The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed it is investigating a growing black market operating outside its offices, where vulnerable grant recipients are reportedly being forced to pay for places in queues.
The agency says the practice has already been identified at one of its offices in KwaZulu-Natal, where individuals are allegedly selling seats or spots to elderly applicants waiting to access services.
SASSA spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said the agency is conducting two parallel investigations, one to determine how widespread the practice is, and another to assess whether there is any internal involvement.
“We currently have identified one office in KwaZulu-Natal where people go there and sell the chairs to the old people,” Letsatsi said.
He added that investigators are also examining whether there is possible collusion between those operating the scheme and SASSA staff members.
The agency expects to finalise and release the findings within the next month as scrutiny grows over long queues and service delivery challenges at social grant offices.