Four women convicted in Mbombela for Sassa’s fraud

Four women, who have frauduted Sassa to receive a social assistance subsidy for 11 years, were convicted by the Court of Specialized Commercial Crimes on Thursday, February 27th.

The convicts, Nonhlahla Madalane (36 years old), Tswarelo Masuku (32), the Nella Shiba (29) and Prudence Nkosi (31), were sentenced to five years of imprisonment, all suspended for five years provided they are not found by fraudulent activities.

During the sentence, the court also ordered women to pay the money, lost by Sassa, in installments.

Madalane was ordered to pay R20 330.64, Masuku R20 238.23, while both Shiba and Nkosi had to pay entirely R10 344.

Read also: 15 suspects detained for Sassa fraud by Limpopo Hawks

According to the spokesman of Mpumalanga Hawks, Lieutenant Colonel Magonsi Nkosi, fraudulent activities date from 2012 to reporting in 2023.

“The consultants collided with some unknown health workers and received fraudulent proof of the birth of unknown children. Then they registered the ghost children at the internal business department and purchased birth certificates to have access to the children’s assistance subsidy paid monthly, ”said Nkosi.

Read also: Presuppose fraudsters in Sassa appear in court

Nkosi said that a whistle reported criminal activities to the Public Services Commission. Women were arrested and released on bail in May 2023.