34 People Arrested With 100 SA Social Security Agency Cards, Intended to Withdraw About R100k

• Police have arrested 34 people for being in the possession of at least 100 South African Social Security Agency cards
• The suspects who could not explain how they had the cards, allegedly intended to withdraw about R100 000 from an ATM in Gauteng
• Sassa Spokesperson Paseka Letsats said the matter is being investigated and the suspects are being processed

GAUTENG - Police have arrested 34 people for allegedly using at least 100 South African Social Security Agency cards with the intent of withdrawing about R100 000 from an ATM on Friday, 5 August.

The suspects did not have a proper explanation as to how they obtained the cards. Sassa Spokesperson Paseka Letsats said the matter is being investigated. During an interview with eNCA he said:

“The operation was between the South African Police Services, Sassa together with the South African Post Office. These suspects were arrested in violation of the national credit act because they are not supposed to be in possession of anybody who has a card as a beneficiary.”

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Letsats added that the police were processing the suspects.

In June, two people were arrested with 50 Sassa cards in KwaZulu-Natal. According to IOL, the suspects had transferred R360 000 into a private bank account and were arrested for possession of stolen property.

The incident left South Africans angered:

Thabang Pelo said:

“Stealing from the poor... it’s sad really.”

Cheryllin Louw commented:

“It’s the Sassa workers that need to be arrested.”

Nkulue Mtya wrote:

“They must be arrested and pay back the money.”

Lynn Thwaites added:

“Once again stealing from the poor it’s so sad.”

Post office employee and accomplice who withdrew Sassa funds, arrested by Hawks for fraud

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported the Hawks arrested a post office employee and her alleged accomplice for fraud on Tuesday 24 May. The pair allegedly withdrew South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grant funds.

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The accused 43-year-old Thandeka Dibakwane and 42-year-old Lizzy Precious Smangele Nyathi appeared in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and were granted bail R20 000 each.

Source: Briefly News