Fraudsters owe State R5m
15/02/2007 13:47  - (SA)  

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Donwald Pressly

Cape Town - About 6 000 public servants are paying back R5m to the State that they owe as proceeds of social security fraud and 2 000 are to face disciplinary action "while investigations and prosecutions are ongoing against others", Social Security Minister Zola Skweyiya said on Thursday.

At a media briefing at parliament - on behalf of the social cluster ministers - Skweyiya reported that there was "continuous progress" on the anti-fraud campaign.

"Since the inception of the second phase of the investigation, focusing on non-public servants, over 200 000 grants have either been cancelled or have lapsed owing to non-collection."

He said 500 000 grants of non-public servants were being investigated.

In addition the special investigating unit has identified more than 10 000 cases for prosecution and civil recovery.

"We will implement a number of projects to improve the integrity of the social grants system as well as its management, accountability and effectiveness," he said.

"This will include ensuring that temporary disability grants are lapsed when due, improved compliance is ensured by application of a means test, that foster care grants are reviewed and that fraud is prevented, detected and acted upon."

Referring to the new social security system - which would include a State-administered retirement element for employed people - Skweyiya said: "The expectations are that those who are employed should save part of their income, and contribute to social solidarity measures to protect themselves and their families from unemployment, illness, disability or old age.

"Government must set up this arrangement to act as underwriter as individuals and society often bear the risk of failures," he said.