Veer Gosai, a proud Fourways High alumnus, is being hailed as a hero after uncovering a massive SASSA fraud scheme. It all started when he discovered someone had opened a SASSA grant account and bank account in his name—without him even knowing!
While studying computer science at Stellenbosch University, Veer’s passion for tech led him straight to a deep dive into the South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA) Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant system. What he found was a shocking vulnerability that allowed fraudsters to siphon off millions intended for those most in need.
Veer and his friend, Joel Cedras, were on campus when Veer stumbled upon the fraud. After several calls to SASSA and the bank, he discovered that a fraudulent grant had been paid into a bank account set up in his name—and the money was already gone. Their thorough investigation eventually confirmed what was happening, and SASSA later admitted to the breach.
The two tech-savvy friends then took their findings public, triggering widespread media attention and calls for urgent reforms in the SASSA system. Veer says, “It feels pretty good to help, but it also feels like we’ve done something that really matters. That R350 SRD grant is meant for people who are struggling, and if they’re not getting it, it could mean hunger for many families.”
Veer and Joel are far from finished. Their mission? To expose flaws in government and private sector systems and help fix them. Currently, Veer is working on educational websites, with over 2.5 million visits nationwide. He’s committed to driving change and improving South Africa’s digital infrastructure.
“Our goal is simple,” Veer says, “We find flaws, report them, and push for fixes that benefit everyone.” Looks like South Africa has a new tech-driven hero in the making!