7 people arrested in connection with SASSA syndicate implicated in defrauding entity, beneficiaries out of R265m

JOHANNESBURG - Seven people arrested in connection with a South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) syndicate are implicated in defrauding SASSA beneficiaries of close to R300 million.

On Friday morning, Gauteng police pounced on SASSA’s Joburg central offices, arresting three employees.

In February, one SASSA employee was arrested, along with three of his accomplices.

It’s understood that a SASSA fraud syndicate operating out of Johannesburg defrauded the entity and beneficiaries out of R265 million.

In February, four suspects were arrested, including a SASSA employee based at the Joburg central office.

They appeared in court last week, facing a string of more than 50 charges.

On Friday morning, police pounced and arrested a further three employees at SASSA’s Joburg central offices.

Police spokesperson Mavela Masondo said: "We went to their offices in Johannesburg today and we arrested these three. But we believe it is a bigger syndicate, looking at the cards we found on the suspects that we arrested in February."

More than 130 SASSA and bank cards, ID photos and passports were found in possession of one of the suspects arrested in February.