The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has welcomed a 10-year sentence handed down to 69-year-old Devi Sarathamoney, who was found guilty of perjury, theft, and fraud against the agency.
Image: File picture: Nokuthula Mbatha/ Independent Newspapers.
The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has welcomed a 10-year sentence handed down to 69-year-old Devi Sarathamoney, who was found guilty of perjury, theft, and fraud against the agency.
During her tenure as the sole director of a company that had secured a multimillion-rand tender to supply furniture to the South African Police Service, Sarathamoney submitted false documents to the agency. Consequently, she was approved to receive an old-age grant from 2017 to 2022.
Sassa’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Themba Matlou said the 10-year sentence handed down by the Pretoria North Regional Court should serve as a warning to anyone fraudulently receiving grant money.
“Sarathamoney’s sentence serves as a warning to anyone fraudulently receiving grant money. She submitted false documents to SASSA and was approved for an Old Age Grant from 2017 to 2022, despite being the sole director of a company doing business with the government,” Matlou said.
Matlou further revealed that the agency conducts monthly reviews to ensure grants are paid to the right people, adding that they will work closely with law enforcement and other stakeholders to combat corruption and fraud.
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“As an organisation, we welcome this judgment and hope it sets an example for those defrauding SASSA. Using illegal documents to obtain grant money will eventually be exposed, as we conduct monthly reviews to ensure grants are paid to the right people.
“Our mandate is to distribute grants to the rightful beneficiaries while protecting taxpayers’ money. The fight against fraud and corruption can only be won if we work together as a society,” Matlou added.
mthobisi.nozulela@iol.co.za
IOL News
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