SASSA to review around 350,000 social grant beneficiaries

JOHANNESBURG – The South African Social Security Agency is planning to review approximately 350,000 social grant beneficiaries during the 2026/27 financial year as part of a broader effort to verify eligibility, prevent fraud and protect the sustainability of the country’s social assistance system.

Social Development Minister Dina Pule said the reviews are intended to ensure that grants continue reaching people who meet the qualifying requirements while preventing public money from being paid to ineligible recipients.

Why SASSA is reviewing beneficiaries

A social grant review allows SASSA to determine whether a beneficiary’s financial, medical, marital or legal circumstances have changed since the grant was approved.

Beneficiaries are legally required to disclose all sources of income when applying for assistance and to notify SASSA when their circumstances change. This may include obtaining employment, receiving another source of income, getting married, changing bank accounts or no longer meeting the medical requirements for a disability-related grant.

The agency has emphasised that being selected for a review does not automatically mean that a beneficiary has committed fraud or will lose their grant.

Instead, the person will be given an opportunity to provide documents confirming that they remain eligible for the assistance they receive.

Previous reviews flagged 420,000 beneficiaries

The new target follows an extensive review programme during the 2025/26 financial year.

According to Pule, more than 420,000 beneficiaries were flagged for eligibility reviews during that period. About 240,000 reviews were completed, while approximately 160,000 beneficiaries failed to comply or had their grants affected, according to the latest ministerial update.

Earlier official figures released in February indicated that about 70,000 grants had already been suspended because beneficiaries failed to present themselves for review at that stage of the programme.

The figures reflect different reporting periods in the continuing review process.

Government expects major savings

The review programme is expected to save government approximately R1.5 billion by identifying grants paid to people who no longer meet the qualifying requirements.

SASSA previously reported that its intensified review process was saving the state around R44 million every month, equivalent to roughly half a billion rand annually.

Government says the aim is not simply to reduce spending but to ensure that limited public resources remain available for elderly people, children, people with disabilities and other vulnerable South Africans who genuinely depend on social assistance.

Data matching used to detect irregularities

SASSA is increasingly using information from other government departments, banks and financial institutions to verify whether beneficiaries remain eligible.

The agency has strengthened cooperation with institutions including:

• The South African Revenue Service.
• The National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
• Commercial banks.
• Credit bureaus.
• Government payroll systems.

Previous data-matching exercises identified hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries whose information suggested that they could be receiving income from employment, student funding or another source that had not been disclosed to SASSA.

Being identified through data matching does not immediately result in cancellation. SASSA must notify the affected beneficiary and provide an opportunity for the person to explain or correct the information.

Documents beneficiaries may need

Beneficiaries who receive an official review notice may be asked to visit a SASSA office with supporting documents.

These may include:

• A valid South African identity document.
• Bank statements for all active accounts.
• Proof of income or recent payslips.
• Proof of residence.
• Marriage or divorce documents.
• Medical reports for relevant grants.
• Birth certificates or school records for child-related grants.
• An affidavit or employment termination letter where applicable.

People who are bedridden or physically unable to visit an office may contact SASSA for assistance in appointing a representative or procurator.

Will grants be suspended?

SASSA says grants are not cancelled simply because a beneficiary has been identified for review.

However, payments may be delayed or suspended when an affected beneficiary ignores an official review notice or fails to provide the required information within the prescribed period.

Continued non-compliance could eventually cause the grant to lapse. Beneficiaries who successfully prove that they still qualify should continue receiving their assistance.

Grant recipients should therefore keep their telephone numbers, addresses, banking information and personal circumstances updated with SASSA to ensure that they receive review notifications.

Concerns about queues and accessibility

The expanded programme is likely to increase pressure on local SASSA offices, where beneficiaries have frequently complained about long queues, limited appointment capacity and difficulties accessing services.

SASSA says it is increasing capacity at its offices and developing digital self-service options that will allow some beneficiaries to complete reviews and life-certification processes remotely.

The agency has already introduced biometric enrolment for new applications and electronic life-certification services for selected beneficiaries.

Protecting the social grant system

South Africa’s social grant system supports more than 18 million people and remains one of the government’s most important poverty-relief programmes.

Minister Pule said the review programme must balance two responsibilities: protecting vulnerable beneficiaries and ensuring that public resources are not lost through fraud, inaccurate information or payments to people who no longer qualify.

The planned review of around 350,000 beneficiaries is therefore expected to become a significant part of SASSA’s work during the 2026/27 financial year.

Affected beneficiaries are encouraged to respond only to official SASSA communication, provide complete and accurate information and avoid paying anyone who claims they can prevent or influence a grant review.