Bail for cop found with 48 Sassa cards

AN INANDA detective was given R10 000 bail yesterday after being arrested on fraud charges that involve dozens of SA Social Security Agency ( Sassa) cards found in her possession.

Sergeant Hloniphile Blose appeared in the Commercial Crime Court, where her next appearance was set for December 10, as police were continuing their investigations.

The Daily News was reliably informed that Phoenix police were told on Tuesday that Blose was on the Phoenix Highway, driving a Haval. When pulled over, thinking it was a routine stop, she produced her identification as a police officer.

Police asked her to show them the cards she had on her, and found 48 from Sassa and one from Easypay. The cards were due to expire between April 2023 and July 2027, meaning she stood to make about R2.8 million during this period.

The cards came from post offices around the country, including Gauteng, Western Cape and Mpumalanga.

Sassa regional executive manager Themba Matlou said: “We remain relentless in our pursuit of a corruption- free social grant system. The arrest of this senior police official attests that corruption will not be tolerated, even when committed by people entrusted with upholding the rule of law. We congratulate the law enforcement agencies who are involved in this case. We vow to collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure that justice is served.

“We encourage the public to report similar cases they may be aware of, to the nearest police station.”

The Daily News reported earlier this year that a woman was arrested for defrauding Sassa to the tune of R7m. She had been arrested with 47 Sassa cards and R70 000 in cash.

The Daily News’s sister paper, The Mercury, reported that five Sassa officials were arrested earlier this year for R1.5m fraud. They were arrested for capturing and processing old- age grants without following procedures.