2025 SASSA grant review: HOW the agency reclaims money
Social welfare organisations predict we'll see an increase in 2025 SASSA grant review proceedings for 'core' beneficiaries. There are several factors at play for this, but the biggest one is managing strain on the National Treasury's social welfare budget.
As many of you know, a 2025 SASSA grant review can be initiated if the agency has reason to believe your circumstances have changed/improved since you were approved for a grant. You may have misrepresented your income in your initial application, or you may have an undeclared revenue stream that puts you above the qualifying income amount.
Either way, the South African Social Security Agency has the right to request a 2025 SASSA grant review. However, authorities must give you three-months' notice in writing beforehand it can do so.
Primarily, the agency will check on your income and asset eligibility. And if it finds you are over the limit, it does have the right to 'reclaim ill-gotten government funds' for the period in question …
To keep the number of Old-Age SASSA beneficiaries manageable, the National Treasury enforces strict tests through the Social Pension (SOCPEN) system. Therefore, anyone with a private pension, savings, personal assets and income exceeding these limits will face a 2025 SASSA grant review: R8 070 per month ( R96 840 per year) income if single.
per month ( per year) income if single. R16 140 per month ( R193 680 per year) income if married.
per month ( per year) income if married. Total assets of R1 372 800 if single.
if single. Total assets of R2 745 600 if married.
For the country's 13-million SASSA Child Support beneficiaries, applicant finances must show you earn less than: R8 800 per month if married ( R105 600 annually).
per month if married ( annually). R4 400 per month if single (R52 800 annually).
As a result, SASSA is within its rights to demand that money be repaid for the period of time that your income/assets exceeded the qualifying amount. Don't forget, you sign an agreement when you become a grant beneficiary that you will inform SASSA if/when your income increases beyond the qualifying amount. Cost of living is increasing but lying to SASSA is illegal.
SASSA will demand that you repay the monies you received 'in error.' However, if you think you have a case, you can appeal against SASSA's decision through the Department of Social Development (DSD) HERE. You have 90 days to appeal their decision. SASSA will pass it along to the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA) for final adjudication.
If your appeal is overturned, SASSA will insist you repay all 'ill-gotten funds' from the time period in question. An alternative path to resolution is to contact social welfare organisation, Black Sash. Their head office is based in Mowbray, Cape Town and they have experience resolving grant review problems: +27 21 686 6952
072 6633 739
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
9 hours ago
- The Citizen
BREAKING: Fuel levy hike to go ahead as EFF fails in court
The levy increase is scheduled to be implemented on Wednesday. Petrol pumps are pictured at a filling station in Melville on 20 January 2021. Picture: Tracy Lee Stark The EFF has lost its urgent bid to halt the upcoming increase in the general fuel levy. The Western Cape High Court in Cape Town ruled against the party on Tuesday, a day before the new levy was set to take effect. The EFF had sought an urgent interdict in Part A of its court application to suspend the planned hike of 16 cents per litre for petrol and 15 cents for diesel. In Part B of the application, the EFF called for a review and Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's decision to be set aside. The party also asked the court to order the minister to pay legal costs. ALSO READ: 'We have a National Treasury problem': Fuel levy hike defended amid criticism over tax strategy Advocate Mfesane Ka-Siboto, representing the EFF in court, argued that the minister's decision lacked both rationality and parliamentary oversight. Ka-Siboto told the court, in accordance with the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act, only a law could serve as the proper instrument for the minister to impose a tax. 'What is clear is that the minister is imposing tax,' the lawyer said He cited the Money Bills Amendment Procedure and Related Matters Act as the legal framework the minister should have followed. Ka-Siboto also warned that the levy hike, once enacted, would be irreversible. This is a developing story
The Citizen
14 hours ago
- The Citizen
Sassa slams fake ads targeting job seekers online
Sassa said it is aware of the fake job adverts circulating online and urged the public to rely only on its official website for accurate and verified information. The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) on Tuesday dismissed circulating job adverts on social media as false. The agency responded to a post on X (formerly Twitter) that falsely advertised positions for 'Finance Clerks 2025' and 'Grant Administrators (x21)', claiming salaries of R22 412 per month with no prior work experience required. Both posters directed applicants to a website not associated with Sassa or any government department. The posts listed locations such as Sassa's head office in Pretoria, as well as vague references to 'selected Sassa offices in South Africa'. Fake adverts Sassa said in a post that it is aware of the fake adverts online. For accurate Information, the agency urged the public to visit its official website. 'Please note that all official Sassa vacancies are advertised only through our official website and trusted government platforms,' it said. ALSO READ: Sassa June payments begin Tuesday: Here's what you need to know Another scam alert Last month, Postbank issued a stern warning to beneficiaries to be vigilant for scams targeting individuals who use black cards and Sassa gold cards. It said that fraudsters have been impersonating its officials and visiting beneficiaries at home to steal their cards and PINs. According to the bank, the scam reportedly involves criminals pretending to be Postbank employees, sometimes wearing branded clothing or arriving in marked vehicles, to deceive beneficiaries. Victims are reportedly told their cards need to be 'fixed' or risk losing future grant payments if they do not comply. 'Beneficiaries are then duped into handing over their Postbank grant cards and PIN information,' Postbank said. No home visits Postbank reminded beneficiaries that it does not conduct unsolicited home visits. 'Postbank will never visit your home unless you have requested that through the necessary home visits channels,' it said. It also stressed that 'Postbank will never ask you for your card PIN as that is against banking rules.' Beneficiaries are advised not to share their PINs, even with someone claiming to be a Postbank official. NOW READ: Sassa scam alert: 'Postbank will never ask you for your card PIN'
The Citizen
15 hours ago
- The Citizen
Collect your SASSA older person's grant today
SASSA has confirmed that Pretoria grant recipients can collect their payments from today, with June payout dates now officially announced. Below are the payment dates for Older Person's, Disability, and Children's grants in June: Older Person's Grant 3 June 2025 Disability Grant 4 June 2025 Children's Grant 5 June 2025 All social grants, barring the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, increased in April this year. During his presentation of the 2025 Budget Speech in Parliament earlier this year, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana reported that the number of individuals receiving social grants—excluding recipients of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant—was projected to grow to roughly 19 million in the 2025/26 financial year, and to approximately 19.3 million by 2027/28. This increase is attributed to a rising elderly population. For the 2025/26 period, Godongwana confirmed that social grants were allocated a total of about R284.7 billion. 'As outlined by the President during the State of the Nation Address, the SRD grant is intended to serve as a foundation for developing a long-term income support mechanism for unemployed individuals. 'The future direction and structure of the SRD grant will be shaped by the findings of the ongoing review of active labour market policies, which is scheduled for completion by September 2025. 'In reality, South Africa has one of the most extensive social protection systems among developing nations. This demonstrates our dedication to reducing poverty and inequality, while maintaining responsible fiscal management,' he said. The following grant increases came into effect in April: Old age grant: increased from R2,185 to R2,315 War veterans grant: increased from R2,205 to R2,335 Disability grant: increased from R2,185 to R2,315 Foster care grant: increased from R1,180 to R1,250 Care dependency grant: increased from R2,185 to R2,315 Child support grant: increased from R530 to R560 Grant-in-aid: increased from R530 to R560 According to the National Treasury's Budget Review, an additional R8.2 billion was allocated to social grants over the medium term to help offset the rising cost of living. 'A total of R35.2 billion was set aside to continue the SRD grant at its current rate of R370 per month per recipient, inclusive of administrative expenses,' the department stated. Also read: Is there an outbreak of Staphylococcus in Pretoria? Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
