R40,8bn illegally paid to public servants

According to Times Live reports, South Africa's public servants have illegally benefited from R40,8bn in social grants since August 2009. These figures were revealed by social development minister Bathabile Dlamini in response to a Parliamentary question from the Democratic Alliance.

30 Apr 2012

Times Live reports that Dlamini said the money was lost through an estimated 145 875 child support grants that had been paid to employed public servants. The Department of Social Development has confirmed that the Special Investigating Unit found 25 555 cases of social grant fraud by public officials since the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) was established in 2005.

According to the Times Live report, he says that widespread corruption and fraud means that it is now imperative for SASSA to have its data vetted and cross-checked to make sure that grant recipients are entitled to receive the benefits paid to them.

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