A pensioner alleges her grant money was stolen by SASSA officials

Ga-Masemola
A granny who uses her pension grant to pay for a burial society, buying food, paying school transport amongst other was left stranded last month when her grant together with child support grant of her three grandchildren was withdrawn at Nyala by unknown culprits.
She accuses the South African Security Service Agency (SASSA) of fraud, corruption, and money laundering.
According to the Ranapo’s family the fraudulent activities and elements of corruption within the agency is very disturbing because the agency is aimed at distributing their money not to steal their money.
The recent incident robbed Motubatse Ranapo (64) of her constitutional rights to receive her monthly pension and that resulted in the family having debts.
Her personal information has been tempered and no one seems to account as she said the Post Office officials said chances of her getting her money back are extremely low.
“That confidentiality the agency outlined on their form is nothing but nonsense because today someone withdrew my money without me sharing a secret pin,” said frustrated mother who questioned the system of the agency.
The sixty-four years old said she usually sends her daughter, Precious during the middle of the month to withdraw the money.
She said they do that to avoid long queues at SASSA pay points.
But last month, Motubatse was surprised when her daughter returned home with empty hands saying the pin code was invalid.
Precious explained what happened. “As usual my mother gave me her SASSSA card to make a withdrawal and buy groceries but after I inserted the card pressing the secret pin it said invalid pin and I was surprised because I was pressing the correct pin.”
“I tried twice without luck and I took out my bank card to make a withdrawal just to see if it was the machine, but the transaction went successful and that’s when I became unsettled.
“I left the Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) to the local franchise of Shoprite Usave where I tried to swipe some few items just to confirm if the pin was indeed invalid and it also declined, and I became more frustrated.” Precious explained what transpired.
On the following day, her mother took to the Masemola post office to try fingerprint method, but she claimed she was overlooked and undermined until she returned home.
“I was sent from pillar to post without clear and proper consultation,” she explained how she was unfairly treated.
The bad treatment forced her to go to the Jane Furse SASSA offices and she was given a claim form which she filled and submitted at post office in Jane furse.
But she said she was told “I am sure, you are the group of grannies who were robbed their grant” by employee within the premises.
“The employees printed a statement and my balance was R62.00 that is when I realise that something is not right,”
They promised to launch an investigation but reiterated that chances of getting my money back are scares.
The printed statement which Sekhukhune Times saw shows and outlines that her money was withdrawn at Nyala road on May 15th.
Nyala road is unknown in the family. After discovered that she was robbed her grant she went home with a heavy heart, frustrated, and stressed.
Adding to that, her daughter said it was a pity to see her mother battling with stress “This forced us to get into debts. Even next month we will suffer because we have to pay the debts,”
From now one Motubatse will receive her grant through her bank account. An insider at SASSA offices assured Sekhukhune Times that the stolen money will not be paid back.
According to the trusted source the SASSA familiar incident were reported after the contract of Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) was forced to be terminated by the constitutional court.
From there the South African Post Office (SAPO) took over. Source believes the CPS is sabotaging SAPO through robbing grant recipients the grants because it still has all SASSA recipients.
Affected family believes SASSA should account to whatever happens to their client’s funds.
Attempt to get a comment from SASSA spokesperson went unsuccessful as the phone rang unanswered.