Social grant fraudster, Anele Gxumeka, was on Thursday sentenced to six months of direct imprisonment on charges of fraud, by the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court.
In a statement on Friday, the Eastern Cape South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) said the sentence stems from an incident on 9 February 2023, when the 41-year-old visited the SASSA Lusikisiki Local Office for a medical assessment after securing an appointment with a doctor.
On that day, customer care officials conducted queue walks and noted that there were discrepancies in the details of the accused's medical document.
The gender listed on the medical card did not match that on the Identity Document (ID); and the age reflected in the submitted document also contradicted the medical card.
“These discrepancies were further confirmed by the attending doctor, who contacted the Holy Cross hospital where the accused claimed to have been examined. The Chief Executive Officer of the hospital confirmed that there were no records of such a client,” the statement read.
The matter was subsequently handled by the SASSA Risk and Compliance Unit, which referred the case to the South African Police Services.
The accused was apprehended and later released pending further investigation and court appearances.
On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to six months of direct imprisonment.
In response to the sentencing, SASSA Eastern Cape Regional Executive Manager, Bandile Maqetuka, commended the front-line desk staff for their diligence.
He noted that most fraudulent activities are discovered only after significant financial losses.
“It is commendable that the agency has not incurred any financial loss in this case. We appreciate the collaborative efforts of SAPS and SASSA in ensuring that justice was served.
“While this may seem like a minor fraudulent case, the sentence sends a strong message that fraud will not be tolerated at SASSA,” Maqetuka said. – SAnews.gov.za
