Sassa to conduct 93,142 grant reviews in KZN, grant beneficiaries urged to comply with verification process
SASSA conducting a verification process of grant recipients
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The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has warned grant recipients to present themselves for the verification process it is conducting or risk their grants being suspended.
The verification process is meant to ensure that grant beneficiaries are eligible. About 93,000 people in KwaZulu-Natal must present themselves for verification this financial year due to discrepancies uncovered by Sassa.
The verification process has led to concerns, with reports of grant recipients allegedly not receiving their grants. Civic organisation Black Sash said it had received hundreds of complaints about the process.
Sassa spokesperson in KZN, Sandy Godlwana, stated, "In terms of Chapter 5 of the Social Assistance Act, Sassa is mandated to review social assistance and is empowered to suspend, increase, or decrease the amount of assistance provided, depending on the outcome of the review."
She said Sassa in KZN was urging affected social grant beneficiaries to present themselves for grant reviews scheduled for the 2025/26 financial year. A total of 93,142 reviews will be conducted across the province to ensure continued eligibility and compliance with legislative requirements.
Godlwana mentioned that beneficiaries who do not comply with the review process risk suspension of their social grant. If a grant is suspended, the beneficiary will be informed in writing and has the right to appeal the decision within 90 days to the Independent Appeals Tribunal.
Oliver Meth, communications manager at Black Sash, said their helpline had received hundreds of cases of people not getting paid that it was dealing with.
"We are currently monitoring during this grant payment week. Today (Wednesday) we are at Esikhawini, northern KZN. We've since been to local retailers and the local Sassa office where hundreds of beneficiaries are querying the non-payment of their grants. Issues range from duplicate IDs to some flagged as fraudulent recipients, reviews, and more."
The verification process by Sassa he added, has been marked by delays and limited communication. Many grant recipients have been flagged due to inconsistencies in their personal data, but the systems to notify beneficiaries—especially in rural areas—are not always reliable or accessible.
He stated that if a grant recipient has been flagged for a discrepancy, they are advised to visit their nearest SASSA office with their valid identity document and any supporting documentation that can help verify their details.
"We urge SASSA to improve communication by using local radio, community networks, and ward councillors to alert affected individuals. Many recipients have not been adequately informed and remain unaware of the reason for non-payment or the process to follow.
"Black Sash continues to call for a fair, transparent, and accessible appeals process that does not penalise people for system errors or lack of access to digital communication. It’s important to note that in many cases, these discrepancies are the result of outdated government records, clerical errors, or weaknesses in interdepartmental data-sharing—not wrongdoing by grant beneficiaries."
He added that very little has been done to adequately assist vulnerable groups - elderly people, those with disabilities, and rural residents who lack access to mobile phones, the internet, or the resources to travel to Sassa offices for verification.
He said Black Sash was calling on Sassa and the Department of Social Development to proactively engage communities through mobile units, community halls, local NGOs, and traditional leaders to ensure that no one is left behind.
"There must be a more humane and accessible system in place—especially given the critical nature of these grants in combating poverty," Meth concluded.
DA spokesperson on Social Development in KZN, Shontel De Boer, said it is understood that during the verification process, there will be delayed payments to those who need to verify their information.
"We encourage everyone who is affected to declare their correct information. The Democratic Alliance believes that every citizen who qualifies for a Sassa grant has the right to access that grant and should be able to do so."
Those who wish to lodge an appeal with the Independent Appeals Tribunal can reach them at 012 312 7727 or grantappeals@dsd.gov.za. For further information, affected clients are encouraged to contact Sassa's National Toll-Free Number on 0800 60 10 11 on Mondays to Fridays from 07:30 to 16:00.