DA calls for the Post Office grant fraud report to be tabled before Parliament
7 October 2019
The South African Post Office’s (SAPO) ability to safely manage the payments of grants to 10 million poor and vulnerable South Africans has been called into question following a reported investigation into a multimillion-rand grant payment card fraud. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has subsequently written to the Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Mr. Mondli Gungubele, to request the Post Office grant fraud report be tabled before Parliament for scrutiny.
Many pensioners and social grants beneficiaries believed that the migration from the former SASSA card to the new South African Post Office (SAPO) card, would bring an end to fraudulent and opportunistic activities that have plagued the grant system for years. Regrettably, this has not been the case as the investigation reportedly found that security features of the SAPO payment system have been irretrievably compromised.
Millions of social grant recipients and their dependents will suffer if this fraud remains unabated. It is deplorable that poor South Africans have to bear the brunt because opportunistic criminals are stealing money meant to assist the most vulnerable groups in our society.
During the Department of Social Development’s budget vote in August, Minister Lindiwe Zulu announced that the pandemic days of fraud against the department are “over”; and the R68 million has been set to investigate social grant system fraud will amongst other things make sure all SASSA beneficiaries are paid.