The department of social development has debunked a blog claiming to “expose” how a syndicate can fraudulently claim R38,520 monthly in grants from the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa).
The blog claims Sassa has nine types of grants available to citizens, foreigners and refugees and that with the birth of just one baby in the country, foreign mothers are able to make a fortune. “These babies are known as 'anchor babies',” the blog said, outlining how the newborn can allegedly be used to cheat the system.
It's just not true, social development spokesperson Lumka Oliphant told TimesLIVE.
The department has compiled a detailed fact-check response to the falsehoods in the blog.
Claim: The child support grant and its top-up (R480 + R240) can be boosted by the foster child grant (R1,050).
Fact: Oliphant said the top-up is only paid to orphans in the care of relatives. It’s not possible to receive the child support grant top-up together with the foster care grant.
Claim: Up to four people can use one child to claim a foster care grant from Sassa because to “qualify for the grant”, one only needs to look after a child for more than three days in a month cycle.
Fact: Oliphant has said this is not true.
She said the child must be in the full-time care of the caregiver who is claiming from Sassa. Split caring arrangements are not allowed.
“Only one person can apply for a grant for up to a maximum of six children. In other words, one person can apply to foster six children. If more than six children are fostered, the person needs to register a cluster foster care scheme with the department of social development.
“It’s also important to note that foster child grants are only paid out on valid court orders, which is a very lengthy process of a social worker assessing the child’s care situation and then taking the matter to court to get a foster care order,” Oliphant told TimesLIVE.
Other claims by the blog:
“You do not need to supply an ID, a birth certificate or even a passport to access the grant. You simply have to fill in the form and have it signed by your pastor. There are many pastors willing to sign their names on a documents for a fee. And there you go, Bob’s your uncle. Signed, sealed, and delivered. Each adult applies for a R720 child grant for each child, claiming to be single and unemployed. Each adult claims a R1,050 care grant, stating they are unemployed and caring for the children for at least three days of the month. (6 x R720.00) + (24 x R1,050) = R29,520.00 ... "
What social development said in response:
This is not possible. You can only apply for one of the two grants — the child support grant of R480 if you are caring for a child with living parents or the child support grant of R720 if the child is an orphan and you have a death certificate to prove it, as well proof that you are related to the child. Failing which, you can apply for the foster care grant through the court processes which, if successful, will be R1,070.
You can’t qualify for all three amounts. It’s one amount per child (with only one caregiver).
In the presented scenario, the maximum paid per month will be:
- CSG (for 4 children): R1,920
- CSG top-up (for 4 orphans): R2,880
- FCG: R4,280
“No-one can make R29,520 off four children in any scenario, unless significant identity fraud occurs. But the scenarios painted by the writer are inaccurate.”
Disability
The blog also alleges there are creative ways to claim the disability grant and that you can fake a test with a corrupt medical professional for HIV/Aids or TB to qualify for this.
Oliphant, however, said the disability grants of R1,980 monthly are provided to clients based on a functional assessment, not based on medical conditions.
“If a medical condition leads to functional impairment, then someone may receive a disability grant.
“Disability assessments are temporary, and assessing doctors are rotated, hence it’s very unlikely that such a practice can be continued over a prolonged period,” she explained.
Breaking down the numbers:
The blog post claims: “There you have it ... six adults, all foreigners, with their four children claiming R38,520 between them each month. They all work together to game the system. I could never understand how they could drive the vehicles they drive. Nor could I understand how they always manage to have the latest cellphones, the most expensive sneakers, elaborate hair extensions (these are not cheap) and up-to-date fashion. Now I know and now you know.”
Department of social development's response:
“Even if the scenarios above were possible (which they are not), the R38k to look after 10 people is a per capita income of R3,800 a month. Barely minimum wage, and very unlikely to lead to a lavish lifestyle.”
It's a crime
The scenario presented in the blog is a criminal act.
“She paints a picture of possible 'child farming', which is also in contravention of the children’s act and the duties of medical practitioners to report such cases to the relevant authorities,” said Oliphant.
She said the agency also has a whistle-blowing mechanism where employees and members of the public can report allegations of social grant fraud. These allegations are investigated internally by Sassa’s investigation unit which works with law enforcement agencies.
Fraud can be reported to 0800 601 011
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
No, you can't turn the R480 Sassa child grant into R38,520
Image: SA government via Twitter
The department of social development has debunked a blog claiming to “expose” how a syndicate can fraudulently claim R38,520 monthly in grants from the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa).
The blog claims Sassa has nine types of grants available to citizens, foreigners and refugees and that with the birth of just one baby in the country, foreign mothers are able to make a fortune. “These babies are known as 'anchor babies',” the blog said, outlining how the newborn can allegedly be used to cheat the system.
It's just not true, social development spokesperson Lumka Oliphant told TimesLIVE.
The department has compiled a detailed fact-check response to the falsehoods in the blog.
Claim: The child support grant and its top-up (R480 + R240) can be boosted by the foster child grant (R1,050).
Fact: Oliphant said the top-up is only paid to orphans in the care of relatives. It’s not possible to receive the child support grant top-up together with the foster care grant.
Claim: Up to four people can use one child to claim a foster care grant from Sassa because to “qualify for the grant”, one only needs to look after a child for more than three days in a month cycle.
Fact: Oliphant has said this is not true.
She said the child must be in the full-time care of the caregiver who is claiming from Sassa. Split caring arrangements are not allowed.
“Only one person can apply for a grant for up to a maximum of six children. In other words, one person can apply to foster six children. If more than six children are fostered, the person needs to register a cluster foster care scheme with the department of social development.
“It’s also important to note that foster child grants are only paid out on valid court orders, which is a very lengthy process of a social worker assessing the child’s care situation and then taking the matter to court to get a foster care order,” Oliphant told TimesLIVE.
Other claims by the blog:
“You do not need to supply an ID, a birth certificate or even a passport to access the grant. You simply have to fill in the form and have it signed by your pastor. There are many pastors willing to sign their names on a documents for a fee. And there you go, Bob’s your uncle. Signed, sealed, and delivered. Each adult applies for a R720 child grant for each child, claiming to be single and unemployed. Each adult claims a R1,050 care grant, stating they are unemployed and caring for the children for at least three days of the month. (6 x R720.00) + (24 x R1,050) = R29,520.00 ... "
What social development said in response:
This is not possible. You can only apply for one of the two grants — the child support grant of R480 if you are caring for a child with living parents or the child support grant of R720 if the child is an orphan and you have a death certificate to prove it, as well proof that you are related to the child. Failing which, you can apply for the foster care grant through the court processes which, if successful, will be R1,070.
You can’t qualify for all three amounts. It’s one amount per child (with only one caregiver).
In the presented scenario, the maximum paid per month will be:
“No-one can make R29,520 off four children in any scenario, unless significant identity fraud occurs. But the scenarios painted by the writer are inaccurate.”
Disability
The blog also alleges there are creative ways to claim the disability grant and that you can fake a test with a corrupt medical professional for HIV/Aids or TB to qualify for this.
Oliphant, however, said the disability grants of R1,980 monthly are provided to clients based on a functional assessment, not based on medical conditions.
“If a medical condition leads to functional impairment, then someone may receive a disability grant.
“Disability assessments are temporary, and assessing doctors are rotated, hence it’s very unlikely that such a practice can be continued over a prolonged period,” she explained.
Breaking down the numbers:
The blog post claims: “There you have it ... six adults, all foreigners, with their four children claiming R38,520 between them each month. They all work together to game the system. I could never understand how they could drive the vehicles they drive. Nor could I understand how they always manage to have the latest cellphones, the most expensive sneakers, elaborate hair extensions (these are not cheap) and up-to-date fashion. Now I know and now you know.”
Department of social development's response:
“Even if the scenarios above were possible (which they are not), the R38k to look after 10 people is a per capita income of R3,800 a month. Barely minimum wage, and very unlikely to lead to a lavish lifestyle.”
It's a crime
The scenario presented in the blog is a criminal act.
“She paints a picture of possible 'child farming', which is also in contravention of the children’s act and the duties of medical practitioners to report such cases to the relevant authorities,” said Oliphant.
She said the agency also has a whistle-blowing mechanism where employees and members of the public can report allegations of social grant fraud. These allegations are investigated internally by Sassa’s investigation unit which works with law enforcement agencies.
Fraud can be reported to 0800 601 011
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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