The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has addressed concerns around social grant reviews, emphasizing that being selected for a review does not necessarily mean a grant will be cancelled. Sassa explained that a grant assessment and a grant review are separate processes. An assessment determines whether an applicant qualifies for a grant, while a review takes place after a grant has been approved to establish whether the beneficiary still meets the requirements.
A review is undertaken after a grant has been approved to verify if the beneficiary's circumstances have changed, including their income, financial situation, marital status, residential circumstances, care arrangements, or medical circumstances. Sassa stressed that a review is not a punishment and should not be interpreted as a decision to terminate a grant. Most social grants are subject to a means test, with the foster child grant being an exception.
Sassa uses the means test to determine whether applicants or beneficiaries meet the prescribed income and other requirements for a specific grant. The agency also addressed social media claims that any money deposited into a beneficiary's bank account will result in their grant being cancelled, stating that this is incorrect. Sassa uses information from relevant institutions and databases as part of its verification processes, with the appropriate legal basis and consent.
Sassa's consent documentation allows the agency to verify information, including financial status, income, and bank account details, when assessing eligibility. However, a transaction, deposit, or income record does not automatically mean a beneficiary no longer qualifies. For example, the existence of money in a bank account does not mean that every amount reflected in that account is automatically treated as a permanent monthly income that disqualifies a person from receiving a grant.
Beneficiaries are responsible for informing Sassa when circumstances that could affect their grant change, including changes to income, employment, marital status, residential address, and contact details. Sassa urged beneficiaries to keep their cellphone numbers and contact details up to date, as these are used to send review notices and other grant-related notifications. A review is an opportunity for a beneficiary to confirm their circumstances and provide the required information to establish continued eligibility.
Failure to cooperate with a review can result in a grant being suspended. Sassa's existing guidance lists failure to cooperate with a review and the outcome of a review among circumstances that can lead to suspension. Beneficiaries who receive a review notification should respond within the stipulated period and provide the requested information or documents. Sassa also reminded beneficiaries of the October 2026 payment schedule.
The October 2026 payment schedule includes the Older Persons Grant on October 2, Disability Grant on October 5, Children's Grants on October 6, and a fourth-day payment on October 7. Beneficiaries identified for a review or certification process may receive payment on the additional payment day once the required process has been completed. Sassa emphasized that beneficiaries should not assume that missing their normal grant-category payment date means their grant has been cancelled.
Key points
- Receiving a Sassa review notice does not automatically mean a grant will be cancelled.
- A review is undertaken to verify if a beneficiary's circumstances have changed.
- Beneficiaries are responsible for informing Sassa of any changes that could affect their grant.
