The women were sentenced in the Nelspruit Serious Commercial Crime Court on Thursday.
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Four women received suspended sentences for fraudulently obtaining child support grants by registering ghost children.
The women were each sentenced to five years imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on condition that they are not found guilty of fraudulent activities during the period of suspension.
They were sentenced in the Nelspruit Serious Commercial Crime Court on Thursday.
The convicts - Nonhlanhla Madalane, 36; Tswarelo Masuku, 32; Nelile Shiba, 29; and Prudence Nkosi, 31 - allegedly colluded with unknown health workers and received fraudulent proof of children's births.
According to Lieutenant-Colonel Magonseni Nkosi of the Hawks, they then registered the ghost children with the Department of Home Affairs and acquired birth certificates.
"The accused all used the birth certificates to access child support grants from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa). An anonymous whistleblower reported the criminal activities to the Public Service Commission. The commission decentralised the complainant to the province. The matter was allocated to the Hawks Nelspruit based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for further handling."
He said the investigation revealed that the fraudulent activities dated back to 2012 until they were reported in 2023.
"The women were arrested and released on bail in May 2023. They made several court appearances until they were sentenced to five years imprisonment each. They were also ordered to pay back the money lost by Sassa in installments.
"Madalane was ordered to pay back R20 330, Masuku, R20 238, and Shiba and Nkosi R10 344."
Major General Nico Gerber, the Mpumalanga Provincial Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, applauded the team for presenting a watertight case to court.
"Crime does not pay, and the convicts now need to pay back the money. State grants are for the poor and needy and not meant for fraudsters who only want to benefit their own selfish interests."
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