JOHANNESBURG – The Lenasia Magistrates’ Court has granted bail to ten suspended employees of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), following their arrest earlier this year in connection with an alleged fraud scheme involving more than R4 million.
A total of eleven SASSA employees were arrested in the matter. However, one of the accused, Abenezer Tilahyn, an Ethiopian national, was denied bail after the court determined he posed a flight risk. This was confirmed by National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane.
The court set bail amounts ranging from R10 000 to R30 000 for the ten accused. As part of their bail conditions, each individual was required to surrender their travel documents.
The first accused in the case has been identified as Shumani Khwerana. Along with his co-accused, he faces a range of serious charges, including fraud, theft and cybercrime. According to the NPA, the accused were allegedly involved in a scheme that involved creating fraudulent SASSA profiles. These fake profiles allowed them to access funds illegally from various payment points within the agency.
Before bail was granted, the court examined several affidavits, including one from the investigating officer, Constable Manana, and two from Mazimela Kubeka, a senior internal investigator at SASSA. These documents provided details of the accused’s alleged involvement in the criminal activities.
Mjonondwane stated that the court had found no reason to believe that the ten individuals who were granted bail posed a risk of fleeing or interfering with the investigation. However, as a preventative measure, the court instructed them not to interfere with the ongoing investigation or contact any state witnesses.
The NPA has acknowledged and accepted the court’s decision, viewing it as a step within the broader legal process. Mjonondwane reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to pursuing accountability within public institutions and maintaining transparency throughout the proceedings.
The case has been postponed to 2 September 2025 to allow further investigations to continue. In the meantime, SASSA has confirmed that all implicated individuals have been suspended and no longer have access to any of the agency’s systems.
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