Grant reviews see 70 000 Sassa payments suspended

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has suspended about 70 000 social grants as part of a nationwide review process aimed at tightening controls and ensuring only eligible beneficiaries receive social assistance. The suspensions followed beneficiaries’ failure to comply with grant reviews and life-certification requirements, which form part of efforts to protect the integrity of the social assistance system. Providing an update in Cape Town on Thursday, Sassa chief executive officer Themba Matlou said the suspensions were linked to a broader review process underway across the country.

“This grant review process continues to guard against the wasteful use of government resources in line with the already pressured government fiscus,” Matlou said. Sassa confirmed that during the 2025/2026 financial year it planned to conduct 420 000 social grant reviews. To date, about 240 000 grants have been reviewed, while approximately 70 000 were suspended after beneficiaries failed to complete the required process.

“We must appreciate the cooperation of all affected beneficiaries who understood this process and came forward to review their social grant,” Matlou said. According to Sassa, the review process is already saving the government about R44 million per month, translating to roughly R500 million annually. “These efforts are aimed at preserving the sustainability of the social assistance system and ensuring that support reaches those who need it most,” Matlou said. As part of the review, Sassa has strengthened data-matching partnerships with institutions including credit bureaus, banks, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas).