In a sweeping move to tighten its grant disbursement systems, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has introduced a compulsory biometric enrolment and identity verification process for all clients using alternative forms of identification.
Starting May 5, new applicants and existing beneficiaries who use anything other than a standard 13-digit South African ID number—such as sworn affidavits or Home Affairs ID application slips—will now be required to undergo biometric enrolment.
This process will include fingerprint scans and facial recognition to verify identity.
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Who is affected by the new SASSA biometric process?
The updated verification measures will not impact all recipients—only those falling into specific categories identified by the agency, as listed below:
- New applicants using sworn affidavits or Home Affairs ID receipts instead of a 13-digit ID.
- Existing beneficiaries undergoing grant reviews or personal detail updates.
- Individuals collecting grants on behalf of others.
The move is part of a broader strategy to eliminate fraud and abuse within the grant system. “This initiative, which aligns with Regulation 13(1) of the Social Assistance Act, is a proactive measure aimed at enhancing security, improving the integrity of our systems, and preventing potentially fraudulent activities related to identity misrepresentation,” Paseka Letsatsi,
SASSA spokesperson.
Furthermore, SASSA announced it has partnered with the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) to provide training to designated “super-users“—individuals specifically equipped to manage biometric data collection. These super-users will, in turn, train regional staff on the biometric enrolment process.
“This will ensure that every SASSA office will have trained officials when the biometric enrolment process commences,” Letsatsi added.
The timing of this announcement, made on Thursday (April 23, 2025) is significant. It comes just days after SARB halted the roll-out of Postbank’s black cards, a process meant to replace the current gold SASSA cards.
Concerns over Postbank’s system security, poor communication strategies, and limited banking infrastructure—which could cause unwanted disruptions and potentially delay grant payments—led to the temporary suspension.
“Although the issuance of the Postbank black cards has been temporarily halted on instruction of the South African Reserve Bank, all SASSA gold cards remain functional until a new deadline is issued by the SARB soon,” stated Northern Cape SASSA spokesperson Lungelo Mkamba.
Speaking to eNCA on Thursday afternoon, Postbank CEO Nikki Mbengashe clarified that despite the suspension of Postbank Black Card roll-out, both the Black and Gold SASSA cards remain functional. “Beneficiaries who have not yet switched to black cards can still use their gold cards even after May 31. They will have uninterrupted access to social-grant payments,” she assured.
Meanwhile, SASSA’s acting CEO Themba Matlou revealed the agency’s intention to introduce automated systems to cut down on grant fraud and reduce processing times.
“We say we want to reduce the grant administration process from seven days to one day turnaround,” said Matlou during a recent Parliamentary briefing.
The agency is also preparing to expand its reach, aiming to increase the number of beneficiaries from 19 million to 21 million within the current financial year.
As these sweeping changes unfold, beneficiaries—especially those without a 13-digit ID—are urged to prepare for verification, while awaiting further updates on the future of SASSA card systems.
