Arrest over fraudulent TERS claim
A 33-year-old restaurant manager has been apprehended by the Hawks for allegedly exploiting South Africa's Covid-19 relief programme by using another person's identity to claim temporary employment benefits.
Prince Mubaiwa, who managed a Spur outlet in Rosebank, Gauteng, was taken into custody on Saturday, 26 November 2022, on charges linked to the Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) administered through the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
Mubaiwa, a foreign national, is accused of fraudulently using the identity of a South African citizen to lodge a TERS application worth approximately R7 500. The scheme was established during the pandemic to provide financial assistance to workers affected by lockdown restrictions.
South Africans who genuinely needed pandemic relief face the consequences of such fraud, as every rand diverted through stolen identities reduced the pool available to vulnerable workers and their families. Cases like this also erode public trust in government relief systems at a time when economic hardship demands efficient social support. Continued investigation and prosecution of TERS fraud may help deter future abuse and strengthen safeguards around identity verification in national benefit programmes.
