THE South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has launched an investigation to reclaim R544 million owed to it by some who wrongly benefited from social grants.
Speaking with the Sunday Tribune, Sassa spokesperson Sandy Godlwana said they had appointed four debt collection agencies to assist them in recovering the debt owed to them by 38 431 debtors.
“The biggest contributor to this amount is the inclusion of beneficiaries who are not eligible for social assistance (social grants obtained through misrepresentation of information), hence is why we have decided to appoint Ncube Incorporated Attorneys, Kumyolz Investments, Credit Intelligence and Markalio Revenue Solution to help us resolve this matter.
“These debt collectors will use a range of collection activities namely calls, tracing of debtors, sending Short Messaging Service (SMS, letters and emails) and under no circumstances should debtors pay back the money directly to the debt collection agency. All outstanding funds must only be paid directly to a Sassa account,” said Godlwana.
Explaining the categories of debtors, Godlwana said a person qualified for a grant when they had an income of less than R5 000 threshold and then six months down the line, a person received a salary increase at work and did not inform Sassa to update the system as the Social Assistance Act 2004 prescribed.
“When Sassa identifies grants for review, the beneficiary is found to have not disclosed to Sassa that the salary was increased and she continued to benefit even though her salary was above threshold. The beneficiary will be expected to pay for the period she/ he started to receive an income above R5 000.
“When a person does not live with the child and has been claiming that the child is living with them, and upon investigation Sassa concludes that the child was not living with the person who uses the grant, that person is liable to pay back the money received for the time that the child was not in their care. We will be able to ascertain if the person is lying by getting the school progress report and affidavits from relatives,” said Godlwana.
She also stated that there were fraudulent cases where clients bought birth certificates and applied for ghost children through collusion with Sassa officials.
“Those clients continue to receive the grant fraudulently and when she is now pregnant for real and visits a Sassa office to apply, she can’t account for the other ‘ghost’ children and she then concedes that she benefited unlawfully.
“The biological child would then be registered but the mother will be expected to pay all the money she benefited unlawfully. If she works in public service she will be required to pay the debt with interest, if she’s not the debt will not accrue interest,” she said.
Godlwana also said criminal cases were opened for staff who colluded and there will be consequences internally.
She warned debtors that subsequent to them being contacted by debt collectors, they must visit their nearest Sassa offices to confirm if they were legitimate so they can avoid being called criminals.
For further information , Sassa can be contacted on 033 846 3400 or 080 60 10 11 during business hours from Monday to Friday (07.30am-4pm).
SUNDAY TRIBUNE