Sassa in KwaZulu-Natal conducting income verification checks in more than 100 000 cases
Sassa has provided an update on the income verification process for social grant beneficiaries in KwaZulu-Natal.
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The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) in KwaZulu-Natal has revealed that it is dealing with more than 100 000 cases where the income of social grant beneficiaries has to be verified.
This was revealed when Sassa officials briefed the Portfolio Committee on Social Development during its week-long oversight visit to the province.
KZN Regional Manager Thamo Mzobe said the income verification process was ongoing. The verification process is meant to ensure that grant beneficiaries are eligible for social grants.
She said that 38 officials at the Records Management Centre were reviewing 184,828 flagged cases.
Mzobe also provided insight on how the income checks were being carried out stating that information was being obtained from credit bureaus for economic activity while receiving grants, bank account details were being checked and identity document numbers were being verified with the Department of Home Affairs.
“To date, we have completed reviews on 77,287 cases, representing a 77% completion rate, and we are committed to finalising the remaining cases by the end of the financial year,” she added.
The Mercury reported earlier this year that some social grant beneficiaries had expressed frustration with the income verification process as it led to their grants being delayed while their details were checked.
Civic organisation Black Sash said it had received hundreds of complaints about the process.
Mzobe also added that the Beneficiary Biometric Enrolment (BBE) system was fully implemented as of 1 September 2025.
She added that the Beneficiary Biometric Enrolment (BBE) system was fully implemented as of 1 September 2025.
She explained that all 82 local offices in the region had been equipped with biometric fingerprint scanners and that 901 officials had been trained to operate the new system.
“Of these, 748 officials have already transitioned to the BBE platform, which enhances both security and efficiency in registering grant beneficiaries,” she said.
The Portfolio committee emphasised that these digital systems are vital to safeguarding the integrity and improving the efficiency of South Africa’s social assistance framework.