SASSA Fires 65 Officials for Fraud and Misconduct in Crackdown on Grant Corruption

• SASSA CEO Themba Matlou welcomed the dismissal of four officials, saying the Agency's Anti-Fraud Strategy is producing real results
• Since April 2025, SASSA received 134 misconduct and fraud cases, finalising 106 of them with 65 ending in dismissals
• The Eastern Cape recorded the highest number of dismissals, while death threats against investigating staff drew sharp condemnation from leadership

The South African Social Security Agency is making a firm stand against internal corruption. SASSA CEO Themba Matlou welcomed the recent dismissal of four officials, describing it as proof that the Agency's Anti-Fraud Strategy is delivering real results in safeguarding public funds and protecting vulnerable beneficiaries.

SASSA misconduct cases by the numbers

Since April 2025, SASSA has recorded 134 misconduct and fraud cases. Of those, 106 have been finalised, resulting in 65 dismissals. Other outcomes included written warnings, suspensions without pay, and resignations that took place during disciplinary hearings. Sixteen cases were withdrawn and four resulted in not-guilty findings, with 28 cases still pending.

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SASSA reported that the Eastern Cape topped the list of dismissals by province with 19, followed by Mpumalanga and Gauteng with 13 each, and KwaZulu-Natal with 11.

Death threats against SASSA staff condemned

Matlou also raised serious concern about death threats directed at SASSA staff who are actively investigating these cases. He made clear that the agency will stand behind officials carrying out their duties lawfully, while also committing to fair disciplinary processes, tighter internal controls, and consistent consequence management for wrongdoing.

The figures reflect a broader effort by SASSA to clean up its operations at a time when millions of South Africans depend on social grants for their basic needs. With billions of rands flowing through the system monthly, the pressure to root out fraud from within the agency itself remains a priority for leadership.

More on SASSA grants

• Briefly News recently reported on a civic group taking a proposal to Parliament to raise the old-age grant by R600 to R3,000 a month, giving pensioners new hope.
• SASSA announced the December 2026 grant payment dates, with older persons’ grants kicking off the three-day payment window.
• SASSA also expanded its digital checks, and pensioners can learn what e-Life Certification and biometric enrolment mean for them as the agency cracks down on syndicate fraud.

Source: Briefly News