Rustenburg – A 42-year-old woman employed as a grant administrator has been arrested for allegedly soliciting a bribe of R3,000 to assist with a South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) old age grant application.
The arrest took place in Mogwase on Thursday, (6 March 2025), and is linked to corruption charges.
As per allegations, a 63-year-old individual visited SASSA offices in Mogwase in December of the previous year to apply for an old age pension grant.
Hawks Spokesperson Warrant Officer Amogelang Malwetse reported that the grant administrator assisting the applicant allegedly requested R3,000 unlawfully in order to expedite the application process.
The applicant indicated that he could not afford to pay that amount.
It is claimed that the suspect told him he could settle the bribe once he received his first pension payment in February 2025.
In South Africa, the SASSA old age grant is available to individuals aged 60 and above who can no longer work and earn an income.
The grant amount is R2,180 for those between the ages of 60 and 74, and R2,200 for those aged 75 and older.
The initial pension payment was deposited into the bank account of the SASSA applicant in February 2025.
The SASSA grant administrator persisted in her demand for the bribe.
Investigations uncovered that the vulnerable 63-year-old applicant complied by sending his daughter to withdraw R2,000.
Nonetheless, the grant administrator grew impatient, insisting on receiving the full R3,000.
The victim and his daughter made further arrangements to pay the remaining balance at the start of March 2025.
“The information reached one of the Hawks members based in Rustenburg, who acted swiftly to initiate an inquiry for a preliminary investigation,” Warrant Officer Malwetse noted.
“The operation was carried out, leading to the suspect’s arrest shortly after she received the payment from the victim.”
The suspect is set to appear in Mogwase Magistrate’s Court on Friday, (7 March 2025).
