SASSA Fraud Bust: Joburg Officials Nabbed in CBD Raid, Others Evade Arrest

Three South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) officials were arrested on Friday morning in a police raid at the agency’s Johannesburg CBD offices. The arrests come as part of an ongoing crackdown on a suspected grant fraud syndicate, following the capture of four individuals—including two women and an Ethiopian national—last month in Soweto.

The suspects had been caught using fraudulent SASSA cards to withdraw money from a Shoprite store, with a staggering 139 cards in their possession.

Seven Officials, Including Manager, Still on the Run

Despite the latest arrests, police are still hunting for seven more SASSA officials believed to be part of the syndicate. Among those evading capture is the manager of the Joburg SASSA office.

Police spokesperson Mavela Masondo revealed that officers were unable to apprehend all the suspects, as some were reportedly “on leave.”

“In February, we arrested four suspects. Our investigation linked them to several SASSA employees in this office,” Masondo explained. “We came to arrest seven today, but only found three. The others are apparently still on leave.”

A Bigger Syndicate at Play

Authorities suspect that the arrested officials are just a small part of a much larger fraud network.

“We are actively searching for all those involved and will continue investigating until every suspect is behind bars,” Masondo said. “We already have four arrested in February, plus the seven we are after today. That makes eleven in total—but we believe the network is much bigger.”

Kingpin Still at Large

The police have also confirmed that the alleged mastermind behind the syndicate remains on the loose.

“This is not the work of a few corrupt officials—there is an organized structure behind it,” Masondo stated. “One of our main suspects, believed to be the kingpin of the operation, is still at large. We are doing everything possible to track him down.”

What’s Next?

As the investigation continues, police have vowed to leave no stone unturned in dismantling the syndicate. Meanwhile, questions remain over how deep the corruption runs within SASSA and what measures will be taken to prevent further fraud.

With millions of South Africans depending on social grants for survival, the scandal has sparked outrage. Many are demanding stricter oversight and harsher consequences for those who exploit the system.

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