In the past six months, disbursements of grants by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) have encountered major delays, with over 210,000 beneficiaries being affected. The delay is mainly caused by heightened eligibility checks initiated following suspicion of undeclared income. Beneficiaries on whom discrepancies have been raised must go and verify their income information officially before any funds can be released.
What Is Causing Delay?
This new directive by the National Treasury intends to strengthen anti-fraud measures. SASSA is now oftentimes engaged in cross-checking income and banking details to ensure only those beneficiaries eligible for the grants receive them. Additional measures are conducted if a beneficiary is flagged to confirm current eligibility status.
How SASSA Is Addressing the Backlog
To manage these delays and alleviate the hardship on beneficiaries, SASSA has created a fourth payment date. This gives any flagged person a chance to receive money a few days later, with this act not interfering with the regular payments for any other person.
SASSA further commits to:
- Extend office hours
- Hire additional staff
- Install self-service kiosks
- The idea is to enable in-person reviews and to reduce the queue at local branches.
Risks of Non-Compliance
Non-compliance of verification requests within three months could result in the suspension, or outright termination, of beneficiary grants. The agency strongly urges beneficiaries to submit documents in time or else probably miss the benefits.
How to Protect Your Grant
Beneficiaries must:
- Keep a close eye on SMS or any official communication for any review notice.
- Go immediately to a SASSA branch when flagged.
- Keep contact details listed with SASSA up-to-date so as not to miss out on messages.
- Make use of extended hours or self-service options where available.
Also Read: SASSA Monthly Grants Get A Boost In 2025: Check The New Payouts