Four nabbed, claimed R285 000 SASSA grants for ‘ghost’ children

The Hawks have arrested four women in Mpumalanga for claiming over R284 000 in SASSA grants for ‘ghost’ children.

Sowetan reports that the Hawks have arrested four women accused of claiming R285 000 in South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grants for non-existent children.

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WHO ARE THE FOUR WOMEN ARRESTED?

According to the publication, the four women Nonhlanhla Patricia Madalane, Prudence Letsiwe Nkosi, Tswapelo Prudence Masuku, and Nelile Shiba, were arrested on Thursday, 18 May. They appeared before the Mbombela (Nelspruit) magistrate’s court in Mpumalanga for defrauding SASSA of R285 000.

Hawks spokesperson Col Katlego Mogale told Sowetan: “It is alleged that the four accused registered non-existing ‘ghost’ children on the Sassa database using false and forged birth certificates through misrepresentation to claim undue funds.”

“These activities prejudiced and also caused Sassa an actual loss of R284,888.”

ALSO READ:SASSA fraudster commits suicide after being sentenced to five years in prison

MORE SASSA FRAUD

Tzaneen Voice reported in April that a Limpopo woman Angelina Morongwe, who was been given a five-year prison term for conducting a R300 000 South African Social Security Agency scam committed suicide four days after receiving her five-year sentence.

She was sentenced to five years in jail by the Polokwane specialised commercial crimes court for defrauding South African Social Security Agency over disability gran on 27 March 2023.

She allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself and was found dead in a police cell on 1 April 2023. She colluded with three other Tzaneen-based South African Social Security Agency officials between April 2018 and December 2020.

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