Sassa dismisses 43 officials amid anti-fraud drive as more cases remain pending

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has dismissed 43 officials implicated in fraud, theft, corruption and serious maladministration during the 2025/2026 financial year, the agency told Parliament as it outlined measures to protect public funds.

Who, what and where

The dismissals were disclosed when the Department of Social Development, Sassa and the National Development Agency appeared before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Appropriations to present budget allocations and safeguards for public money.

Agency response and legal action

Sassa CEO Themba Matlou told the committee the dismissals followed “stringent measures” introduced to fight fraud and corruption within the agency. He said the dismissed officials were also facing investigations by law enforcement agencies and that some had already appeared in court.

“These cases are at various stages of prosecution,”

Matlou described the dismissals as a success for the agency in efforts to “root out bad apples that are tainting our social grants system and bringing the good name of SASSA into disrepute through their misconduct.” He said Sassa would continue strengthening its Fraud Prevention Strategy to restore and enhance the integrity of the social grant system.

Ongoing disciplinary work

Matlou credited progress to Sassa’s internal Fraud Management and Compliance Department, which was established to implement anti-fraud and anti-corruption prevention and detection mechanisms and to investigate corrupt activities within the agency.

He warned that further action may follow: 65 outstanding cases remain to be finalised by the agency’s Labour Relations Unit.

Support from government and planned upgrades

Acting Social Development Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga pledged support for stronger accountability and financial prudence across the department and its entities. The department outlined interventions including strengthened internal controls and procurement oversight, regular expenditure monitoring and compliance checks, enhanced audit and reporting systems, improved consequence management processes, and ongoing fraud awareness and ethics interventions.

Sassa also told Parliament it plans several service-delivery initiatives for the current financial year, including:

• implementation of a mobile app and offline capability systems
• a single user interface
• cybersecurity and threat intelligence systems
• online grant applications and self-service kiosks at offices
• Wi‑Fi and network upgrades at local offices

Health department guidance on disability grant verifications

Separately, the Gauteng Department of Health and Wellness urged disability grant applicants requiring medical verification forms for Sassa applications to visit clinics and community health centres rather than hospitals.

Gauteng Health MEC Faith Mazibuko said applicants can access the service free of charge at primary healthcare facilities and that clinics and community health centres are closer to communities and better placed to assist without placing additional financial burden on applicants.