Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu says Over R500m Was Looted from SASSA in the Past 10 Years

• The Social Security Agency (SASSA) has been a haven for corrupt officials who have managed to loot over half a billion in the past 10 years
• In a response to the DA's question, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu confirmed that over R536 million has been stolen from the agency
• South Africans believe that this number is underrepresented and believe more funds were actually stolen

JOHANNESBURG - The Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu says over half a billion has been looted from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) over the past decade.

Zulu stated this in response to a question posed by the Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament Bridget Masango. Zulu revealed that in the past 10 years, over R536 million was stolen by SASSA officials and even doctors.

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In a statement released on the DA's website, Masango says a total of 1 174 individuals illegally benefited from SASSA; 761 were SASSA officials, including five doctors.

Masango added that 50 SASSA officials looted R23 million in funds meant for poorer citizens; however, only 37 cases have been reported to law enforcement agencies for further investigation.

The DA vowed to continue exposing SASSA's corruption and report it to relevant government agencies.

Earlier this year, the Mail & Guardian reported that SASSA is at the top of corruption complaints in government organisations.

South Africans weigh in

Many South Africans have shared their thoughts on the looting taking place at SASSA. Some believe that the figures are grossly underrepresented and that more money was actually stolen.

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Here are some comments:

@Caro1Graham said:

"How do they know? How can they tell how much it is? Are they counting as it is stolen? Do they estimate it as a %age? Liars and thieves. What a dire situation we are in."

@SebinTdr said:

"All government departments bleed Rbillions every year, and they get increased budget without call for accountability and increase in financial controls."

@Owen_Zuma said:

"I don't think so, so little it should be more than this figure."

@raatkirani213 said:

"What's being done to recover it?"

@veeyenk said:

"How can they not steal when the bosses are the ones who are at the forefront of thievery?"

@GenduToit said:

"And where is the accountability? What had been done about it? #voetsekanc #anciscorrupt"

@visedge said:

"...but no plan to prosecute, no plan to retrieve the money, no plan to close all the loopholes? Useless ANC, useless"

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SASSA grant recipients unhappy agency is moving online system which will interrupt applications for 2 weeks

In other news, Briefly News reported that the South African Social Security Administration (SASSA) is moving its online services to a new system to offer better services to grant recipients.

The agency said on Wednesday that online grant application services will be interrupted for approximately two weeks.

Sassa did not specify whether the migration process would delay payments to people whose claims were processed, reported BusinessLIVE.

Source: Briefly News