Trial date set for pensioner accused of stealing R100,000 from Sassa

The Pretoria North regional court on Wednesday postponed the fraud case against pensioner Salamina Khoza to July 22 for trial.

Khoza, 70, allegedly received more than R100,000 in monthly old age pension payouts from Sassa even though her companies scored tenders with the police service worth R60m between September 2014 and August 2022.

Investigating Directorate spokesperson Henry Mamothame said Khoza was facing charges of contravening the Social Assistance Act and the Justice of Peace and Commissioners Oaths Act, fraud and theft.

Mamothame said Khoza's companies were also the subject of criminal proceedings in various courts, wherein she is charged with other accused for corruption relating to alleged irregular tenders within the police service.

Meanwhile, the case against 69-year-old Devi Sigamoney was postponed until March 20 for arguments after she filed for leave to appeal on her 10-year direct imprisonment sentence. Sigamoney was sentenced last week for defrauding Sassa of pension payouts of R135,000 while being the sole director of a company that was awarded tenders worth about R88m from the police service to supply office furniture between 2017 and 2022. 

Sigamoney's new legal representative requested for a postponement to study all the court transcripts.

“The state will oppose this application,” Mamothame said.

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