MPUMALANGA – Nonhlanhla Patricia Madalane (35), Prudence Letsiwe Nkosi (30), Tswapelo Prudence Masuku (31) and Nelile Shiba (28) briefly appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrates’ court on Thursday, 18 May 2023 following their arrest by the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation on charges of fraud, theft and Contravening the provisions of the Social Assistance Act. Act 9 of 2004 (SASSA Act).
It is alleged that the four accused registered non existing “ghost” children on the Social Assistance Agency’s data base of which they submitted false and forged birth certificates through misrepresentation in order to claim undue funds. These activities prejudiced and also caused SASSA an actual loss to an amount of R284 888-00.