A 69-year-old woman from Gauteng has been sentenced to 10 years of direct imprisonment for defrauding the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), despite her business earning millions.
Sarathamoney Devi Sigamoney was convicted on five counts, including perjury, fraud, and theft, and was sentenced in the Pretoria North Regional Court on Tuesday.
According to the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), Sigamoney unlawfully received pension payouts from SASSA while serving as the sole director of a company.
The court heard that on 13 April 2017, she applied for an old-age grant, submitting an affidavit in which she falsely claimed she had not been employed for 20 years. Five days later, on 18 April, SASSA approved her application, and she signed for the grant. From July 2017 to July 2022, she allegedly received a total of approximately R123,000 in grant payments.
Despite her claims of unemployment, Sigamoney’s company had secured multimillion-rand tenders from the South African Police Service (SAPS) to supply office furniture.
During sentencing, Magistrate Pieter Nel emphasised the importance of deterring similar crimes. IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame stated that the court had previously granted the Asset Forfeiture Unit a confiscation order, requiring Sigamoney to repay SASSA R138,593 plus interest at 11.25% per annum.
The IDAC further revealed that even after charges were laid against her, Sigamoney continued to receive the grant for an additional 16 months.
“Although she is listed as the director of KJP Traders Pty and Matthew Pillay (her son), KJP is alleged to have conducted business with the state as early as 2012, preceding her application to SASSA,” Mamothame added.
The company is estimated to have earned approximately R88 million from SAPS contracts, with the last payment made in 2022.
Sigamoney has been granted leave to appeal, and the matter has been postponed to 12 March 2025 for arguments.
Facebook Comments