Fifteen insurance company employees were apprehended and handed over to police after allegedly targeting pensioners in the Eastern Cape.
This was confirmed by the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) on Tuesday.
The agency joined forces with law enforcement officials and community leaders to clamp down on a suspected fraudulent insurance scheme in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality.
“The individuals were allegedly conducting unauthorised insurance sales to Sassa beneficiaries while falsely claiming to be running a ‘Sassa promotion’ and misrepresenting themselves as working in partnership with the agency,” Sassa said in a statement.
“Sassa strongly condemns the unbecoming conduct.
“The agency makes it unequivocally clear that it has no partnership, arrangement, or authorisation for any private company to sell insurance products using its name or to target beneficiaries under its banner.”
The agency said a criminal case had been opened against the company and its employees for the unauthorised use of the Sassa name and its identity, in violation of Section 15 of the South African Social Security Agency Act 9 of 2004, which prohibited any false representation of association with Sassa.
It warned that the misuse of its name to exploit beneficiaries was a serious offence and would be met with legal action.
“Sassa remains committed to protecting beneficiaries from fraud and ensuring the integrity of its services,” the agency said.
“All officials are issued with Sassa branded identification cards and members of the public have a right to demand that anyone who claims to be working for Sassa produce evidence thereof.
“Members of the public are encouraged to report any suspicious or misleading activities claiming association with Sassa.”
Daily Dispatch
Daily Dispatch Correspondent
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