New SASSA verification system could be ‘devastating’

The process requires in-person reviews and biometric checks.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) moved to implement the new system after National Treasury warned that it may withhold funds if it fails to meet certain conditions, including income and database checks.

Evashnee Naidu, the KwaZulu-Natal Regional Manager of Black Sash, says poor communication from SASSA is challenging for beneficiaries.

“One of the key challenges that we are finding that SASSA and social grant beneficiaries are having with regard to this verification process, and for beneficiaries having to come in person, is the issue around communication,” said Naidu. 

“Whilst we know that SASSA is going to community radio stations as well as to mainstream radio stations and they're also trying to get access to beneficiaries by contact on SMS, we know that many of our beneficiaries do not maintain the same phone numbers; so sometimes this SMS does not go to the right beneficiary because people have changed their numbers.

“When they send communication directly to a beneficiary, the beneficiary may not have the necessary funds to go directly to a SASSA local office to check what the issue is that they need to have verified.” 

With nearly half the population relying on grants, Naidu warned that the country cannot afford an inaccessible system.

“Beneficiaries are only finding out about the fact that their grants are in jeopardy when they actually go on a payday to access their grant, and then the money is not available in their account.

“An automatic stop in payment will have a devastating impact on social grant beneficiaries.”

“This is the only lifeline the social grant beneficiaries have on a month-to-month basis to survive, and the national treasury taking the unilateral decision, which could also potentially be illegal if it's challenged in court and there are no proper reasons, could also ensure that the government itself is held to account and liable for the impact that it has on social grant beneficiaries.” 

Naidu urged the government not to take unilateral decisions when it knows that the poorest of the poor rely on grants.

“Black Sash is calling on the government to actually speak to beneficiaries to make sure communication is available and to be acting in the best interest of social grant beneficiaries.

“We understand that they want to eradicate fraud, but to pick on the poorest and the most vulnerable people because their systems are not working doesn't mean that the burden must now be placed on the beneficiaries to prove that they are actually poor and deserving of a grant.”

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