The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has warned that failure to comply with the current review process may result in the suspension and possible permanent lapsing of grants.

“Continued non-compliance may lead to the permanent lapsing of their grants. Beneficiaries are advised that Sassa is also empowered by the Act [9 of 2004] to recoup any money that would have been paid to the beneficiary incorrectly.

“This means that, should we find out that you have been receiving social grants you were not eligible to receive, Sassa will institute a debt recovery process where you will have to pay back the money,” Sassa CEO Themba Matlou warned.

Matlou’s warning came during a media briefing on the current social grant review process held in Pretoria today.

Over 140 000 notifications sent to beneficiaries

Matlou announced that the review process has already seen over 140 000 SMS notifications sent to beneficiaries selected for review.

However, he noted that non-responsiveness suggests some beneficiaries may have changed their contact details without informing Sassa.

Matlou acknowledged that while Sassa communicated the changes through various media platforms and public announcements, some beneficiaries may have missed the communication.

“Sassa has in previous years noticed that many beneficiaries do not update their contact details and consequently do not receive the notices to come in and conduct a review. We have sent out bulk SMS messages and registered letters to the addresses we have in our possession.

“We are working on strengthening our communication approach, including more robust community-level engagement and increased visibility of information on official and public platforms. We will also increase the operating hours and employ additional capacity to address long queues recently experienced during this important review process,” Matlou said.

He added that the agency is working hard to automate the review process by introducing self-service options using online platforms to make it easier for beneficiaries to complete their reviews and reduce queues at local offices.

Matlou urged beneficiaries who have not received their payment or are uncertain about their payment status to contact Sassa on the toll-free number 0800 60 10 11 or visit www.sassa.gov.za.

Budget allocation conditions

While Sassa is mandated by the Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004 to review social grants, Matlou said the agency is also operating under strict budgetary conditions set by the National Treasury.

He explained that in February 2025, the National Treasury issued Sassa with a preliminary allocation letter for the 2025 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, which contained compliance framework conditions that became binding and now form part of approved budget allocations for the financial year.

“These conditions direct Sassa to find mechanisms to save costs through its review process to ensure money is not paid to undeserving beneficiaries, to enhance fiscal accountability, improve operational efficiency, and ensure the integrity of the Social Assistance Programme.

“They cover critical areas such as income verification, biometric checks, inter-agency data cross-referencing, and quarterly reporting obligations. The conditions also reflect Treasury’s intent to strengthen oversight and promote transparency in the administration of social grants,” Matlou said.

Matlou reaffirmed Sassa’s commitment to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement of the social grant system.

“We take our responsibility seriously to serve the most vulnerable in our society and will work harder to ensure no beneficiary is left confused or disadvantaged. Sassa remains committed to protecting the rights and dignity of each beneficiary by ensuring no one who qualifies is unfairly penalised.

“Our efforts are directed at preserving the social assistance system for those who genuinely need it. Sassa enforces a zero-tolerance policy towards fraud and corruption, both from beneficiaries and within its own ranks,” he said.

He added that the agency is finalising the implementation of biometric identification infrastructure to enhance security and integrity in grant administration processes. – SAnews.gov.za

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