Four suspects, including two current South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) officials and one former official were arrested in connection with alleged fraud amounting to about R4.9-million and are scheduled to appear in the Soshanguve Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.

Three suspects were apprehended in Soshanguve, while the fourth was arrested at a workshop in Heidelberg.

The arrests followed a coordinated investigation involving Sassa’s Fraud and Compliance Unit, working with law enforcement authorities.

The suspects are accused of the unlawful processing and approval of social grants, violating Section 21 of the Social Assistance Act and Regulation 10 of the Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004.

Sassa acting regional executive manager in Gauteng Godfrey Mohlamonyane welcomed the arrests and reaffirmed the agency’s “unwavering stance” against fraud and corruption.

“We welcome these arrests and commend the Saps Provincial Investigating Unit, together with our internal Fraud and Compliance teams, for their decisive and coordinated action.

“Any official who abuses their position to defraud the agency not only undermines public trust but also deprives deserving beneficiaries of critical social assistance. Such conduct will be met with the full might of the law, including criminal prosecution and internal disciplinary processes,” he said.

Mohlamonyane said safeguarding public funds was a top priority for the agency and expressed hope that the arrests would serve as a strong deterrent against misconduct.

“Sassa will not hesitate to act against anyone who seeks to manipulate the social assistance system for personal gain. Protecting the integrity of the social grant system and ensuring that assistance reaches the rightful beneficiaries is non-negotiable,” he stated.

Sassa said it would strengthen internal controls, enhance monitoring mechanisms, and intensify consequence management to deal with fraud and protect the integrity of the social assistance system.