The Congress of the People (Cope) party says it will lay charges on Monday against alleged corrupt officials of the South Africa Social Security Agency in Kwamhlanga in North West province who have allegedly been making unlawful deductions from grants.

Cope spokesman Dennis Bloem said on Sunday it had come to the party’s notice that SASSA employees were deducting money from pensioners at pay points.

 Pensioners who challenged these deductions were being told they had bought electricity and airtime and were being charged for that‚ he said.

  “SASSA was officially made aware of these unlawful deductions but it did nothing to address the crime‚” Bloem charged‚ adding that both pensioners and recipients of child grants were being scammed.

“COPE will press charges against those who have been robbing grant recipients‚” he said.