Gauteng Businesswoman Found Guilty of Fraud After Misusing SASSA Grants

A 67-year-old businesswoman from Gauteng, Sarathamoney Devi Sigamoney, has been convicted of theft and fraud for defrauding the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)

The Pretoria North Regional Court delivered the verdict on Wednesday, highlighting the serious implications of her actions, which also included a charge of perjury.

How Did Sigamoney Commit Fraud?

The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) reported that Sigamoney fraudulently benefited from SASSA while she served as a director of a company that secured lucrative tenders from the South African Police Service (SAPS).

On April 13, 2017, Sigamoney applied for an old age grant from SASSA, submitting a supporting affidavit that claimed she had not worked for the past 20 years.

Just days later, on April 18, 2017, SASSA approved her application, allowing her to receive grant money.

How Much Money Did She Fraudulently Obtain?

Authorities accuse Sigamoney of receiving approximately R123,000 in grant payments from SASSA between July 2017 and July 2022.

She continued to collect the grant for an additional 16 months.

Mamothame stated that Sigamoney also serves as the director of KJP Traders Pty, a company that reportedly began conducting business with the state in 2012, before she applied for SASSA benefits

The company allegedly earned around R88 million from its contracts with SAPS, with the last payment recorded in 2022.

Next Steps in the Legal Proceedings

The court postponed the case to October 31, when the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) will apply for a forfeiture order to recover the funds lost by the state.