Latest news with #PasekaLetsatsi
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Sassa confirms removal of name from Ubuntu Life cards
Sassa on Tuesday unequivocally distanced itself from any association with Ubuntu Life. The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) says Ubuntu Life has removed the Sassa name from its cards, which allegedly misled beneficiaries. Sassa on Tuesday unequivocally distanced itself from any association with Ubuntu Life and refuted any claims or suggestions that the organisation was affiliated with, endorsed by, or contracted by the agency in any capacity. Meetings Ubuntu Life told The Citizen they had a series of 'constructive engagements' with Sassa representatives. 'We provided comprehensive clarification regarding our operations, affiliations, and compliance with all applicable financial services regulations.' ALSO READ: Sassa cracks down on beneficiaries flagged for not disclosing income Name removed Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi told The Citizen they have met with Ubuntu Life. 'We had an engagement with them, and I told them that they are using a Sassa logo on their cars, which is unauthorised because I don't have a contract with them. I also don't offer financial services. So the name Sassa has been removed from their cars. 'They told me that they removed the names Sassa on their cards, and I said if that is the case, I'm happy,' Letsatsi said. The agency has urged South Africans to remain vigilant and report any fraudulent activities. August grants Meanwhile, the agency is expected to disburse August social grants to beneficiaries in the first week of August. The agency administers more than 19 million grant payments, including the Older Persons Grant, Disability Grant, War Veterans Grant, Care Dependency Grant, Foster Child Grant, Child Support Grant, Child Support Grant Top-Up, and Grant-in-Aid. Older Persons Grant – Tuesday, 5 August 2025 Disability Grant – Wednesday, 6 August 2025 Children's Grants – Thursday, 7 August 2025 Sassa grant amounts: Old Age (60-74 years) and Disability grants – R2 315; Old Age (75+ years) Grant – R2 335; War Veterans Grant – R2 315; Care Dependency Grant – R2 315; Child Support Grant – R560; Foster Care Grant – R1 250; SRD Grant – R370 ALSO READ: More than 200 000 will experience Sassa grant delays — here's why
The Herald
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald
Sassa investigating clients thought to have other sources of income
The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is continuing to review the grants of beneficiaries who may be receiving other sources of income that have not been disclosed to the agency. These individuals appear to be active in the job market and have an income that exceeds the means threshold. Beneficiaries are urged to visit the local Sassa office to check their status. 'Beneficiaries who fail to comply with this process risk having their grants suspended. Continued noncompliance may lead to the permanent lapsing of their grants,' Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said. 'Failure to comply constitutes a violation of the social assistance legislation and may result in corrective action.' Letsatsi said the agency is reviewing its database to root out fraud and ensure they help those in need. No grant has been suspended yet, Letsatsi said. 'Sassa has amended the payment schedule for those beneficiaries who have been requested to come in for a review. From previous reviews, Sassa has become aware that most clients do not maintain their contact details with Sassa, and as a result often don't get notifications that the agency issues. 'While it is a legislative obligation for all beneficiaries to ensure that their contact details are always up to date, and they would have little recourse should their grant be suspended due to failure to respond to a notification issued by Sassa.' An additional payment date has been issued for those placed on review as a way to communicate the need for them to contact Sassa. Failure to contact the agency after two months would lead to the grant being suspended. 'During the time of suspension, the beneficiary has one month to approach Sassa should they believe they still qualify. After this period, the grant will be permanently cancelled and, depending on their circumstances, a fraud investigation will be opened.' TimesLIVE
IOL News
04-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
What South African pensioners should know about July 2025 SASSA grant payments
SASSA conducting a verification process of grant recipients Image: File Thousands of South African pensioners are anxiously awaiting their July 2025 SASSA Old-Age Grant payments, which were scheduled for Wednesday. This comes after the sudden suspension of grants for many in June. While the payments offer critical relief—R2 330 for those aged 75 and older, and R2 310 for those aged 60 to 74— the news follows rising panic over eligibility reviews, means testing, and widespread misinformation. What's happening with the old-age grants? While the July payments are expected to proceed as scheduled, many pensioners were left reeling in June when their grants were suspended without prior warning, prompting outrage from public representatives, civil society, and affected beneficiaries. According to SASSA spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi, the agency and registered credit bureaus flagged approximately 210,000 beneficiaries believed to have undisclosed income that might exceed eligibility thresholds. As a result, grants for June were withheld, and those affected were asked to report to their nearest SASSA offices within 30 days. Why were grants suspended? SASSA says the suspensions are part of an income verification initiative rooted in the Social Assistance Act, which requires all applicants to: Fully declare their income during application. Report any changes in their financial status thereafter. Failure to do so may result in the temporary suspension or permanent termination of grants. Confusion over reapplication and fake news Further fuelling panic was a viral video that falsely claimed pensioners must reapply for their grants or risk losing them after July 1, prompting large crowds at some SASSA offices. However, SASSA has dismissed these claims as misinformation and urged beneficiaries to wait for official confirmation. 'We urge beneficiaries to be aware and wait for official communication from SASSA. Any unauthenticated information should be treated as a rumour,' said Andile Tshona, SASSA's media manager. Income and asset thresholds: Do you still qualify? SASSA's verification process checks whether pensioners exceed the following income and asset limits: The income and asset limits for applicants are as follows: for a single applicant, the monthly income limit is R8,070 with an asset limit of R1,372,800; for a married applicant, the monthly income limit is R16,140 with an asset limit of R2,745,600. Grants may be withheld if recipients' income exceeds these limits, even if the money comes from temporary family support or informal income. Payment dates for July and beyond SASSA's official July 2025 grant schedule is as follows: Old-Age Grants: Wednesday, 2 July Disability Grants: Thursday, 3 July Children's Grants: Friday, 4 July Funds will remain in recipients' accounts once deposited, so there's no need to rush to withdraw on payday, SASSA has advised. Remaining payment dates for 2025: August: Tuesday, 5 August September: Tuesday, 2 September October: Thursday, 2 October November: Tuesday, 4 November December: Tuesday, 2 December This round of grant suspensions is part of cost-cutting and anti-fraud measures initiated by SASSA and the National Treasury, which now include: Monthly cross-referencing with Home Affairs, Correctional Services, and the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). Stricter enforcement of the asset and means test. Encouragement to move from green ID books to smart ID cards to reduce fraud. Despite a R280 billion allocation for social grants in 2025/26, the agency is under pressure to reduce misuse and tighten controls. How to secure or reapply for your grant If you were affected by a suspension or need to apply for the Old-Age Grant, ensure you have the following: Valid South African ID (smart card preferred) Proof of residence Bank statements (last 3 months) Evidence of marital status Proof of income or lack thereof Information on assets or private pensions UIF membership or past employment documentation Will or estate documents if a spouse has passed in the last five years You have 90 days to appeal any unsuccessful application or grant suspension. SASSA contact info For clarification or help: Toll-free: 0800 60 10 11 WhatsApp: +27 82 046 8553 Website: Email: [email protected] Provincial numbers: Eastern Cape: 043 707 6300 Gauteng: 011 241 8320 KZN: 033 846 3324 Western Cape: 021 469 0235 It is worth noting that the full list is available on the SASSA website. SASSA services are free of charge. Never pay anyone for assistance. If you suspect identity theft or fraud: Call the Anti-Corruption Hotline: 0800 701 701 Email: [email protected] SMS: 39772 IOL NEWS
The Citizen
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Sassa continues to review grants of targeted beneficiaries
THE South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) continues to review social grants of targeted beneficiaries suspected to have other alternative sources of income that were not disclosed to Sassa. These targeted beneficiaries are expected to present themselves at a Sassa local office where their eligibility will be reviewed. Also read: Sassa announces grant payment dates for July Sassa will ascertain whether or not they remain eligible for the social grant that they initially applied for. Sassa warned that beneficiaries who do not comply with this process risk having their grants suspended. According to Sassa beneficiaries are legally required to: Fully disclose all sources of income during their initial application. Beneficiaries are also obligated to inform Sassa of any changes to their financial circumstances after their application has been approved. Failure to comply with these requirements constitutes a violation of the Social Assistance legislation and may result in corrective action. Sassa has undertaken a review of its database and grant administration processes to root out fraud and ensure that assistance reaches those who are eligible. These reviews are specifically focused on individuals who: Appear to be active in the labour market. Whose incomes are close to or exceed the means threshold. Also read: eThekwini approves strategic land use and infrastructure plan Sassa's national spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said, 'It is also important to note that no grant has been suspended yet. Sassa has only amended the payment schedule for those beneficiaries who have been requested to come in for a review. 'From previous reviews, Sassa has become aware that most clients do not maintain their contact details with Sassa, and as a result often don't get notifications that the Agency issues,' said Letsatsi. Letsatsi said while it is a legislative obligation for all beneficiaries to ensure that their contact details are always up to date they would have little recourse should their grant be suspended due to failure to respond to a notification issued by Sassa. 'Sassa has thus issued this additional payment date, specifically for persons placed on review, as a means to further communicate with clients that there is a need for them to contact Sassa. Should no contact be made after two months, as per legislative requirements, only then will these beneficiaries' grants be suspended. 'During the time of suspension, the beneficiary has one month to approach Sassa should they believe they still qualify. After this period, the grant will be permanently cancelled and depending on their circumstances, a fraud investigation opened,' said Letsatsi. Also read: Southlands Sun 04 July 2025 Sassa encourages all beneficiaries to disclose any alternative sources of income and to report any additional bank accounts not previously declared. Beneficiaries still using the green bar-coded ID book are urged to replace it with the smart ID card, due to the increased risk of fraud associated with the older ID format. How to contact Sassa? For more information on grant reviews, clients are urged to contact the Sassa toll-free customer care line on 0800 60 1011 or [email protected], or their nearest Sassa local office. For more Southlands Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
02-07-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Sassa cracks down on recepients flagged for not disclosing income
Sassa said that about 210 000 people have been identified through credit bureau checks. The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is cracking down on beneficiaries suspected of having alternative sources of income that were not disclosed to the agency. Sassa in May said that about 210 000 people have been identified through credit bureau checks. Warning The agency stated that it was acting in accordance with the Social Assistance Act, which requires beneficiaries to declare all sources of income when applying for a grant and to report any changes after the grant has been approved. 'Failure to comply with these requirements constitutes a violation of the Act and may result in corrective action,' Sassa said. Grant suspension Now, in an effort to ensure that the right grant is paid to the right person, Sassa said these targeted beneficiaries are expected to present themselves at a Sassa local office where their eligibility will be reviewed to ascertain whether they remain eligible for the social grant that they initially applied for. 'Beneficiaries who fail to comply with this process risk having their grants suspended. Continued non-compliance may lead to the permanent lapsing of their grants'. ALSO READ: Sassa grants: Here are the July payment dates and amounts Review Sassa said it has undertaken a review of its database and grant administration processes to root out fraud and ensure that assistance reaches those who are eligible. 'These reviews are specifically focused on individuals who appear to be active in the labour market and whose incomes are close to or exceed the means threshold; particularly where such income was not disclosed at the time of application or where changes in circumstances were not reported thereafter.' Amended payment schedule Sassa's national spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi, also stressed that no grant have been suspended yet. 'Sassa has only amended the payment schedule for those beneficiaries who have been requested to come in for a review. From previous reviews, Sassa has become aware that most clients do not maintain their contact details with Sassa, and as a result, often don't get notifications that the Agency issues. 'While it is a legislative obligation for all beneficiaries to ensure that their contact details are always up to date and would have little recourse should their grant be suspended due to failure to respond to a notification issued by Sassa', Letsatsi said. ALSO READ: More than 200 000 will experience Sassa grant delays — here's why Letsatsi said the agency has issued an additional payment date, specifically for recipients placed on review, as a means to further communicate with clients that there is a need for them to contact Sassa. 'Should no contact be made after two months, as per legislative requirements, only then will these beneficiaries' grants be suspended. 'During the time of suspension, the beneficiary has one month to approach Sassa should they believe they still qualify. After this period, the grant will be permanently cancelled and depending on their circumstances, a fraud investigation opened', said Letsatsi. Disclosure Sassa has encouraged all beneficiaries to disclose any alternative sources of income and to report any additional bank accounts not previously declared. 'Furthermore, beneficiaries still using the green bar-coded ID book are urged to replace it with the smart ID card, due to the increased risk of fraud associated with the older ID format. 'Sassa reiterates its zero-tolerance stance on fraud and should there be evidence of any officials colluding with beneficiaries to defraud the system, immediate disciplinary and legal action will be taken to safeguard the integrity of the agency and prevent financial losses,' the agency said. Meanwhile, with half the year over, Sassa on Monday announced its July payment schedule, which will be welcomed by beneficiaries. Payments are expected to be made in phases over three days to avoid overcrowding at pay points and ATMs. More than 18 million people rely on grants from Sassa. ALSO READ: Ten of 11 accused in Sassa R260 million fraud case granted bail
