The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to authorize a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into alleged fraud within the South African Social Security Agency’s (Sassa) Social Relief of Distress (SRD) R370 grant system.
The request follows findings from an independent audit revealing significant vulnerabilities in the grant application and payment processes.
An investigation by Masegare & Associates Incorporated, commissioned after concerns raised by two Stellenbosch University students, was presented to Parliament’s social development committee on October 23.
The report confirmed numerous weaknesses in the SRD system, sparking concerns over widespread fraud and inefficiencies.
The students, Joel Cedras and Veer Gosai, discovered they had been registered for the SRD grant without ever applying. Through an informal campus survey, they uncovered similar issues affecting others.
According to a parliamentary report, the students’ findings revealed, “fraud in the system robbed the poor and vulnerable, particularly the youth, out of the social protection they need.”
The audit detailed critical flaws in the system, including inadequate One-Time PIN (OTP) authentication processes, weak biometric verification measures, and insufficient access control and server location management at Sassa.
The report emphasized that the system’s “fundamental design flaw” was its inability to verify whether the cell phone number used in an application belonged to the applicant.
These vulnerabilities potentially affect not only the SRD R370 grant but other statutory grants such as the Child Support Grant, Disability Grant, and Old Age Pension.
In addition to technical flaws, the audit revealed a lack of regular security measures like data encryption, call center security protocols, and penetration testing, which left the system open to exploitation. Biometric verification is employed only in suspected fraud cases, though the investigation failed to clarify how such fraud is detected.
Public Testimonies Highlight Systemic Issues
The DA has since launched a campaign inviting South Africans to share their experiences with the SRD system. This initiative has received over 258 emails from citizens detailing frustrations, including being locked out of the system despite meeting eligibility criteria.
Many citizens shared their dismay at being excluded from grants intended to support the vulnerable.
Alexandra Abrahams, a Member of Parliament and DA deputy spokesperson on Social Development said “The DA is committed to exposing weaknesses and fraud within the social grant system, as we continue to fight for the rights of all South Africans.”
Abrahams encouraged affected citizens to come forward with their stories, emphasizing that their input would help identify patterns of corruption and inefficiency.
The findings have also raised questions about the system’s broader impact on the country’s social assistance framework. Without a robust identity verification process, there are fears that these issues may extend to other grants, jeopardizing the integrity of South Africa’s welfare programs.
The DA has urged the government to act swiftly by granting the SIU authority to investigate these vulnerabilities thoroughly. They argue that an independent and transparent investigation is necessary to restore public trust in Sassa’s systems and ensure that the grants reach those who need them most.
The SRD grant, initially introduced during the pandemic as a lifeline for millions of struggling South Africans, has been plagued by fraud allegations and operational inefficiencies. “The system is failing the very people it was created to support,” Abrahams said, adding that immediate reforms are needed to secure the future of social welfare programs.
The DA contends that addressing these systemic flaws is vital not only for accountability but also for the long-term sustainability of the country’s social assistance framework. As millions depend on these grants for survival, the stakes could not be higher.
With the findings now public, the pressure is mounting on the Presidency to take decisive action. The call for an SIU investigation is seen as a critical step in safeguarding South Africa’s social grant systems and ensuring that resources are allocated fairly and transparently.
