Minister Pule asked for answers after Sassa assassination plot revealed
Sassa manager Bandile Maqetuka said he was warned that someone had been hired to kill him after he helped uncover a syndicate
South African Social Development Minister Dina Pule is facing calls for answers after allegations of an assassination plot against Bandile Maqetuka, a Sassa regional manager. Maqetuka was involved in an investigation that led to the dismantling of a syndicate operating in the Eastern Cape. Maqetuka told the Daily Dispatch that he has opened a criminal case against an individual from Dutywa who attempted to hire a hitman to kill him. The alleged plot occurred after Sassa bust the syndicate in Dutywa last year.
The DA has called on Pule to account to Parliament regarding the extent of the fraud uncovered within Sassa and the steps being taken to protect Maqetuka and other officials involved in the investigation. Sharif noted that the allegations raise serious questions about the extent of fraud and corruption within Sassa and whether officials tasked with exposing wrongdoing are being adequately protected. She emphasized that allowing money intended for the poor to be abused through fraud and corruption is unacceptable.
The Treasury has expressed concern over social grant fraud, with Director-General Duncan Pieterse highlighting the need for better targeting and verification to ensure grants reach the correct beneficiaries. Pieterse stated that the Treasury is collaborating with Sassa to tighten the social grant system and has identified potential savings of R3 billion over the next few years through proper verification.
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