Social grant fraud remains a major concern, says Public Service Commission

JOHANNESBURG - The Public Service Commission (PSC) says social grant fraud remains a major concern, as whistleblowers continue to flag the rot at government departments.

The commission said it received close to 250 tip-offs about alleged corruption in the public sector during the third quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year.

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Of these complaints, over 70% were referred to the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) for investigation.

The outstanding cases were referred to national and provincial departments, including claims of procurement irregularities, bribery and service delivery complaints.

PSC Commissioner Anele Gxoyiya said the public sector watchdog was also dealing with an increase in internal grievances.

“Of the concluded cases, 12% were substantiated, 44% were unsubstantiated, [7%] were partially substantiated, [and] 5% of grievances were internally resolved within departments.”