The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) says its intensified social grant review process has saved government approximately R44 million per month, translating to about R0.5 billion annually, as it tightens controls to ensure that social assistance reaches only eligible beneficiaries.
Providing an update during a media briefing in Cape Town on Thursday, SASSA CEO Themba Matlou said the review process, introduced at the start of the 2025/2026 financial year, is aimed at strengthening the effectiveness, reliability and integrity of the social assistance system, while guarding against wasteful expenditure in a constrained fiscal environment.
“The social grant review process is an important step not only to safeguard the integrity of the social assistance programme but to also ensure that public funds are directed to those who need them most, including reducing [the] level of fraud and misuse of public funds,” Matlou said.
The agency said the process is closely monitored by National Treasury, which has set conditions to accelerate implementation, including income verification, biometric checks, inter-agency data cross-referencing and quarterly reporting obligations.
“These measures are intended to enhance service delivery, improve operational efficiency, and ensure the cost-effective administration of social assistance, while safeguarding the system so that social grants are paid only to eligible beneficiaries.
“We must appreciate the cooperation of all affected beneficiaries who understood this process and came forward to review their social grants,” Matlou explained.
SASSA said that for the current financial year, it planned to undertake 420 000 grant reviews and that by the third quarter just under 400 000 beneficiaries had been notified to come forward. To date, approximately 240 000 grants have been reviewed, while about 70 000 grants were suspended due to beneficiaries failing to conduct reviews.
The agency emphasised that the review process is conducted in line with Regulation 30 and Section 14(5) of the Social Assistance Act, 2004, which requires SASSA to regularly review social grants to confirm beneficiaries’ continued eligibility, while beneficiaries are legally obliged to report any material changes in their circumstances, including financial or marital status.
As part of efforts to modernise the system and ease pressure at local offices, SASSA has rolled out compulsory biometric enrolment for all new grant applications, implemented life certification for identified beneficiaries, and introduced a self-service portal that allows beneficiaries to complete life certification remotely through e-Life Certification.
“Going forward, SASSA will progressively make the social grant review process available through self-service platforms to improve accessibility, efficiency, and convenience for beneficiaries,” Matlou said.
Enhancing verification
The CEO said that the agency has also strengthened partnerships with credit bureaus, banks, the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and other institutions to enhance income verification and detect irregular grant access patterns.
Through data matching with SARS, the agency identified 495 296 clients who appear not eligible to receive grants, with verification already underway. A further 162 574 clients were identified through income verification testing involving NSFAS and other entities, while 291 581 individuals were flagged across various government payroll systems.
“Beneficiaries identified through this process are required to present themselves for review and disclosure. Failure to comply may result in grant suspension,” Matlou cautioned.
SASSA also acknowledged challenges linked to beneficiaries not updating contact details, which can result in missed review notifications. To address this, the agency introduced a fourth payment date in the social grants’ payment cycle as a signal for beneficiaries to contact SASSA if payment is not received during the normal first three payment days.
Consequences for non-compliance
The agency stressed that grant reviews and life certification are critical to preventing payments to deceased individuals or ineligible beneficiaries, detecting fraud, protecting public funds and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the social assistance system.
“Beneficiaries who fail to comply with [the] review or life certification requirements may have their grants suspended, with continued non-compliance potentially resulting in the lapsing of grants.
“Beneficiaries are therefore reminded of their obligation to inform SASSA of any changes to their personal circumstances, including contact information, marital status, and income to avoid their grants being suspended or lapsed.”
SASSA reiterated its commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of beneficiaries, noting that grants are not cancelled solely on the basis of checks.
“SASSA remains committed to protecting the rights and dignity of all beneficiaries by ensuring that no person who qualifies for social assistance is unfairly disadvantaged. However, it is important to note that SASSA does not cancel any grant on the basis of these checks.
“The beneficiary is notified that they are under review, and it is only if they fail to conduct the review within the legislated time period that their grant will be suspended and eventually lapsed if they do not come forward for a review after suspension,” the CEO said.
The agency said it has increased capacity at local offices to manage the expected influx of beneficiaries presenting themselves for reviews, as it continues to scale up efforts to ensure that social assistance reaches those who need it most. – SAnews.gov.za
