is a requirement that before any condonation is granted the Agency should have completed disciplinary corrective measures.
Consequence measures finalised in relation to employees are reflected in the table below:
|
Financial Misconduct Cases |
No employees |
No of cases |
|
Damages and Losses |
105 |
129 |
|
Fruitless and Wasteful |
15 |
35 |
|
Irregular expenditure |
101 |
597 |
|
221 |
761 |
b) Recovery is largely pursued in cases of fruitless and wasteful expenditure or damages and losses.
c) R92 826.39 has been recovered to date based on the payment/recovery agreement with a particular debtor (recovery at times is based on monthly payments).