KWAGGAFONTEIN – Three employees from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) recently appeared in court for allegedly defrauding the department .
The trio Ms Martha Ndala (54), Ms Maria Ngwane (50) and ms Martha Thwala (42), appeared in the Mkobola Magistrate’s Court on April 04 April on charges of fraud.
Their appearance follows a joint operation between South African Police Service and SASSA which was held April 3 where Ndala and Ngwane were arrested in KwaMhlanga and Enkangala respectively. The third suspect handed herself over to the police accompanied by her legal representative on the same day.
“The officials are alleged to have colluded with a community member who was used as a middle man to go to the community and recruit clients as grant applicants. The middle man would then take identity documents of the recruited client wherein an application would be processed and approved by the SASSA officials. After the approval, the middle man would inform the client to go and withdraw the money which would be about R3 600 paid in arrears. The middle man would then take R3 000 to share with the officials and the client will remain with R600. It was further uncovered that R1 200 would be paid for three consecutive months and the middleman would collect R1 000 and leave the client with R200,”explained Col Leonard Hlathi.
The suspects were each released on R2 000 bail and the case has been postponed for further investigations to May 5.
The Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Thulani Ntobela has applauded the police for the arrest and the Agency for discovering the ill acts by the suspects. He said that this is indicative that crime does not pay. He further said that state officials often become oblivious of the fact that the law will always catch up with their illegal activities.
Ntobela also warned members of the community who collude with public servants that they will be arrested and the law will not show them any mercy. He encourages the community to report corrupt government officials.
