Latest news with #BridgetMasango
IOL News
3 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Grant recipients face frustrating challenges with SASSA's in-person verification process
Portfolio Committee chairperson Bridget Masango said social grant recipients, especially in rural areas, are facing significant challenges due to SASSA's new in-person verification process. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives The in-person verification process that the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has implemented is frustrating social grant recipients, particularly those in rural areas. This is according to the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Bridget Masango who said the stringent new conditions imposed by National Treasury on SASSA's 2025/26 budget were having severe consequences for millions of vulnerable South Africans. 'Today, we address an issue that affects nearly half of our population,' said Masango, referring to conditions that include biometric authentication for flagged beneficiaries, cross-verification with SARS and other state databases, and quarterly reporting of suspended or cancelled grants. 'Treasury argues these steps are essential to combat fraud and ensure value for money, and failure to comply by SASSA may result in grant funding being withheld, a deeply concerning possibility for millions who rely on this support,' she said. Masango said while the committee supports fraud prevention, the current approach is causing 'delays, confusion, and deep distress among beneficiaries.' 'The requirement for in-person verification is disproportionately disadvantaging rural communities and elderly caregivers who simply cannot afford to travel. Transport costs can reach up to R150 or more per trip, an unaffordable amount for some beneficiaries,' she added. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Masango said the committee has been 'flooded with WhatsApp messages, SMSs, calls and emails from desperate individuals and organisations that represent communities, who are unable to verify themselves. People are being excluded from the system and all of this, as far as we can see, is in the name of saving money.' Although SASSA defended the verification process as necessary to prevent fraud and ensure accurate targeting, Masango cautioned that 'it cannot happen without balancing accessibility with fairness.' To improve oversight, she said: 'SASSA will now submit quarterly reports directly to the committee, in addition to National Treasury.' She welcomed the R1.6 billion increase in grant funding for above-inflation increases and noted efforts to combat fraud, including biometric rollouts, self-service kiosks, and digital upgrades. However, she stressed: 'No cost-saving measure should come at the expense of basic dignity or leave the poor out in the cold.' Masango also raised concerns about the growing substance abuse crisis, particularly the underfunding of the Central Drug Authority (CDA). 'How can the CDA fight a national war with no weapons? No money, no independence, no enforcement authority and still be expected to lead the charge?' Calling the CDA 'unfit for purpose,' Masango urged the Department of Social Development to amend the Substance Abuse Act. 'Substance abuse must now be treated with the same urgency as gender-based violence, as both are destroying lives, families, and the nation's social fabric,' she said. THE MERCURY
News24
4 days ago
- Business
- News24
Treasury's Sassa corruption prevention steps come ‘at the cost of humanity'
Parliamentarians have been inundated with frantic messages from social grant beneficiaries who cannot verify their grant status – a new requirement imposed by National Treasury to root out corruption. The corruption-busting steps imposed on the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) have a negative impact on many grant recipients, most of whom are elderly citizens living in rural areas. Of significant concern is the in-person verification process of recipients. Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development Bridget Masango said the Treasury has attached strict new conditions to the allocation of funds to Sassa. 'National Treasury has attached strict new conditions to the allocation of funds to Sassa. These include quarterly reporting on suspended, cancelled or reviewed grants, income verification, including database cross-checks with the SA Revenue Services, National Student Financial Aid Scheme, the Unemployment Insurance Fund and Home Affairs as well as biometric authentication for beneficiaries flagged as suspicious. 'Treasury argues these steps are essential to combat fraud and ensure value for money and failure to comply by Sassa may result in grant funding being withheld, a deeply concerning possibility for millions who rely on this support,' Masango said. She said the concern is not because they oppose fraud prevention, but because the current implementation is causing delays, confusion and deep distress among beneficiaries. Masango said: 'The requirement for in-person verification is disproportionately impacting rural communities and elderly caregivers who simply cannot afford to travel. Transport costs can reach up to R150 or more, an unaffordable amount for some beneficiaries. 'We are being flooded with WhatsApp messages, SMSs, and emails from desperate individuals who are unable to verify themselves. People are being excluded from the system and all of this in the name of saving money. Sassa has defended the verification process as necessary,' Masango said. Furthermore, Masango said, Sassa argues the requirements prevent fraud and ensures 'accurate targeting'. 'They have reminded beneficiaries of their duty to report changes in financial circumstances. That may be valid, but it must be balanced with accessibility and fairness. To ensure accountability, Sassa will now submit quarterly reports directly to the parliamentary committee, in addition to National Treasury. This will allow Parliament to play a proactive oversight role, especially after lessons learned during the card replacement crisis,' she said. According to Masango, no cost-saving measure should come at the expense of basic dignity or leave the poor out in the cold. 'The committee acknowledges the R1.6 billion increase in the 2025/26 grant allocation, intended to fund above-inflation increases. We also note Sassa's intensifying efforts to fight fraud, such as the rollout of biometric systems, a new tender to assist with identity verification and digital upgrades, including office WiFi, self-service kiosks, and action against fake Sassa websites. We are of the view, National Treasury must balance fiscal prudence with social justice,' Masango said. READ | Second income trouble: SASSA identifies 210 000 possible 'double-dippers' She also said the social grant system is not just a financial mechanism, but a lifeline for many poor families. 'Let us not forget the people behind the statistics, the grandmother raising orphans, the young person living with a disability, the unemployed breadwinner trying to survive. We must protect the integrity of the system, yes, but never at the cost of humanity,' she said. Meanwhile, Masango also expressed deep concern at South Africa's drug and substance abuse problem. 'Our children are drinking liquor. Our schools are not safe. Our rural communities are forgotten. Institutions such as the Central Drug Authority (CDA), meant to fight this crisis are underfunded and unsupported. 'It is thus gravely concerning to the committee that the CDA remains dependent on the Department of Social Development for finances, undermining its ability to operate independently across government,' she said.
The South African
10-06-2025
- The South African
Furor over 2025 SASSA grant smartphone access
The latest 2025 SASSA grant smartphone verification requirements have both political parties and civil society up in arms. Detractors are saying 2025 SASSA grant smartphone necessity is 'unconscionable', given that applicants' monthly bank balance must stay below R624 per month. In case you missed it, starting on Saturday 7 June 2025, all Social Relief of Distress applicants must complete biometric verification. In turn, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other groups have rejected this requirement. They say you cannot expect R370 SRD grant applicants to have access to a smartphone every month. A 'digital divide' is illustrated by this new verification process. Image: File Of course, the South African Social Security Agency has landed itself on hot water over this issue already in 2025. Specifically, the High Court ruled in January that SASSA could not turn away qualifying applicants simply because of budget constraints. The agency took leave to appeal the decision, and appears to be forging ahead with its exclusionary measures regardless. As such, 2025 SASSA grant smartphone access is becoming a divisive topic for the Department of Social Development. Government recently created the SASSA Services portal. When not offline, it is a useful tool to manage all aspects of your 'core' SASSA grant profile. This includes uploading personal data (ID photos) from your smartphone, free USSD and status checks on the portal. SASSA SRD applicants must apply for and check their status every month. Image: File However, last week's release from the agency insists that you must have a smart ID card and smartphone to access R370-per-month SRD benefits. As a result, those with the old 'green mamba' ID books will likely not pass the online verification process, because there is no digital ID photo loaded with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). While this has sparked widespread controversy, the agency is defending its tactics, saying biometric verification protects grants from fraud, corruption and identity theft. Unfortunately, the practicality behind such a decision is being described as a growing 'digital divide.' By their very definition, SASSA SRD applicants live below the poverty line, and must prove they have less than R624 in their bank account each month to qualify. A cabinet committee on social welfare has called for SASSA SRD to be extended beyond 2026 for two more years. Image: File With June 2025 SRD payments set to go off in the last week of this month, customer care units are already receiving complaints from those who have failed the process. As such, DA's cabinet committee member for social development, Bridget Masango, reiterates that 2025 SASSA grant smartphone requirements exclude vulnerable applicants. 'With the latest (verification) process announced, the DA is concerned it will exclude many more beneficiaries. These are people who do not have access to the internet, data or the necessary smartphone devices and computing capacity. The department and SASSA should do more to provide volunteers to assist those vulnerable people. Instead of doing their all to improve access to grants, SASSA continuously strives to exclude beneficiaries through all manner of obstacles,' Masango said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
25-04-2025
- Business
- The South African
SASSA payment dates for May 2025: Could the VAT freeze impact increases?
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed the social grant payment dates for May 2025. SASSA distributes social grants to millions of beneficiaries in South Africa. Beneficiaries can receive payments from selected supermarkets, such as Pick n Pay, Boxer, USave merchants, Checkers, and Shoprite. They can obtain this through their SASSA card, CashSend, or by getting the amount directly transferred into their bank account. The payment schedule is as follows: Old age grant – 6 May 2025 Disability grant – 7 May 2025 Child support grant and others – 9 May 2025 COULD SOCIAL GRANTS INCREASES ALSO BE REVERSED? In his delayed Budget Speech, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said to 'cushion' the poor against the proposed VAT increase, social grants were allocated R284.7 billion in 2025-2026, and this was effective from 1 April. However, on Thursday, 25 April, National Treasury confirmed that the decision to increase VAT from 15% to 15.5% has been reversed. What does this mean for the increases to social grants announced during the 2025 Budget Speech? National Treasury said the decision not to increase VAT meant that the measures to cushion lower income households against the potential negative impact of the VAT hike now need to be withdrawn and other expenditure decisions revisited. 'To offset the unavoidable expenditure adjustments, any additional revenue collected by SARS [South African Revenue Service] may be considered for this purpose going forward.' SASSA GOLD CARDS REMAIN VALID Meanwhile, SASSA has confirmed that the gold cards remain valid following a directive issued by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). Additionally, the issuing of the Postbank black cards has been suspended indefinitely, and card replacement sites across the country are no longer operational. As previously reported, the deadline for the SASSA-issued gold cards was initially set for 31 December 2023. However, it was postponed to December 2024 and later to 28 February 2025, which was also extended to 31 May. Many beneficiaries reportedly had not yet switched to the new Postbank black cards. Portfolio Committee on Social Development chairperson Bridget Masango said the SARB instructed Postbank, with the guidance of SASSA, to ensure that beneficiaries who have not yet migrated to the black cards can use their gold cards and receive their grants and that there is minimal disruption while they are moving to alternative sources, such as their bank of choice. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
24-04-2025
- Business
- The South African
SASSA: Here are the SRD grant payment dates for April
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has released the payment dates for the R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant for April 2025. SASSA said that the approved beneficiaries for April will be processed from 25 to 30 March. The agency said beneficiaries are encouraged to view their status on the SRD website for the exact date that payment will reflect into their bank accounts. Normally, funds take about two to three working days to reflect in the beneficiary's account after payment has been processed. SASSA GOLD CARDS REMAIN VALID Meanwhile, SASSA has confirmed that the gold cards remain valid following a directive issued by the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). Additionally, the issuing of the Postbank black cards has been suspended indefinitely in sites across the country. The deadline for the SASSA-issued gold cards was initially set for 31 December 2023. However, it was postponed to December 2024 and later to 28 February 2025, which was also extended to 31 May. Many beneficiaries reportedly had not yet switched to the new Postbank black cards. Portfolio Committee on Social Development chairperson Bridget Masango said the SARB instructed Postbank, with the guidance of SASSA, to ensure that beneficiaries who have not yet migrated to the black cards can use their gold cards and receive their grants and that there is minimal disruption while they are moving to alternative sources, such as their bank of choice. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
