KZN social development defrauded of R19m

KZN's Social Development MEC Weziwe Thusi uncovered that her office has been defrauded of R19 million by an employee.

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Durban – KwaZulu-Natal’s social development department was defrauded of R19 million annually by the staff of one of its offices.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Weziwe Thusi, the province’s Social Development MEC, announced that the department’s office in Empangeni had been closed and the 35 staff employed there had been sent on forced leave of 60 days.

According to the statement 1 376 grants for foster care were processed for foster care and children that did not exist.

According to the statement this cost the department R19m annually, but the statement did not say for how long the fraud had been perpetrated.

“Today we took a decision to put a stop to a massive fraud, which has been making a mockery of a system which is supposed to benefit the needy. Initial investigations indicate that there is some element of collusion. It is a pity that people who are at the centre of this fraud are people who are supposed to protect the needy,” Thusi was quoted as saying.

She was quoted as saying that she had appointed a three-member task team to investigate the fraud.

“The probe will take two weeks and the outcome will inform the next course of action,” she said.

African News Agency