Latest news with #Sassa
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Act now: Sassa demands document submission from grant recipients
Sassa launches verification campaign for grant recipients at risk of income non-disclosure. In a bid to enhance the integrity of the social assistance system, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has initiated a verification campaign targeting grant recipients who have been flagged for potential non-disclosure of income. The agency is urging affected beneficiaries to submit specific documents or risk losing access to their social grants. "Sassa continues to review social grants of targeted beneficiaries suspected to have other alternative sources of income that were not disclosed," the agency said in a statement. The review comes amid increasing pressure to prevent fraud and ensure that only qualifying South Africans benefit from the social assistance system. Sassa confirmed that beneficiaries who did not receive their monthly grants must visit their nearest local office immediately.
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Sassa grants: Here are the August payment dates and amounts
Sassa has released its payment schedule for August 2025, with payments set to begin on 5 August. The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) will disburse August social grants to beneficiaries in the first week of August The agency administers more than 19 million grant payments, including the Older Persons' Pension Grant, Disability Grant, War Veterans Grant, Care Dependency Grant, Foster Child Grant, Child Support Grant, Child Support Grant Top-Up, and Grant-in-Aid. Sassa grant payment dates: Older Persons Grant – Tuesday, 5 August 2025 Disability Grant – Wednesday, 6 August 2025 Children's Grants – Thursday, 7 August 2025 Sassa grant amounts: Old Age (60-74 years) and Disability grants – R2 315; Old Age (75+ years) Grant – R2 335; War Veterans Grant – R2 315; Care Dependency Grant – R2 315; Child Support Grant – R560; Foster Care Grant – R1 250; SRD Grant – R370 ALSO READ: No social grants have been suspended, says Sassa Sassa fires off grant suspension warning Speaking during a media briefing on Monday, Sassa CEO Themba Matlou said that while no grants have been suspended yet, the agency will not hesitate to lapse grants for beneficiaries who ignore review notices. Matlou explained that Sassa is legally required to provide beneficiaries with three months' notice before suspending their grants. However, those who fail to respond to review notices face the prospect of having their grants lapse permanently. 'We'll have to lapse the grant because it could be that some of them are either potential fraudulent cases, some of them don't deserve to get it,' Matlou said. He further added that the review process is essential for maintaining the integrity of the social assistance system, particularly as the agency works with other institutions to identify beneficiaries who may no longer qualify for grants. The CEO noted that Sassa must provide quarterly reports to the National Treasury on review progress, which has significantly elevated the agency's workload. NOW READ: Under review: Sassa fires off grant suspension warning
The Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Surge in number of Sassa beneficiaries cut off without explanation — Black Sash raises concern amid reviews
Black Sash argued that communication is not sufficient, especially for people in rural areas. 'We reject the notion that SMSs and bulk communication are sufficient or effective. 'Black Sash has consistently called Sassa out on its poor communication strategy and bulk communication in a short time does not address the issue of beneficiaries not receiving their grants within a reasonable time in a way that Sassa can constitute adequate notice confirming that the beneficiary has been informed. It is the state's duty to provide reliable, direct and accessible communication and not to shift the blame onto those who are most excluded from formal systems.' The organisation called on Sassa to ensure fairness, transparency and dignity during the review process. It urged Sassa to pause the review process until effective, community-based communication strategies are in place. 'Black Sash does not oppose fair and lawful grant reviews. But a review process that results in confusion, exclusion and hunger without due process is not a review. 'While we appreciate the attempt to explain the legal framework and rationale behind the reviews, the reality for grant recipients on the ground tells a far more troubling story, one that cannot be brushed aside by semantics, administrative language or internal justifications. 'Social grants are not just a bureaucratic process, they are a lifeline, a constitutional right and a matter of life and dignity for millions. We urge Sassa to act swiftly and justly.' TimesLIVE
The Herald
6 days ago
- Business
- The Herald
Sassa encourages honesty from grant beneficiaries during income reviews
'We have not experienced a situation where someone has been verified and not been paid. If the person no longer qualifies in terms of the legislation, we will suspend the grant but there hasn't [yet] been any suspension.' Matlou noted that means testing varies depending on the type of grant. For child support grants, it is the primary caregiver's income that is assessed, not the child's. In contrast, the SRD (Covid-19) grant involves more stringent, automated income checks via bank verification to determine eligibility. 'With SRD, we verify through the banks whether there's consistent money that comes through. But for normal grants, the means test usually applies to the primary caregiver only.' To reduce panic and long queues at Sassa offices, Matlou said the agency is developing a self-review online platform so grant recipients can review their own information without visiting offices. Hotspot offices with high volumes are being staffed with additional personnel to handle reviews more efficiently. 'We've only sent out the first rounds of notifications in June. We're still within the review time frame. Once we pass that, and if clients haven't come forward, then suspension will occur not necessarily because they don't qualify but because they failed to do the review.' The agency will publish data on the number of beneficiaries reviewed, the outcomes of those reviews and the number of grants continued or cancelled by the end of July. SowetanLIVE
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
SASSA reassures beneficiaries amid grant reviews
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has reassured grant recipients that no social grants have been suspended. This follows public concerns regarding the agency's current beneficiary review process. SASSA CEO Themba Matlou said the reviews are routine and legally required, aimed at verifying continued eligibility – particularly in cases where beneficiaries may have additional income sources not previously disclosed. 'This review is not a punitive measure. It is meant to ensure continued eligibility and prevent misuse of public funds. This comes after the agency collaborated with registered credit bureaux and flagged approximately 210 000 social grant beneficiaries for receiving additional incomes not disclosed,' Matlou said. According to him, the Social Assistance Act requires applicants to declare all income streams when applying for grants, and to report any changes in financial circumstances thereafter. ALSO READ: Mpumalanga SASSA warns of scam He emphasised that failure to do so may result in corrective action. 'The review of social grants helps identify beneficiaries who may no longer qualify due to changes in financial, medical or legal circumstances. 'SASSA uses the review process to verify that grants are not paid to deceased individuals or those who have relocated without updating their records. In some cases, reviews uncover individuals listed on other payroll systems – public or private – while still receiving grants.' ALSO READ: All gold Sassa cards to replaced with black Postbank cards Some payments may be temporarily delayed if a beneficiary does not respond to a review request or fails to submit updated documentation in time. 'However, no grants have been suspended. Efforts are also under way to improve capacity at SASSA offices to manage the high volumes of in-person visits,' Matlou added. Beneficiaries contacted for a review are encouraged to visit their nearest SASSA office with the following documents: • Valid South African ID (13-digit barcoded ID or smart card) • Proof of income (payslips, pension slips, or affidavit if unemployed) • Bank statements for the last three months (for all active accounts) • Proof of residence (utility bill or letter from a local authority) • Medical referral report (for disability or care-dependency grants) • Marriage certificate or divorce decree, if applicable • Death certificate for a spouse or dependant, if applicable • Any relevant supporting documents, including birth certificates and school attendance records for child-related grants If a beneficiary is bedridden or immobile, a procurator can be appointed to assist. SASSA encourages beneficiaries in such circumstances to contact their local office to arrange this. The agency is working towards automating the review process to reduce queues and improve convenience. Plans are under way to launch online self-service options, which would allow beneficiaries to digitally update their information and submit supporting documents. SASSA urges all affected individuals to respond promptly to any official communication. Failure to comply may result in delays to future payments and, in some cases, suspension or legal action. Matlou reiterated that the process is about protecting public funds and ensuring that support reaches those who truly need it. For any queries or to confirm their review status, beneficiaries should visit or contact their nearest SASSA office. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
