Africa-Press – South-Africa. Many government workers supplied false information to obtain assistance intended for citizens in financial need
Thousands of salaried public servants are illegally claiming social grants that are intended for needy citizens, says public service & administration minister Noxolo Kiviet.
Kiviet said in a written reply to a parliamentary question by DA MP Mimmy Gondwe that 5,812 Covid-19 social relief of distress grants and 33,833 social grants were cancelled after it was discovered that the applicants or beneficiarites had contravened the Social Assistance Act by furnishing false information.The recipients may have qualified through misrepresentation which was uncovered as the systems of the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) were improved and enhanced, the minister said.
The 5,812 civil servants who benefited from the Covid-19 social relief of distress grant did so in the period from May to October 2020.
Kiviet said 36 public servants in provincial departments and six in national departments had been disciplined for receiving grants that they did not qualify for.
Between 2008 and end-September 2023, 42 people had been subjected to misconduct cases.
Sassa had referred 1815 cases to SAPS for criminal investigation for contravention of the Social Assistance Act.
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