A-G asks Hawks to probe R158m social grant theft at Post Office, Postbank

THE Hawks are investigating three cases of theft amounting to R158 million at the SA Post Office (Sapo) and Postbank after Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke became unhappy with how the matters were dealt with by the entities.

- LOYISO SIDIMBA

In her 2024/25 audit reports for both Sapo and Postbank, Maluleke said she has been assured by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), the Hawks' official name, that the investigation is in progress.

The Hawks have revealed that the ongoing cases involve individuals identified as SS Massoa and BL Mbatha, a former manager and teller at the Stretford Post Office in Orange Farm.

Massoa, who was arrested in June last year, is accused of lying on the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) manual payment list that he had paid legitimate beneficiaries in the period between May 2020 and January 2021, which was not the case, and the investigation revealed that some of the transactions were done outside normal working hours and involved an amount of nearly R2.24m.

Mbatha also made misrepresentations on the Sassa manual payment list that she had paid beneficiaries between May 2020 and August 2020 when it was not the case and Sapo lost over R1.6m.

She was arrested in July last year and is expected back in court later this month.