The find list includes nearly 12,000 persons enumerated under social grants as having been deprived of grants during income verification. This crucial intervention against fraud has somehow turned into another stress for the recipients, who consider these grants a lifeline. The following is an outline of the case and the respective procedures that must be followed to fast track the grant.
Why Are These Grants Being Held?
As funds were to be saved from fraud, SASSA finds itself currently having to institute activities wherein beneficiaries have to declare any sources of income at the time of originally granting an application or whenever any change occurs in any source. Possibly, during the last round of income verifications, some 12,000 beneficiaries were declared to have undisclosed income sources after joint verification processes between SASSA and the credit bureaus, and their benefits have been suspended temporarily.
This followed an extensive clampdown whereby 210,000 beneficiaries were flagged earlier this year, 2025, with regard to similar instances. The purpose is to ensure that these grants are given to deserving individuals; however, many beneficiaries lament their sudden blocking from receiving funds.
Who Gets Affected?
They include beneficiaries of various SASSA grants:
- An Older Persons Grant is awarded to persons 60 years or older.
- A Disability Grant is given to anybody certified disabled.
- Child Support Grant: for a low-income carer.
- A Social Relief of Distress Grant is given to unemployed persons making barely R624 per month.
Those holders of various non-standard IDs, such as those green bar-coded ID books with CDs loaded into them or outdated contact details, remain highly vulnerable. SASSA instilled this advice for all such beneficiaries to update to smart ID cards to reduce the possibility of fraud.
Impact On The Beneficiaries
A temporary suspension of any grant payment immediately puts more than 12,000 households at risk-from R2,450 for the Older Persons Grant and R600 for the Child Support Grant. With poverty being well over 55% in South Africa, these grants must serve as a lifeline to put food and basic health care into the mouths of the poor. The financial distress caused to the beneficiaries was compounded by lack of access to online verification due to the absence of smartphones or data, which worsened the delay.
How To Check Your Status and Secure Your Grant
According to the SASSA, one can do the following to stop a permanent disqualification of the grant:
- Check Your Status: One can go to the website srd.sassa.gov.za and enter their 13-digit ID and registered phone number to check on the verification status. Alternatively, check with the WhatsApp helpline (082 046 8553) for verification purposes.
- Update Details: One must update his or her bank statements within 30 days and provide proof of income (either payslips or affidavits) to take along with it to the nearest SASSA office with a Smart ID.
- Make an Appeal: In case of suspension of grant, one has thirty days to appeal on the SRD portal and must provide proof of eligibility.
- Avoid Scams: Pursue contact with SASSA only through official websites and contact phones, such as www.sassa.gov.za or 0800 60 10 11. This will help you avoid phishing scams.
The Idea of SASSA Commitment and the Next Steps
SASSA was working toward creating a simple verification system through online portals and self-service options to do away with the queues. It is still under biometric improvement, which covers fingerprinting and facial recognition for extreme security. A beneficiary is advised not to resist this measure since the grant would be permanently canceled. Should you require any help, call the SASSA offices; otherwise, report to the nearest office with your ID document, proof of residence, and bank statement. Take precautionary steps, as your grant should not become one of the victims of SASSA’s fight against fraud for the sake of millions of grant recipients.
Also Read : SASSA Monthly Grants Get A Boost In 2025: Check The New Payouts