The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has escalated its scrutiny of certain grant recipients, targeting individuals flagged for undeclared income or using non-standard identification. The move follows new verification measures mandated by the National Treasury and supported by data-match investigations.
SASSA’s national spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi, said more than 210,000 beneficiaries had their June payments delayed due to undisclosed funds received.
“It is also important to note that no grant has been suspended yet. SASSA has only amended the payment schedule for those beneficiaries who have been requested to come in for a review. From previous reviews, SASSA has noted that many clients fail to keep their contact details updated, resulting in missed notifications from the Agency. It is a legislative obligation for all beneficiaries to ensure that their contact details are always up to date. If they fail to respond to a notification issued by SASSA, they may face suspension of their grant and have limited options for recourse,” he added.
Letsebe further stressed that all beneficiaries are to disclose any alternative sources of income and report any additional bank accounts not previously declared.
“Furthermore, beneficiaries still using the green bar-coded Identity Document (ID) book are urged to replace it with the smart ID card, due to the increased risk of fraud associated with the older ID format. SASSA reiterates its zero-tolerance stance on fraud. If there is evidence of officials colluding with beneficiaries to defraud the system, immediate disciplinary and legal action will be taken. This is aimed at protecting the integrity of the Agency and preventing financial losses,” he stressed.
