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Picture: 123RF
Picture: 123RF

A recent exposé by GroundUp and HeartFM revealed potentially huge fraud within the SA Social Security Agency’s (Sassa) social relief of distress (SRD) grant system (“Verification for R370 SRD grant can take months”, October 22).

Uncovered by two first-year computer science students, 300,000 IDs were queried against the SRD system, which showed that almost 75,000 were used in SRD applications. These IDs all belong to people born in February 2005. Stats SA data shows that 82,000 people were born in SA in that month, which means there was a 91% application rate of people born in that month — a highly questionable figure. 

While Sassa initially admitted that widespread fraud existed, it later denied the claims from the report, insisting on the effectiveness of its cybersecurity countermeasures. However, these students did identify several cyber vulnerabilities within Sassa’s system.

The matter also raises serious concerns about the management of personal data, especially considering that 28-million South Africans rely on Sassa grants. Those affected by potential ID fraud may find it difficult to access much-needed support in future.

This situation underscores that government IT systems are fragmented, with few talking to one another. Strengthening local data management through investment in data governance systems and cybersecurity professionals is crucial. SA must prioritise data security by relying on local talent and infrastructure to secure sensitive information.

Stefan Gerber
Cofounder, Tregter

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