Latest news with #BridgetMasango
The South African
4 days ago
- The South African
Furor over 2025 SASSA grant smartphone access
The latest 2025 SASSA grant smartphone verification requirements have both political parties and civil society up in arms. Detractors are saying 2025 SASSA grant smartphone necessity is 'unconscionable', given that applicants' monthly bank balance must stay below R624 per month. In case you missed it, starting on Saturday 7 June 2025, all Social Relief of Distress applicants must complete biometric verification. In turn, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other groups have rejected this requirement. They say you cannot expect R370 SRD grant applicants to have access to a smartphone every month. A 'digital divide' is illustrated by this new verification process. Image: File Of course, the South African Social Security Agency has landed itself on hot water over this issue already in 2025. Specifically, the High Court ruled in January that SASSA could not turn away qualifying applicants simply because of budget constraints. The agency took leave to appeal the decision, and appears to be forging ahead with its exclusionary measures regardless. As such, 2025 SASSA grant smartphone access is becoming a divisive topic for the Department of Social Development. Government recently created the SASSA Services portal. When not offline, it is a useful tool to manage all aspects of your 'core' SASSA grant profile. This includes uploading personal data (ID photos) from your smartphone, free USSD and status checks on the portal. SASSA SRD applicants must apply for and check their status every month. Image: File However, last week's release from the agency insists that you must have a smart ID card and smartphone to access R370-per-month SRD benefits. As a result, those with the old 'green mamba' ID books will likely not pass the online verification process, because there is no digital ID photo loaded with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). While this has sparked widespread controversy, the agency is defending its tactics, saying biometric verification protects grants from fraud, corruption and identity theft. Unfortunately, the practicality behind such a decision is being described as a growing 'digital divide.' By their very definition, SASSA SRD applicants live below the poverty line, and must prove they have less than R624 in their bank account each month to qualify. A cabinet committee on social welfare has called for SASSA SRD to be extended beyond 2026 for two more years. Image: File With June 2025 SRD payments set to go off in the last week of this month, customer care units are already receiving complaints from those who have failed the process. As such, DA's cabinet committee member for social development, Bridget Masango, reiterates that 2025 SASSA grant smartphone requirements exclude vulnerable applicants. 'With the latest (verification) process announced, the DA is concerned it will exclude many more beneficiaries. These are people who do not have access to the internet, data or the necessary smartphone devices and computing capacity. The department and SASSA should do more to provide volunteers to assist those vulnerable people. Instead of doing their all to improve access to grants, SASSA continuously strives to exclude beneficiaries through all manner of obstacles,' Masango said. 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.
The South African
25-04-2025
- Business
- The South African
SASSA payment dates for May 2025: Could the VAT freeze impact increases?
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed the social grant payment dates for May 2025. SASSA distributes social grants to millions of beneficiaries in South Africa. Beneficiaries can receive payments from selected supermarkets, such as Pick n Pay, Boxer, USave merchants, Checkers, and Shoprite. They can obtain this through their SASSA card, CashSend, or by getting the amount directly transferred into their bank account. The payment schedule is as follows: Old age grant – 6 May 2025 Disability grant – 7 May 2025 Child support grant and others – 9 May 2025 COULD SOCIAL GRANTS INCREASES ALSO BE REVERSED? In his delayed Budget Speech, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said to 'cushion' the poor against the proposed VAT increase, social grants were allocated R284.7 billion in 2025-2026, and this was effective from 1 April. However, on Thursday, 25 April, National Treasury confirmed that the decision to increase VAT from 15% to 15.5% has been reversed. What does this mean for the increases to social grants announced during the 2025 Budget Speech? National Treasury said the decision not to increase VAT meant that the measures to cushion lower income households against the potential negative impact of the VAT hike now need to be withdrawn and other expenditure decisions revisited. 'To offset the unavoidable expenditure adjustments, any additional revenue collected by SARS [South African Revenue Service] may be considered for this purpose going forward.' SASSA GOLD CARDS REMAIN VALID Meanwhile, SASSA has confirmed that the gold cards remain valid following a directive issued by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). Additionally, the issuing of the Postbank black cards has been suspended indefinitely, and card replacement sites across the country are no longer operational. As previously reported, the deadline for the SASSA-issued gold cards was initially set for 31 December 2023. However, it was postponed to December 2024 and later to 28 February 2025, which was also extended to 31 May. Many beneficiaries reportedly had not yet switched to the new Postbank black cards. Portfolio Committee on Social Development chairperson Bridget Masango said the SARB instructed Postbank, with the guidance of SASSA, to ensure that beneficiaries who have not yet migrated to the black cards can use their gold cards and receive their grants and that there is minimal disruption while they are moving to alternative sources, such as their bank of choice. 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.
The South African
24-04-2025
- Business
- The South African
SASSA: Here are the SRD grant payment dates for April
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has released the payment dates for the R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant for April 2025. SASSA said that the approved beneficiaries for April will be processed from 25 to 30 March. The agency said beneficiaries are encouraged to view their status on the SRD website for the exact date that payment will reflect into their bank accounts. Normally, funds take about two to three working days to reflect in the beneficiary's account after payment has been processed. SASSA GOLD CARDS REMAIN VALID Meanwhile, SASSA has confirmed that the gold cards remain valid following a directive issued by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). Additionally, the issuing of the Postbank black cards has been suspended indefinitely in sites across the country. The deadline for the SASSA-issued gold cards was initially set for 31 December 2023. However, it was postponed to December 2024 and later to 28 February 2025, which was also extended to 31 May. Many beneficiaries reportedly had not yet switched to the new Postbank black cards. Portfolio Committee on Social Development chairperson Bridget Masango said the SARB instructed Postbank, with the guidance of SASSA, to ensure that beneficiaries who have not yet migrated to the black cards can use their gold cards and receive their grants and that there is minimal disruption while they are moving to alternative sources, such as their bank of choice. 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.
