SASSA suspends 56 000 grants in 3 months in warning to recipients

More than 56 000 social grants were suspended by SASSA during the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year as the agency intensifies its efforts to identify irregular payments and verify beneficiaries’ financial circumstances.

Social Development Minister Dina Pule revealed the figures in response to parliamentary questions from MPs Songezo Zibi and Keamotseng Ramaila.

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Pule said SASSA reviewed 105 600 beneficiaries between April and June 2026 as part of its annual performance targets and its legal obligation to establish whether beneficiaries still qualified for social assistance.

Of those reviewed, 48 793 beneficiaries were assessed and confirmed as eligible, while 56 807 grants were suspended after beneficiaries failed to comply with the review requirements.

However, there is some relief for beneficiaries affected by the process.

A total of 5 231 suspended grants were subsequently reinstated after beneficiaries complied with the requirements and were found to remain eligible.

SASSA plans 350 000 reviews

SASSA has set itself a target of reviewing 350 000 beneficiaries during the 2026/27 financial year.

The first-quarter reviews included 105 508 Child Support Grant beneficiaries from the final batch identified through a risk-based data triangulation process conducted during the previous financial year.

Reviews involving Disability Grants and Older Persons Grants were not included in this batch, with further risk analysis under way to determine targets for the remaining quarters.

In KwaZulu-Natal, SASSA plans to review 21 656 beneficiaries in each of the first two quarters, followed by 14 437 in the third quarter and 14 438 in the fourth.

Why is SASSA checking bank accounts?

SASSA spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said the agency checks information supplied by beneficiaries against data available from credit bureaus and other government departments.

Beneficiaries are required to provide documentation, including bank statements, to demonstrate their financial circumstances.

Problems can arise when a beneficiary submits a bank statement showing little or no income when applying for a grant, but subsequently provides different financial information when applying for credit.

“You present something which says you are earning zero, but there you went to borrow money, and you present something which shows that there’s a flow of income into the account,” Letsatsi said.

However, he stressed that a discrepancy does not automatically mean a beneficiary has attempted to defraud the state.

Money deposited into an account could have a legitimate explanation, such as a family member transferring money to pay for renovations, medical expenses or another once-off expense.

Beneficiaries have up to 90 days

Importantly, beneficiaries facing a review are not necessarily expected to respond immediately or risk losing their grant after a single missed deadline.

Pule said beneficiaries have up to 90 days to comply with a review.

They are initially given 30 days to submit the required information. If they do not respond, a further 60 days is provided before the grant may be suspended.

MPs also questioned whether beneficiaries facing circumstances beyond their control – including illness, limited access to communication or administrative problems – were given grace periods or extensions.

SASSA said it had introduced measures to help beneficiaries comply with the reviews.

These include SMS reminders, a WhatsApp enquiry platform, awareness campaigns and additional communication measures. Temporary personnel have also been brought in to assist with the process.

169 000 clients flagged

SASSA also revealed that 169 000 clients who received review notices failed to present themselves and were flagged as potentially fraudulent transactions for further investigation.

The agency said common findings included beneficiaries whose circumstances had changed, deceased beneficiaries whose deaths had not been reported timeously, and beneficiaries who could not be traced because their contact or residential details were outdated.

SASSA’s review programme is therefore not solely focused on identifying deliberate fraud. It is also intended to ensure that the agency’s records accurately reflect beneficiaries’ circumstances.

Beneficiaries whose grants have been suspended are encouraged to approach SASSA and provide an explanation for transactions or circumstances that may have triggered the review.

The reinstatement of more than 5 000 suspended grants after beneficiaries complied with the requirements also highlights the importance of responding to review notices and providing the requested information.