SASSA to review more than 350,000 grants in bid to save R1.5bn, minister says

Social Development Minister Dina Pule has defended a wide-ranging grant review programme that plans to review more than 350,000 grants this financial year, a process the agency says will save an estimated R1.5 billion for the state, according to IOL.

Numbers from recent verification rounds

According to IOL, SASSA identified more than 420,000 grants for review during the 2025/26 financial year through data verification and validation processes. Of those, more than 240,000 reviews were completed, while around 160,000 beneficiaries failed to comply with the review process.

Why reviews are being carried out

According to IOL, Pule said grant reviews are required under the Social Assistance Act and aim to verify whether beneficiaries’ financial, medical or personal circumstances have changed. The reviews, she said, also help to prevent fraud, abuse and incorrect payments. As Pule put it:

“Simply put, social grant reviews help ensure that the right grant is paid to the right person, at the right time.”

Technology, data-sharing and identity checks

According to IOL, advances in data-sharing between government departments and financial institutions have strengthened SASSA’s ability to identify cases where eligibility may have changed. The agency has also implemented biometric verification systems linked to the Department of Home Affairs and is expanding e-Life Certification technology to allow beneficiaries to verify continued eligibility through digital channels.

Measures to ease queues and improve service delivery

Responding to complaints about long queues and overcrowded offices, Pule said SASSA will recruit more than 1,000 contract workers nationwide to provide frontline support, process applications and reviews, and reduce waiting times, according to IOL.

According to IOL, SASSA will also expand digital services including online platforms, WhatsApp and mobile applications, and some offices could extend operating hours. The agency will continue conducting home visits for people over 75 and those too frail to travel.

Minister’s message

According to IOL, Pule acknowledged growing frustration among beneficiaries over long queues and review processes but said the measures were necessary to protect the integrity of South Africa’s social assistance system. She said:

“We have a duty to act when information suggests that eligibility circumstances may have changed.”

According to IOL, SASSA says the combined approach of data verification, biometric checks, digital services and extra staff is intended to improve service delivery while reducing incorrect payments.