If you thought accessing your SASSA grants in 2025 was going to get easier, you’re in for a rude surprise in the New Year. This is the sentiment of the National Treasury which has cracked the whip on the Department of Social Development (DSD) and South African Social Security Agency.
Last week, the minister of social development’s hand was forced and she had to suspend the current SASSA CEO, replacing her with acting CEO Themba Matlou. He has 12 years’ experience as executive regional manager of SASSA in Gauteng. This action came despite calls from the agency that criticism towards the government entity over identity theft has been ‘over-exaggerated.’
SASSA GRANTS IN 2025
Nevertheless, government wants to see improved checks and balances at the agency to insure that SASSA grants in 2025 are going to valid beneficiaries, reports Business Tech. More than R4 billion was underspent and unaccounted for by the agency in the last financial year. And reports of SASSA staff and deceased beneficiaries unlawfully collecting grants did not help the CEO’s case.
In the meantime, the National Treasury will impose stricter conditions on the sector, following the passing of the Adjusted Appropriation Bill. At its core, the aforementioned bill hopes to ensure that any money lost to due social grant fraud can be legally reclaimed. Let that be fair warning to any skelms out there …
DATA CROSSCHECK
Expenditure on social development, and by extension all SASSA grants, is the second highest area of government spending. First is national debt, second is social welfare, third is health care. As a result, “The DSD needs to increase the use of large data crosscheck (with Home Affairs and banks) to improve assessment of income and better validate all beneficiaries,” says the Treasury.
Over the next three years, government has committed R1.1 trillion to social grants and welfare services. R358 billion in 2024/25 will rise to R418 billion by 2027/28. These figures include old-age pensions, child support grants, social relief of distress and all other welfare programs. Find out how to apply to them at the highlighted link above.
TAX SHORTFALL
Including the R370 SRD grant, 45% of the population (28-million residents) are already receiving social grants. And yet, the number of income taxpayers (approximately 7.5 million) is actually stagnating. Hence government’s new and extraordinary ways to keep SARS tax coffers full. No wonder the National Treasury identifies the situation as unsustainable in the long term.
It explains that government spending on social welfare only continues to grow without a corresponding increase in tax revenue. Moreover, the Treasury wants to see SASSA and the DSD working closer with other government institutions to strengthen the transition of grant beneficiaries to jobs and skills initiatives. With that in mind, click HERE to see what we predict will happened to SASSA grants in 2025 …
ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT GRANT ACCESS IN 2025?
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