Johannesburg - A South African Social Security Agency official who allegedly used a fraudulent matric certificate to obtain a job has been charged with R4-million fraud, which is how much the agency spent on her salary in a period of 14 years.
Alina Dimakatso Nkwanyana Selepe allegedly used a fraudulent matric certificate to obtain her job as a team leader for administration at Sassa in 2006.
She was only flagged once Sassa conducted an audit with the Department of Basic Education when they found that the matric certificate was allegedly fraudulent.
The Hawks in Mpumalanga said the woman was arrested on Friday and charged with fraud to the tune of R4m, which amounts to her salary for the past 14 years.
She was charged with fraud and spent the weekend in jail and was released on R3000 bail at the Nelspruit Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation nabbed the woman on Friday for alleged fraud that was committed in 2006.
“It is alleged that in 2006, there was an advertised post for team leader administration in the department of Sassa.
“In applying for the said position, the suspect submitted a fraudulent matric certificate which was one of the requirements for that job.
“As a result, the suspect was employed and appointed as a team leader administration at SASSA, Volkrust, Mpumalanga,” said Sekgotodi.
She said the case against Selepe had been postponed to March 26 and confirmed that the woman was allegedly caught after Sassa embarked on an audit and found her certificate to be fraudulent.
“The matter was reported to the Hawks Serious Corruption Investigation Nelspruit during December 2020 and investigation revealed that the suspect prejudiced the government over R4 million in salary between 2006 and 2020,” said Sekgotodi.
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