VRYBURG, NORTH WEST – An Ethiopian businessman has been handed a substantial fine and had his vehicle seized after being convicted of attempting to defraud South Africa’s social grant system through a sophisticated corruption scheme.
Etebo Lapso Wangore was sentenced this week by the Specialised Commercial Crimes Court in Vryburg to a fine of R60 000 or eight months’ imprisonment on one count of corruption. He received an additional 12 months’ imprisonment, wholly suspended for three years, on a second corruption charge.
The court heard that Wangore, who entered South Africa as an asylum seeker before establishing several spaza shops across the North West province, was part of a syndicate targeting the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). The criminal network, which allegedly included SASSA employees, created fraudulent beneficiaries to siphon funds from the social grant system.
According to court documents, Wangore approached an agent at a local post office on 15 November 2022, offering R20 000 to arrange 250 SASSA cards, with an additional R1 000 per card for any extras she could provide. The vigilant official reported the attempted bribery to police, resulting in a successful entrapment operation that led to Wangore’s arrest on 23 February 2023.
During sentencing proceedings, Advocate Fhulufhelo Munyai emphasized the serious nature of the offenses, explaining that such crimes undermine South Africa’s social assistance infrastructure and negatively impact the economy by diverting resources intended for legitimate beneficiaries.
In addition to the fine and suspended sentence, the court declared Wangore unfit to possess a firearm and his Toyota Hilux bakkie, which was used in the commission of the crimes, was ordered forfeited to the State.
Dr. Rachel Makhari, Director of Public Prosecutions in the North West, welcomed the sentence, stating: “This sentence must serve as a strong deterrent to anyone who believes they can exploit government systems and institutions for personal gain with impunity.”
She added that abuse of social support mechanisms like SASSA “not only robs deserving South Africans of the assistance they are entitled to but also undermines public trust in the integrity of state institutions.”
