Female SASSA Employee in Mogwase Arrested for Soliciting R3,000 Bribe from Applicant

Rustenburg – A 42-year-old woman working as a grant administrator has been apprehended for allegedly soliciting a bribe of R3,000 to facilitate a South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) old age grant application.

The arrest was carried out by the Hawks in Mogwase on Thursday, (6 March 2025), under charges of corruption.

According to allegations, a 63-year-old individual visited the SASSA offices in Mogwase in December of last year to apply for an old age pension grant.

Hawks Spokesperson Warrant Officer Amogelang Malwetse reported that the grant administrator, who was assisting the applicant, purportedly demanded R3,000 unlawfully to expedite the application process.

The applicant claimed he was unable to pay the amount.

It is alleged that the suspect informed him that he could settle the bribe once he received his first pension payment in February 2025.

The SASSA old age grant in South Africa is available to individuals aged 60 and above who can no longer work and earn a salary.

The grant amount is R2,180 for those between the ages of 60 and 74, and R2,200 for those over 75.

The initial pension payment was transferred to the bank account of the SASSA applicant in February 2025.

The SASSA grant administrator insisted on receiving the bribe.

Investigations revealed that the vulnerable 63-year-old applicant complied by sending his daughter to withdraw R2,000.

However, the grant administrator became frustrated because she demanded the full R3,000.

The victim and his daughter made additional arrangements to pay the remaining amount at the beginning of March 2025.

“The information reached one of the Hawks members based in Rustenburg, who responded quickly and initiated an inquiry for a preliminary investigation,” Warrant Officer Malwetse stated.

“The operation was executed, resulting in the suspect’s arrest shortly after she received the money from the victim.”

The suspect is scheduled to appear in Mogwase Magistrate’s Court on Friday, (7 March 2025).