The auditor-general has been asked to probe allegations of gross corruption at the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), which administers state welfare grants.

DA MPs Patricia Kopane, Lindy Wilson, Karen de Kock and Mike Waters told the parliamentary press corps yesterday that, among other things, Sassa has bought R159000 worth of firearms, the current whereabouts of which were unknown.

Based on leaked official documents, the DA alleged the following acts of corruption against Sassa, which they want probed:

lThe procurement of R159000 worth of firearms, including rifles and pistols, that to date do not appear on the department of social development's asset register, that the DA claims must be considered missing or unlawfully disposed of;

lExpenditure of R10-million on bodyguards for the Sassa chief executive officer Virginia Petersen and Renay Ogle, general manager for fraud management and compliance at Sassa;

lUndocumented provision of bodyguards to an administrator at Sassa, social development ministerial spokeswoman Lumka Oliphant and her children, Minister of Social Development Bathabile Dlamini's children, and a Free State Sassa official.

There were no signed service agreements for the protection of these people, yet their bill is paid by Sassa, the DA claimed;

lExpenditure of R465000 for the installation of comprehensive security systems in a Sassa employee's house, that the auditor-general has found was "not in accordance with the service agreement"; and

lExpenditure of almost R800000 to Werksmans Attorneys for the firm to respond to the public protector's requests for information on certain allegations against Sassa, instead of Sassa responding with the assistance of the office of the state law adviser at no cost.

The DA said it sent 128 questions on these issues to Dlamini this year alone, but she dismissed it as gossip.

Responding to the allegations, Oliphant said at face value it looked like the DA doubted the independence of the office of the auditor-general and the processes of parliament, thus dodging accountability.

"Every question that they have sent to the minister was dealt with in these processes of government and the department has directed them to those.

"The attorney-general pronounced on the books of the department and its agencies and these are in the public domain," Oliphant said.

"The minister and officials of the department have honoured all portfolio committee meetings and allowed their members to question what was not understood."

Sassa spokesman Kgomotso Diseko did not comment at the time of going to print.