The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is projecting R341-million in savings next year after an unprecedented crackdown on fraud, identity theft and ineligible grants — a reform push that officials say is essential to stabilising a welfare system relied on by nearly 45% of the country’s population.
The projected savings follow the termination of about 35,000 grants, with thousands more still under review as Treasury-imposed income, asset and verification checks begin tightening what has long been viewed as one of South Africa’s most vulnerable public systems.
This intensified clean-up comes as SASSA also battles grant delays, unpaid recipients, and persistent viral misinformation, including the recent wave of “double payment” rumours:
👉 SASSA clears the air on the viral November double grant payment confusion
Why the verification overhaul was necessary
SASSA’s SRD and social grant platforms have been plagued by identity theft, fake websites, weak encryption, and loopholes exploited by syndicates targeting vulnerable beneficiaries — especially new 18-year-olds.
A parliamentary investigation confirmed severe security weaknesses across the system, prompting immediate reforms.
SASSA Acting CIO Jabulani Makondo explained the extent of the infiltration:
“We identified more than 150 websites mimicking SASSA’s SRD platform. When someone searches for SASSA, they come across these fake websites. You enter your ID number, name, account and address — and the fraudsters reuse that information to apply on your behalf.” – Jabulani Makondo, Acting CIO, SASSA
Makondo further revealed major upgrades following the investigation:
“We have addressed weak encryption that exposed applicants’ ID numbers and bank details. The personal information sent to the SRD system is now properly protected.”
– Jabulani Makondo
Social Development Minister Nokuzola Tolashe confirmed that the vulnerabilities were worse than previously understood:
“The investigation found weak encryption, unauthorised application programming interfaces, fraudulent websites mimicking SASSA’s platform, and payment disruptions. I can assure you SASSA has been hard at work to safeguard the public resources entrusted to us.”
– Minister Nokuzola Tolashe
The numbers: how the R341-million saving was calculated
New Treasury conditions require deeper, more frequent verification:
– Monthly income checks
– Bank and credit-bureau searches
– Asset assessments
– Verification at the application stage
SASSA’s internal data shows:
- 259,000 reviews initiated
- 201,000 completed
- 35,000 grants cancelled
- 8,600 grants adjusted downward
- R28.5 million saved per month
- R170.7 million saved by end of FY
- R341.4 million savings projected for 2026
SASSA Executive Manager Brenton van Vrede detailed the figures to MPs:
“From the lapsed grants alone, SASSA expects to save R28.5-million a month. That becomes R170.7-million by the end of this financial year, and R341.4-million after a full year.”
– Brenton van Vrede, Executive Manager: Grant Operations, SASSA
Van Vrede added that new Treasury conditions have significantly expanded the workload:
“Treasury now requires bank and credit bureau checks at the point of registration. At this stage, our systems are not geared to do this on registration.”
And for SRD fraud:
“We’ve implemented a check on our bank verification process to only allow fully FICA’d accounts to be verified. If an account is not fully FICA’d, we won’t pay money into that account.”
– Van Vrede
Technical fixes: shutting down fake sites, encryption upgrades, biometric verification
SASSA confirmed it has already shut down 70 of the 150+ fraudulent websites detected, while rolling out:
- Facial biometric verification for all SRD applicants
- Quarterly cybersecurity audits
- 24-hour security operations centre
- Stronger encryption
- New authentication protocols
Internal audit head Moses Mbedhli confirmed improvements:
“There are now strict security settings which limit manipulation. We’ve seen identity theft cases drop from around 1,100 last year to about 500 between April and September.”
– Moses Mbedhli, SASSA Internal Audit Head
Database clean-up: thousands found earning income or registered on multiple systems
Cross-checks with SARS, UIF, GEPF, and the Department of Public Service and Administration exposed widespread fraud.
Van Vrede told Parliament:
“Between the banks and credit bureaus, we identified 161 recipients found on both databases. We also identified more than 2,000 beneficiaries employed by Cogta, mostly through EPWP.”
Another 6,000 beneficiaries were found registered under Provincial Education and Labour databases — raising new questions about foster care system accuracy.
Acting CEO Zodwa Mvulane highlighted the seriousness:
“Fraud had infiltrated the system deeply. These interventions are essential to prevent criminals from stealing from the poorest households.”
– Zodwa Mvulane, Acting CEO, SASSA
Unpaid grants? Here’s what beneficiaries must do
As reviews intensify, more than 12,000 grants were frozen this month alone, particularly among people with:
- Outdated banking details
- Incorrect ID or surname data
- Missing income documents
- Unsubmitted review forms
👉 SASSA issues urgent notice over unpaid November grants
If your grant has been suspended, SASSA says you must:
- Check for review or verification messages
- Bring updated documents
- Visit a SASSA office to complete the review
- Follow up immediately — payments resume after verification
📆 Latest payment dates: For the most up-to-date schedule, check the official announcement:
👉SASSA December grants: check new payment dates and amounts
Need Help? Contact SASSA directly
If you have questions about your unpaid grant or need to complete your review, use these official channels:
General Contact Details:
· Toll-Free Call Centre: 0800 60 10 11
· Website: www.sassa.gov.za
· General Email: GrantEnquiries@sassa.gov.za
For SRD R350 grant specific queries:
· SRD Status Check Portal: srd.sassa.gov.za
· SRD WhatsApp: 082 046 8553
· Online Services (applications & more): services.sassa.gov.za
General WhatsApp Help:
· WhatsApp: 082 054 0016
Pro Tip: When contacting SASSA, have your ID number and any reference numbers ready to help them assist you faster.
Government’s commitment: protecting social assistance and preparing for Basic Income
Minister Tolashe reaffirmed policy continuity:
“The extension of the SRD grant until March 2027 provides time to finalise policy proposals on basic income support.”
She added:
“With faster monthly biometric verification and enhanced digital tools, we will ensure the SRD only benefits those who need it most.”
Bottom Line: R341-million recovered — and the clean-up is far from over
SASSA’s verification reforms are already saving the state nearly R30 million per month, with projections of R341 million annually once fraudulent and ineligible grants are fully removed.
But officials warn the system remains under constant threat — and only continuous biometric checks, cybersecurity upgrades, and rigorous income verification will keep public funds safe.
