Sassa warns grant recipients to respond after new fourth payment day

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has reminded social grant recipients identified for reviews that they will be paid on a newly introduced fourth payment day and must visit their nearest local office after receiving payment or risk suspension of their grants.

What the fourth payment day means

Sassa normally pays social grants over three days: Older Persons Grants first, followed by Disability Grants, then Children’s Grants. The agency said beneficiaries selected for grant reviews or eLife Certification are paid on a separate fourth payment day.

Recent example and notifications

During the July payment cycle the agency said it paid Older Persons Grants on 2 July, Disability Grants on 3 July and Children’s Grants on 6 July. Beneficiaries who still needed reviews or eLife Certification were paid on 7 July, which Sassa described as the fourth payment day.

Sassa said it sends bulk SMS notifications to beneficiaries identified for grant reviews and eLife Certification before scheduling their payments for the fourth day.

“The agency has noted that some beneficiaries are still unfamiliar with the fourth payment day and often become concerned when their grant money is not paid during the normal three-day payment cycle, even though they would have received a notification,” said Sassa national spokesperson Dr Paseka Letsatsi.

Action required from beneficiaries

Sassa urged beneficiaries not to ignore requests to undergo grant reviews or complete verification through the eLife Certification self-service portal. The agency said beneficiaries must ensure their contact details are up to date so they receive communication.

“If your personal details change and you do not notify us, we will continue sending communication to the contact number or address on our records, believing that you will receive it,” said Dr Letsatsi.

The agency warned that beneficiaries who fail to complete their reviews after receiving payment on the fourth payment day could face suspension of their grants during the following payment cycle.

Why reviews are done

Sassa said social grant reviews and eLife Certification are conducted in accordance with Regulation 30 and Section 14(5) of the Social Assistance Act, 2004. The agency said it is legally required to carry out regular reviews to confirm that beneficiaries continue to qualify for assistance and to detect fraud.

Sassa added that the reviews help confirm continued eligibility, prevent payments to deceased or otherwise ineligible beneficiaries and protect public funds, and that the process helps maintain the integrity of the social assistance system.

August payment schedule

Sassa confirmed the payment schedule for the August grant cycle as follows:

• 4 August – Older Persons Grants
• 5 August – Disability Grants
• 6 August – Children’s Grants
• 7 August – Fourth payment day for beneficiaries targeted for grant reviews

The agency said it remains committed to paying social grants to all eligible beneficiaries while strengthening the integrity of the grants system through regular reviews and maintaining an accurate beneficiary database.