Minister Pule asked for answers after Sassa assassination plot revealed

The DA is calling for an investigation into an alleged assassination plot against a senior official at the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) who was involved in uncovering a syndicate in the Eastern Cape.

The party also wants Social Development Minister Dina Pule to account to Parliament.

Assassination plot after Sassa syndicate bust

It comes after Sassa regional manager Bandile Maqetuka told the Daily Dispatch he has opened a criminal case in KuGompo City after being warned that someone had been hired to kill him.

“I opened a case at the Fleet Street police station after I was tipped off about [someone] from Dutywa who had sought the assistance of a hitman to take my life,” he told the publication.

“The person told me that the instigator thought I would be doing a stop at the Dutywa office.”

“Remember, our Dutywa office is where we had bust the syndicate that was operating there…”

Last year, Sassa dismissed a number of employees in the Eastern Cape after they were found to be involved in fraud and corruption around social grants. This included five officials from the Dutywa office who had created fraudulent social grant beneficiaries and applications.

Maqetuka said he believes Sassa has lost R10 million to fraud and corruption through this syndicate.

Similar fraudulent schemes were uncovered in Sassa offices in other parts of the country last year as well.

DA wants answers from Pule

DA MP Nazley Sharif has called on Pule to reveal the extent of the fraud uncovered within Sassa and whether investigations are taking place.

“Minister Pule must also take the nation into her confidence about the steps being taken to protect Maqetuka and other officials involved in investigating fraud and corruption,” she said.

“These allegations raise serious questions about the extent of fraud and corruption within Sassa, the networks allegedly benefiting from the abuse of the grant system, and whether officials tasked with exposing this wrongdoing are being adequately protected.

“We cannot afford to allow money intended to support the poor to be abused through fraud and corruption.”

Treasury sounds alarm

National Treasury highlighted the issue of social grant fraud earlier this year.

Treasury’s Director-General Duncan Pieterse said more needs to be done to ensure grants go to the correct beneficiaries.

“I think the grants we have at the moment, such as the child support grant, the old age grant, and the disability grant, have shown themselves to be very well targeted and to address the issues that they were intended to address,” said Pieterse.

“Our main concern at this stage is who receives social grants when they should not be.”

He said the Treasury is working with Sassa to tighten the social grant system.

“We have already identified about R3 billion in savings over the next few years, and we believe there is more if we do proper verification,” he said.