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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape welcomes the sentencing of Yamkelo Jacobs, who was involved in the 2017 robbery of a supermarket in Parow, where over R4 million earmarked for South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) beneficiaries was stolen. The DA urges that charges against the remaining accused be prioritised to ensure justice is served swiftly.

The stolen R4 million could, for example, have provided Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grants to approximately 10,810 vulnerable individuals in the Western Cape, underscoring the severe impact of this crime on our communities.

This week, the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court sentenced Jacobs to:

• 12 years imprisonment for robbery with aggravating circumstances, with four years suspended for five years.
• Another 12 years for counts 2 to 13 (robbery with aggravating circumstances), with four years suspended for five years.
• Additionally, Jacobs was declared unfit to possess a firearm.

Jacobs will serve eight years in total.

MPP Wendy Kaizer-Philander added: “The DA stands firm in its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable in our society. The conviction of Jacobs must remind all, including SASSA employees who aim to defraud the system, that criminal acts undermining the social safety nets intended for the poorest in our communities will never be tolerated. We owe it to our vulnerable, elderly and disabled residents to make sure they have the support they need."

Issued by Wendy Kaizer-Philander MPP - DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Social Development