11th suspect sought in multi-million rand SASSA fraud case

The police are looking for a 11th suspect in the multi-million rand SASSA fraud scandal.

Ten accused in the matter appeared before the Lenasia Magistrate Court today.

 

Seven of them are officials from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).

SASSA spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi, says the 11th suspect in the matter is also a SASSA employee and has urged her to surrender to the police.

He also appealed to the public for help.

“We cannot win this fight alone, we appeal to the members of the community to assist us to root out the scourge,” he stressed.

The accused face more than 1 000 charges of theft, fraud, and cybercrimes for allegedly stealing more than R265m from the social grants agency.

The 10, who are already in police custody, will return to court on the first of next month for bail hearing.

The acting Chief Executive Officer at SASSA, Themba Matlou, has hailed their arrests as a step in the right direction.

He says it comes as the agency steps up efforts to root out all fraud and corruption within its ranks.

“What we have seen in the last few weeks is a culmination of the hard work of our officials, working with the South African Police Service (SAPS) in clamping down on fraud and corruption at SASSA,” emphasised Matlou.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the suspects created ghost SASSA accounts, from which they withdrew money from supermarkets across Gauteng.

It intends opposing bail for the accused.

Their names from left to right are: Shumani Khwerana (35), Nkhensani Maluleke (22), Tshilidzi Ramaphosa (34), Abenezer Telahyn (29), Siphesihle Dlamini (30), Phiwe Mkhuzwane (37), Paul Bones (49), Keamogetswe Ledwaba (49), Phumelele Myeza (37) and Paul Myandu (49).