Parliament revealed sweeping changes in SASSA’s biometric rollout, with over 997,000 beneficiaries verified and thousands of grants suspended as government tightens social grant controls and reduces fraud risks.
Image: Sassa
SASSA's biometric verification drive has processed nearly one million beneficiaries since September 2025, leading to the suspension of 68,000 grants as the government allocates R302 billion for social grants in the 2026/27 financial year.
The developments come as the Department of Social Development confirmed a massive R302 billion allocation for the 2026/27 financial year, with R293 billion directed towards social grants as government continues to expand social protection amid rising living costs.
“The government has allocated R302 billion for the 2026/27 financial year,” Acting Social Development Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said during the Budget Vote presentation in the National Assembly, adding that the bulk of spending remains focused on direct support to vulnerable households.
The biometric rollout, which now spans SASSA’s 432 offices, forms part of a broader national effort to prevent identity fraud and ensure that only qualifying beneficiaries remain on the system. By March 2026, about one million new applications had already been processed through the system.
The figures were disclosed in a parliamentary reply by former Minister of Social Development Sisisi Tolashe, responding to questions from Democratic Alliance MP Bridget Masango on the implementation and impact of compulsory biometric enrolment.
According to Tolashe, “the number of social grant beneficiaries biometrically verified at local offices since the implementation of compulsory biometric enrolment for new applicants in September 2025 is 997,379,” with monthly figures showing steady uptake across the period.
She added that communication and notification processes are governed by existing regulations under the Social Assistance Act, while SASSA continues to expand awareness campaigns and digital systems.
However, the department clarified that while statutory communication procedures are in place, no standalone research report has been conducted on communication effectiveness, although SASSA continues to expand alternative outreach and digital engagement tools to improve beneficiary access to information.
While the rollout has expanded, concerns continue over access challenges, system failures and growing pressure at SASSA service points.
The department confirmed that suspensions and lapses linked to non-compliance are tracked quarterly, with 67,868 grants suspended in the third quarter alone, alongside thousands of additional cases that later lapsed across reporting periods.
Tolashe explained that enforcement follows a structured process, stating that “a grant is suspended 2 months after a beneficiary was notified to conduct a review and has not yet done so.
''If after suspension, the beneficiary still does not come forward to conduct the review, the grant will lapse after one month’s notice of such.”
Child Support Grants accounted for the highest number of affected beneficiaries at 37,825 in the third quarter, followed by Old Age Grants at 20,429 and Disability Grants at 7,908, as income testing of approximately six million recipients formed part of strengthened verification processes.
SASSA said most non-verification cases were driven by beneficiaries failing to respond to notifications, not completing life certification, or unsuccessful facial recognition attempts on online platforms.
In such cases, beneficiaries are redirected to fingerprint biometric verification at local offices.
The agency said it had recorded 7,779 complaints linked to its electronic facial biometric system, while confirming that no complaints had been received relating to fingerprint verification through official channels such as call centres and office help desks.
The department attributed facial verification issues to poor lighting, unstable connectivity, or missing biometric records at the Department of Home Affairs.
Alongside the verification drive, government is expanding digital and operational systems to improve service delivery, including increasing queue management coverage from 113 to 378 offices, with full rollout expected within the current financial year.
“As the agency expands this digital footprint, we are strengthening cybersecurity to protect beneficiary information and safeguard system integrity,” the department said.
Officials said SASSA is also developing a self-service digital platform that will allow beneficiaries to complete identity verification online and access personalised communication, alongside systems enabling beneficiaries to conduct their own grant reviews remotely.
The department further said stricter controls have already resulted in significant fiscal recoveries, with savings exceeding R1 billion through intensified fraud prevention and verification measures.
The agency has also condemned the illegal sale of queue positions at its offices, describing it as “unacceptable, unlawful and a serious exploitation of vulnerable members of society who solely rely on social assistance for survival,” warning that disciplinary and legal action will follow.