A Mthatha woman is facing charges of fraud after illegally pocketing an estimated R150000 in social grants since 2007.
The woman is alleged to have registered five bogus children for social grants using a second identity document (ID) with a different surname. She cannot be named until appearing in court.
A further three people were arrested in Mthatha last week when they went to Home Affairs to de-register their duplicate IDs.
Colonel Nokuzola Ngxola, head of the Hawks commercial crimes unit in Mthatha, confirmed the latest arrest.
Ngxola said the woman had two identity documents with different ID numbers and surnames.
“With one ID number she had registered her five children who do exist, with the other ID number she registered five bogus children which she has been claiming social grants for.”
Ngxola said the woman would appear in court today.
Acting Home Affairs OR Tambo district manager Khanyile Diko said the woman was caught on Tuesday when officials at the Mthatha offices discovered her fraudulent activities while checking her ID number.
Diko said when the woman had tried to de-register her duplicate ID, Home Affairs officials first did a background check to see where the ID had been used.
Officials quickly alerted the Hawks commercial crimes unit who arrested the woman.
He said the last social grant payments made to four of the bogus children were last week.
Diko said social grant fraud was particularly prevalent in the Ngqeleni and Libode areas.
Sassa spokesman Kgomoco Diseko said Sassa had become “extremely intolerant” of fraud in social grants.
“The public should report incidents of fraud to the police or call 0800-701-701,” he said.
Officials in Mthatha battling fraud cases
The woman is alleged to have registered five bogus children for social grants using a second identity document (ID) with a different surname. She cannot be named until appearing in court.
A further three people were arrested in Mthatha last week when they went to Home Affairs to de-register their duplicate IDs.
Colonel Nokuzola Ngxola, head of the Hawks commercial crimes unit in Mthatha, confirmed the latest arrest.
Ngxola said the woman had two identity documents with different ID numbers and surnames.
“With one ID number she had registered her five children who do exist, with the other ID number she registered five bogus children which she has been claiming social grants for.”
Ngxola said the woman would appear in court today.
Acting Home Affairs OR Tambo district manager Khanyile Diko said the woman was caught on Tuesday when officials at the Mthatha offices discovered her fraudulent activities while checking her ID number.
Diko said when the woman had tried to de-register her duplicate ID, Home Affairs officials first did a background check to see where the ID had been used.
Officials quickly alerted the Hawks commercial crimes unit who arrested the woman.
He said the last social grant payments made to four of the bogus children were last week.
Diko said social grant fraud was particularly prevalent in the Ngqeleni and Libode areas.
Sassa spokesman Kgomoco Diseko said Sassa had become “extremely intolerant” of fraud in social grants.
“The public should report incidents of fraud to the police or call 0800-701-701,” he said.
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