Cobras bite social grant cheaters

Between 1996 and 2007 almost 11,2 million people recieved social grants. So far, about 144 000 who cheated the system have been recommended for removal. This will save government about R337 million per year.

"A few years ago, the social grant system was troubled by corruption, bad management and fraud. some government officials also claimed social grant money for themselves. to stop this from happening, Social Development appointed the Special Investigation Unit to look into the system in early 2005.

Saved billions
Almost three years on, the Cobras, as the Special Investigation Unit is known, has already saved government close to R8 billion. The Cobras work together with the South African Security Agency (SASSA). They employ nearly 200 investigators who focus mainly on government workers and those who are benifiting in the private sector: Since it started, the unit has also found organised crime groups who were cheating the social Pension System. Some of these groups and individuals are from outside the country. They focus mainly on disability grants and make fake medical certificates.

Across the border
The Department of Social Development found that at a border post between South Africa and Swaziland, at least 1000 benificiaries came across the border every month to collect grants in South Africa. They expect to find that the same sort of thing also happens at the borders of other neighbouring countries, including Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

Court
Together with partner agencies, the cobras have started to tackle the problem. So far about 5500 cases have been taken to court. 21 588 government employees were on the system unlawfully, but have since been removed. Some of them will undergo disciplinary hearings. Action taken against them will range from warnings to being fired from their jobs.-Ndivhuwo Khangale

Taking steps
Part of the Cobra's responsibilities is to re-examine and improve the social grant syste. They must also make recommendations to the Department and to SASSA on how to fix the problem areas in the system.

Steps to be taken include:

Carefully checking information from applicants before disability grants are approved.
Marking applicants that were previously refused, or where grants were cancelled because they were unlawful.
Double checking referrals from doctors and re-looking at medical files
Visiting homes to prove that children registered on the systen really exist, especially in the case of foster care grants.
Making sure that all Home Affairs officials can be clearly recognised.

Publisher-Government Communications(GCIS)

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