Darks clouds are gathering around SASSA grants in 2025. Firstly, just nine-weeks away from the annual increase to SASSA grants in 2025, there’s still no official word on how much they will be. Moreover, late last year, Minister of Social Development Sisisi Tolashe had to suspend SASSA CEO Busisiwe Memela-Khambula with full pay, pending an investigation into misconduct.
Since the start of SASSA grants in 2025, there have been widespread complaints of a lack of South African Social Security Agency personnel to assist grant beneficiaries. Particularly when it comes to verification of disability and care dependency SASSA grants in 2025. Disabled beneficiaries had to wait in queues overnight in the hope of being served at their local SASSA branches.
SASSA GRANTS IN 2025
Speaking at a briefing in Cape Town earlier this month, Bridget Masango, Parliament’s Portfolio Committee chair said a full investigation into SASSA grants in 2025 is needed. She wants to see that officials found guilty of fraud and misconduct and brought to book, reports GroundUp. Late in 2024, two students uncovered massive blind spots within the SASSA R370 Social Relief of Distress grant.
They found vulnerabilities that could be exploited by anyone using an identification number of someone who’d just turned 18. However, these findings only prompted a haphazard investigation at best. For a social grant disbursed to upwards of 9-million people, costing the taxpayer hundreds of millions of rands each month, it only saw fit to spend R280 000 on its 30-day investigation.
FAILED INVESTIGATION
It’s no surprise that the investigation into SASSA grants in 2025 failed to answer any critical questions about the payment system shortcomings. The process was overseen by a Gauteng-based company called Masegare & Associates. However, you’ll see there is nothing on their website to suggest this is within their field of expertise. Moreover, the investigation into SASSA grants in 2025 failed to answer even the most basic questions:
- How are fraudulent SASSA applications being made?
- Why are so many succeeding?
- How many fraudulently grants were actually paid out?
- How are Shoprite and TymeBank applicants allegedly getting approval?
- Are any steps being taken to recover fraudulent payouts?
- Most critically, why is the website that runs all SASSA SRD applications registered in Pakistan? From an IT point of view it’s not reputable. And could the source of fraudulent applications even be outside the country?
FULL PROBE REQUIRED
As a result, MP Masango says the investigation must extend beyond SRD payments. The department has been given more time to conduct a thorough investigation into fraud and corruption allegations. And the committee will discuss a deadline for the matter at its first sitting next month in February. Furthermore, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will be looked into, because fraudulent ID numbers may be coming from there. Masango stresses that any officials found guilty of fraud or misconduct must be held accountable.
Furthermore, Masango says queue management at SASSA branches and the SASSA call centre is completely ineffective. The committee called 212 SASSA offices nationwide, but only one of the offices answered the phone. Plus, the SASSA online application portal was reportedly shelved due to loadshedding. So, why is it not operable at 100% as South Africa nears 300 days without power-cuts?
WHAT DO YOU THINK NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO IMPROVE SASSA’S SERVICES?
Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below or by emailinginfo@thesouthafrican.com. Or WhatsApp your thoughts on this article to 060 011 0211. Don’t forget to follow The South African for the latest FREE-to-read content.
