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ActionSA demands an urgent leadership overhaul at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), as it has become increasingly apparent that corruption has reached staggering levels, with taxpayer funds being looted and consequence management almost entirely absent.

It is clear that this reflects a deeply entrenched rot within SASSA, where a shocking list of wrongdoings, from ghost beneficiaries siphoning funds to fraudulent payouts into private bank accounts and officials exploiting their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor, demands immediate and urgent reform.

Earlier this week, two first-year students from Stellenbosch University appeared before Parliament after exposing a massive fraud scheme within SASSA. Over and above their testimony about their findings ActionSA possesses emails dated 19 September 2023 from whistleblowers Bonnie Sons and Elizabeth Reuters, which reveal urgent attempts to inform the CEO about the “grant already active” issue that prevented new legitimate beneficiary applicants from applying.

ActionSA is alarmed at the attitude of some of the ANC committee members towards the student whistle blowers in the committee meeting and that, despite previous warnings/alerts about possible corruption no action was taken. This lack of accountability clearly demonstrates the CEO’s inability or unwillingness to address critical issues within the agency, underscoring the need for new, capable leadership at SASSA.

There is now little doubt of a governance failure at SASSA, stemming from a complete abandonment of oversight, stringent internal controls, and, most painfully, the agency’s duty to protect the citizens it was created to serve.

Consequently, ActionSA believes it is vital to immediately overhaul SASSA’s leadership to protect a system that serves as a critical lifeline for millions of South Africans, ensuring this essential institution is safeguarded from further mismanagement and corruption.

Issued by Dereleen James MP, ActionSA Member of Parliament