Welfare supervisor fined for fraud

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(File photo) Photo: David Ritchie

A Cape Town supervisor convicted of defrauding his employer, the SA Social Services Agency (Sassa), has been handed a two-year prison term or R60 000 fine.

Clive Goldman appeared in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crime Court on Monday, and was sentenced to an additional three years in prison, conditionally suspended for five years.

He was found guilty of devising a complex plan, and involving subordinates at his workplace to defraud the company.

Magistrate Amrith Chabilall ordered that one of the conditions was that Goldman repay Sassa R252 639 by December 2.

Chabilall said greed made Goldman throw away a comfortable retirement, and lose a job with an organisation he had been with for 26 years.

Sassa renders social assistance to national councils and welfare organisations. The organisation provides social grants to the elderly and disabled, as well as child-support grants and care dependency.

Goldman was in the dock with the Malgas brothers, Mzwakhe and Mongwzi, who were both sentenced to three years house arrest involving community service in the form cleaning and maintenance at the Langa police station.

In addition to the house arrest, the brothers were sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for five years.

Aggravating factors in the case was that the scheme devised by Goldman devised was complex and planned, and he had involved other staff members.

“It was unacceptable for public funds allocated to Sassa to find their way into the pockets of the organisation's staff,” said Chabilall. - Sapa