Latest news with #R370SocialReliefofDistress
The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
Beneficiaries struggle with SASSA grant identity verification
SASSA grant identity verification is once again under the spotlight in South Africa. Back in January, the High Court ruled it unconstitutional to withhold social welfare due to budget issues. As such, stringent new SASSA grant identity verification protocols were ruled 'exclusionary.' Nevertheless, this month saw the introduction of the latest SASSA biometric verification rules. Essentially, any new applicant for R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) must verify their identity online with a digital photo uploaded via a smartphone. This is to protect against fraud and grant corruption. If an ID has been used fraudulently (often by a third party), that person will be unable to access the SASSA system. Image: File However, civil society group, Black Sash, says it is receiving hundreds of calls weekly about failed SASSA grant identity verification, reports GroundUp . The organisation says the most common complaint they're discovering is that ID numbers have been fraudulently used by others and therefore are blocked by the agency. This is an issue long-identified by the South African Social Security Agency as potentially damaging to the efficacy of R370 SRD. As such, agency officials want to eventually make the non-permanent grant into a permanent basic income grant for the unemployed. Doing so will prevent millions of Rands wastage on policing identity theft and fraudulent grants. SASSA has said it is unaware of any biometric verification issues this month. Image: File Interestingly, Black Sash confirms that most of these SASSA grant identity verification issues come from people who have just turned 18. Likewise, other applicants struggls because they don't have smartphones or data. In turn, this makes it impossible to access the links sent by the agency. And calling the SASSA helpline leads nowhere either. However, even those with smartphones and access to data will struggle. SASSA beneficiaries who still only have a green ID book, have a higher chance of failing the SASSA grant identity verification. This is because there is no digital photo on file with the Department of Home Affairs. Meanwhile, SASSA says it is unaware of any problems with the latest SASSA grant identity verification initiative. SASSA has asked the National Treasury to extend SRD by two more years till it figures out how to work a basic income grant. Image: File Roughly nine-million people living near the poverty line apply for R370 SRD relief each month. Typically, those unable to complete SASSA grant identity verification must apply for a new smart ID card, until such time as the flagged account is fixed. This costs R140 for a replacement ID as well as transport and time. Clearly, the SASSA grant identity verification system was is unreliable. It's often offline, slow, with inoperable links, or unable to accurately confirm peoples' true identities. As such, Black Sash's suggests SASSA set up help desks at local offices where beneficiaries can be manually verified by staff, too. Thankfully, clients are now also able to collect SASSA SRD grants in-person at participating retailers. To do this, beneficiaries must show their ID and cellphone number linked to the SRD account. A message is then sent to that number for approval before the cash is withdrawn. 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.
IOL News
2 days ago
- General
- IOL News
How systemic hurdles hinder South African youth from accessing the vital R370 SRD grant
Over four million young South Africans rely on the R370 Social Relief of Distress grants. Image: Ron Lach / Pexels In South Africa, over four million young individuals are currently benefiting from the R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, an essential lifeline for many amid escalating economic challenges. However, systemic and technical barriers are hindering the efforts of youth applicants to secure these crucial funds, according to the social justice organisation, Black Sash. South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) spokesperson Andile Tshona said while there are currently over four million young beneficiaries receiving SRD grants, it is difficult to say whether this figure is more or less than the previous years, as the numbers keep changing. 'Remember that the SRD grant is not permanent. Some come through the system through approvals. At the same time, others get off the SRD grant as they no longer qualify after being reviewed,' he said. Black Sash executive director Rachel Bukasa said youth applicants for the SRD grant face multiple systemic and technical barriers. These barriers include unjust disqualifications due to outdated or inaccurate data from third-party databases (e.g., UIF, SARS) and delays in ID verification, particularly for young people recently issued with identity documents. Bukasa said other issues include the lack of digital access or data, which hinders online applications or status checks. She said poor communication from Sassa makes it difficult to understand rejection reasons or appeal processes and banking verification failures, especially for youth using accounts not in their name and digital wallets. There is also limited awareness about how to reapply or appeal decisions, especially among the youth in rural or underserved areas. 'Black Sash is actively working to support young SRD applicants through rights education and awareness campaigns, including digital content and community outreach that explain how to apply, appeal, and escalate,' said Bukasa. In addition, Bukasa said the organisation has paralegal support via the Black Sash Community Advice Offices and Helpline, guiding youth through verification or appeal processes. 'We also engage Sassa and the Department of Social Development (DSD) at the policy level, advocating for a more transparent and accessible SRD process, especially for youth and marginalised groups. Bukasa said Black Sash does active monitoring in the field, particularly during grant payment weeks, and reports SRD-related issues and trends to hold the government accountable and push for systemic reform. Aliya Chikte, project manager at the Alternative Information and Development Centre (AIDC), agreed that young people encounter multiple obstacles at every stage of the SRD grant process. Chikte said there are also language barriers, biometric identity verification systems that are difficult to navigate, and an over-reliance on the formal banking system. 'Additionally, millions are wrongly disqualified because the income threshold is set below the Food Poverty Line - meaning even those in dire need are denied support,' she said. Chikte said 700,000 people are over 18 but still in the schooling system. 'These school learners are kicked off the Child Support Grant despite their nutritional needs remaining the same.' Chikte advised that there needs to be a universal basic income guarantee to ensure that youth do not fall deeper into poverty, especially in the context of mass unemployment. 'The government cannot make income support contingent on searching for jobs that do not exist,' she said. Kgothatso Sibanda, Black Sash Helpline manager, stated that they receive over 35 calls weekly from individuals facing issues with ID verification for SRD grants. Sibanda said the people who receive the grant have little to no income. 'This R370 grant, although it's small, does go a long way for those applicants. Without it, they cannot meet their needs or even hunt for a job.' She said a major issue is the verification link needed by beneficiaries from Sassa to prevent fraudulent activity. Beneficiaries fail to receive the link, and in some cases, the systems are down at Sassa and Home Affairs at varying times, she said. This affects not only those who are flagged but also those who need to change their cellphone numbers. 'From last year around June/July, we started getting a lot of complaints from people who were not getting links,' she said, noting that, according to Sassa, the system is automated. Sibanda said people wait up to three or more months without getting the link. She recommended that the verification be done at a Sassa local office to ensure that verification processes are sped up. 'If local office staff have access to the link, where applicants are able to go, that will really assist in speeding up the process,' said Sibanda. [email protected]
