SASSA to review 350,000-plus grants as minister unveils measures to cut queues and curb fraud

South Africa’s social grant agency will review more than 350,000 grants in 2026/27 as part of a wider package of reforms announced by Social Development Minister Dina Pule aimed at cutting long queues, improving service delivery and combating fraud.

Why the reviews are happening

Pule said reviews are a legal requirement under the Social Assistance Act to confirm that beneficiaries still meet eligibility criteria. The reviews check for changes in income, financial position, marital status, medical condition or other circumstances that could affect qualification for a grant.

“Reviews help ensure that beneficiaries continue to meet the eligibility requirements for the grants they receive,”

Pule said.

Scope and recent results of verification drives

SASSA’s data verification systems identified more than 420,000 grants for review during the 2025/26 financial year. The agency completed more than 240,000 reviews, while approximately 160,000 beneficiaries failed to present themselves for review.

For 2026/27, SASSA plans to review more than 350,000 grants. The department expects the reviews to save about R1.5 billion this financial year, money that Pule said could be redirected to other government priorities.

“The more we save, the more our people are covered with social assistance,”

she said.

Measures to reduce waiting times

Pule acknowledged complaints about lengthy waiting times at SASSA offices, particularly during review periods. To reduce pressure on branches and shorten queues, she announced several interventions:

• Recruitment of more than 1,000 contract workers nationwide.
• Additional staff to assist with grant applications and reviews.
• Expansion of digital services.
• Possible extension of operating hours at some SASSA offices.
• Increased capacity at understaffed offices.

Expansion of digital services

SASSA is expanding its modernisation programme to include online grant application platforms, WhatsApp services, mobile applications and e-Life Certification systems. Pule urged beneficiaries to make greater use of digital channels to avoid travelling to offices.

“We call upon clients to make use of digital platforms to avoid long queues at different offices,”

she said.

Strengthening fraud prevention

The agency has bolstered its biometric verification programme, which operates with Department of Home Affairs systems in real time. According to Pule, the technology helps prevent identity theft, duplicate claims and other forms of grant fraud.

“Our biometric verification programme has significantly strengthened identity authentication for new applications and grant reviews,”

she said.

Support for elderly and vulnerable beneficiaries

Pule said SASSA will continue conducting home visits for beneficiaries older than 75 and those who are frail and unable to travel. She described the policy of home visits as reflecting an intention “of restoring respect and dignity to those older persons.”

Scale of South Africa’s social assistance

Pule noted that social grants now reach about 19 million beneficiaries every month, up from just over 10 million when SASSA began administering grants in 2006. “Social grants are not merely payments, they are a lifeline,” she said.

Next steps

The minister pledged to visit SASSA offices across the country in the coming weeks to monitor implementation of the new measures and engage directly with communities about service delivery challenges.