R12.6m has been recovered from government employees who illegally claimed social grants meant for needy and vulnerable people, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu has told Parliament.

In a written reply to a question by DA MP Mimmy Gondwe, Zulu said 165 297 public servants were found to have received social grants, excluding the R350 social relief of distress grant meant to help those made destitute by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Grants to these public servants were suspended in September 2021 as it was suspected they did not qualify for the grants, reports Business Day.

Zulu said all the cases were subjected to a review process, as required by the Social Assistance Act.

Altogether 63 212 public servants were found to qualify for the grants after they completed the review process and 3 268 were found not to qualify.

The grant review process is not yet finalised and 98 817 beneficiaries must still be verified.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his weekly newsletter in September last year that about 17 000 national and provincial government employees submitted applications for R350 social relief of distress grants to top up their salaries with money meant for the poor.

Full Business Day report