SASSA CEO Themba Matlou
Image: Supplied
South Africa’s social grants system has come under renewed scrutiny after the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) confirmed the dismissal of 43 officials linked to fraud, theft, corruption and serious maladministration.
The sweeping purge, revealed in Parliament on Wednesday, signalled an escalating internal battle inside one of the country’s most critical state institutions, which distributes billions of rand to millions of financially vulnerable citizens every month.
The dismissals have laid bare the extent of alleged misconduct operating within parts of the agency, intensifying concerns over the safeguarding of public funds intended for pensioners, children, people with disabilities and struggling households.
Senior officials from the Department of Social Development, SASSA and the National Development Agency appeared before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Appropriations to account for budget spending and outline urgent reforms aimed at restoring credibility to the grants system.
SASSA chief executive officer Themba Matlou said the 43 officials were dismissed following disciplinary proceedings during the 2025/2026 financial year as part of a broader campaign to remove corrupt officials from the agency.
He said SASSA was intensifying internal oversight and strengthening anti-fraud measures amid ongoing allegations of corruption, maladministration and abuse within the system.
“This is a resounding success for us as an Agency as we continue to root out bad apples that are tainting our social grants system and bringing the good name of SASSA into disrepute through their misconduct. We are doing our best to further strengthen the implementation of our Fraud Prevention Strategy to restore and enhance the integrity of our social grant system,” Matlou said.
Matlou confirmed that several of the dismissed officials are also facing criminal investigation, with some matters already before the courts.
He added that the agency was continuing to work closely with law enforcement authorities while more internal disciplinary cases remain under investigation.
“There are still 65 outstanding cases to be finalised by the Agency's Labour Relations Unit, and that more officials may face disciplinary action in order to send a strong message to anyone tempted to engage in corrupt activities,” he said.
According to SASSA, its Fraud Management and Compliance Department has been central to uncovering alleged wrongdoing and strengthening internal systems designed to detect abuse and financial irregularities.
Acting Minister of Social Development Sindisiwe Chikunga also briefed MPs on measures being introduced to tighten governance controls and improve accountability across the social development sector.
The department outlined several interventions aimed at curbing financial misconduct, including stronger procurement oversight, improved audit and reporting systems, stricter expenditure monitoring, enhanced consequence management and ongoing ethics and anti-fraud training.
At the same time, SASSA presented details of its digital modernisation programme, which forms part of broader efforts to improve service delivery and reduce vulnerabilities within the system.
The plans include a mobile application, online grant applications, self-service kiosks, cybersecurity upgrades, offline functionality and expanded network infrastructure.
As SASSA marks two decades since its establishment in 2006, Matlou said rebuilding public confidence while improving the efficiency and integrity of the grants system remains a key priority for the agency.
DAILY NEWS