The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has brought more charges against five officials from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) after they have been implicated in a R260 million grant scheme.
Following their arrest on Friday, the officials made their first appearance in the Lenasia Magistrate’s Court on Monday, where they had their charges escalated to over 1,300 counts of cybercrime, fraud, and theft.
The accused are Phumelele Myeza, 37, Paul Bones, 49, Keamogetswe Irene Ledwaba, 49, Siphesihle Phumzile Dlamini, 30, and Phiwe Mkhuzangwe, 37.
Bones, Dlamini, and Mkhuzangwe were arrested within a Sassa branch in Johannesburg on Friday, while Ledwaba was taken into custody at her residence in Soweto. Myeza surrendered to the authorities voluntarily on Sunday.
NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane confirmed that a sixth employee surrendered to law enforcement on Monday morning, indicating that the investigation into the alleged Sassa fraud syndicate is far from over.
Their bail application was postponed to Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
Mjonondwane said the five officials appearing in court will now join four others, who were apprehended last month under similar allegations.
Those prior arrests included Shumani Khwerana, 35, Nkhensani Sharon Maluleke, 28, Tshilidzi Ramaphosa, 34, and Ethiopian national Ebenezer Tilahyn, 29, all of whom are also employed at Sassa.
The previous arrests resulted from a meticulous investigation, which revealed that the suspects had been withdrawing large amounts of cash from over 150 fraudulent Sassa and bank cards at a Shoprite supermarket in Soweto on 4 February.
Mjonondwane said the suspects allegedly created fictitious Sassa accounts, allowing them to withdraw funds illicitly from various supermarkets across Gauteng.
She added that the NPA will oppose the bail application.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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