Cybersecurity fraud and threats continue at SASSA

3 November 2024

The Democratic Alliance is deeply concerned by recent reports of an international hacker group by the name of N4aughtysecGroup, which has threatened to release SASSA data obtained via vulnerable backend access within the social grant system.

Claiming to have previously stolen R175 million from SASSA, taking money from poor and vulnerable citizens, it once again highlights that fraud and corruption is not a “myth nor propaganda” as purported by the ANC in the recent parliamentary debate regarding ongoing fraud and corruption at the entity, but an issue government must take seriously.

Fraud and corruption are synonymous with SASSA. The quick design of systems such as the SRD R370 grant application and payment system is now catching up with them and costing the entity, taxpayers, and vulnerable South Africans hundreds of millions of rands, syphoned off by fraudsters.

SASSA is scheduled to present to parliament on 27 November 2024 after it requested a 30-day extension to conduct their investigation into the alleged SRD R370 grant fraud discovered by two Stellenbosch University students.

The Democratic Alliance reiterates its calls for:

·        the prioritisation of funding and capacitation of the independent Inspectorate for Social Assistance as envision in Chapter 4 of the Social Assistance Act;

·        the resignation of the CEO of SASSA - the leadership of this entity must be held accountable;

·        an immediate SIU investigation into the ongoing fraud and corruption at the entity that neither the Department of Social Development nor SASSA can investigate themselves;

·        a complete review of the SRD R370 system.

We need urgent modernisation and bolstering of the IT security, payment, and biometric verification systems at SASSA and real consequence management with penalties and jail time. These criminals, whether they are found to be within government or not, belong in prison.

The DA has already introduced its “Cyber Commission Bill” to Parliament, aimed at setting up a new Chapter 9 institution, dedicated to regulating cyber security in South Africa. In the new digital age – and especially in light of the ongoing crisis at SASSA and past failures by government departments to adequately protect our citizens’ personal data – we must ensure that our state institutions are competent and capable to face these new threats.

We need to ensure that SASSA beneficiaries are educated and well-informed through broad awareness campaigns on how to protect themselves from fraud and channels to report fraud and corruption.

Finally, and most importantly, we need the political will to root out corruption root and stem. The DA will not let this failure at SASSA go unanswered.

Issued by Alexandra Abrahams, DA Deputy Spokesperson on Social Development, 3 November 2024