Members of Parliament have voiced deep concern over the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)’s new grant verification system, warning that the process — introduced to combat fraud — is now delaying access to grants for many poor and vulnerable beneficiaries.
During an interview on SABC’s Morning Live on Tuesday, Bridget Masango, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, confirmed that National Treasury has imposed stringent new conditions on SASSA’s R285 billion budget for the 2025/2026 financial year.
New Conditions Imposed by Treasury
According to Masango, the following conditions were tied to SASSA’s budget allocation:
- Quarterly reports on suspended, cancelled, or reviewed grants
- Income verification cross-checks with SARS, NSFAS, UIF, and Home Affairs
- Biometric authentication for flagged beneficiaries
- Increased oversight to prevent fraud and ghost accounts
Failure to meet these conditions could result in Treasury withholding grant funds, prompting concern from MPs and civil society groups.
“While we support fraud prevention, the verification process is now preventing the very people these grants are meant to help from receiving them,” said Masango.
Verifications Causing Delays
Masango noted that the system, while well-intended, is proving unachievable in practice, particularly for the elderly and rural citizens.
“Older people are being told to go verify their identity in-person at SASSA offices, but end up in long queues with inadequate support. Many are forced to return home and try again, often spending money they don’t have,” she added.
Civil society organisations and grant recipients have reported increased delays and confusion, raising the alarm over the unintended consequences of these new checks.
SASSA’s Response and Plan
In response to the criticism, SASSA has committed to several new initiatives:
- Rolling out mobile verification units to reach rural areas
- Opening more self-service kiosks
- Launching outreach programs for remote communities
- Implementing biometrics for staff and, eventually, beneficiaries
Masango confirmed that while these are welcome developments, implementation remains weak and must be urgently strengthened.
“We commend SASSA for supporting law enforcement in arresting staff linked to internal fraud. But we cannot accept that beneficiaries suffer while these systems are being improved,” she said.
A Delicate Balancing Act
The committee acknowledged that SASSA faces a “Catch-22”: tighten controls to stop rampant fraud, but without denying access to legitimate recipients.
Recent high-profile cases include:
- 11 people accused of defrauding SASSA of R260 million
- Ghost child grants
- Exposés by Stellenbosch students who easily demonstrated system vulnerabilities
“Fraud must end. But people must eat. That’s the balance we’re asking SASSA and Treasury to strike,” said Masango.
What’s Next?
The Portfolio Committee plans to summon Treasury for further explanation and will monitor SASSA’s rollout of verification systems closely.
A full systems audit and regular updates are also expected to be discussed in the coming months.
