The SASSA review system has come under scrutiny yet again, as the agency vows increased stricter action in 2027. One reader of The South African, Rita Cronje, gives insight into what the process feels like from the queue.

Her grant was stopped in August 2026, she says, so she emailed her Limpopo office. To which the reply was she had to report to a local branch for SASSA review. “I spent three days standing in the heat to finally query my August grant,” she said.

Thinking the process was resolved, she received her September and October grants. However, August, the very month in question, is still to materialise in her bank account. The most frustrating part? The agency simply says she needs to return to a SASSA branch to rectify the original review.

SASSA REVIEW STRUGGLES

So, what exactly is happening with the SASSA review process? And why does the South African Social Security Agency appear to be so scattered on the matter?

  • February 2026: SASSA told Parliament it had reviewed about 240 000 grants and suspended about 70 000. About 495 000 beneficiaries had been flagged by income verification technology.
  • April to June 2026: SASSA put 105 600 beneficiaries under review and suspended 56 807, that’s about 54%.

As ever, the agency insists it doesn’t cancel grants ‘abruptly.’ However, it appears the knock-on effect is that payments may become delayed over successive months. And it is this exact scenario that Cronje is tangled up in.

NATIONAL TREASURY’S TARGET Finance Minister Gondongwana did not okay any October 2026 top-ups for the first time in two years. Image: File

Moreover, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s October 2026 MTBPS counted R13 billion in expected savings from SASSA reviews. That and fraud detection make up the biggest part of a R38 billion budget adjustment over the medium term to 2030. Plus, the Treasury wants to see stricter verification cut ‘core’ beneficiary numbers from 17.8 million in 2026/27 to 17.1 million by 2029/30, saving a further R6.2 billion.

Meanwhile, the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) say the SASSA review system is ‘arbitrary’ and in some cases ‘unconstitutional.’ They argue the process creates burden, so, are there better ways to do it?

  • Why do one-time stokvel payouts and/or family gifts trigger suspensions? Should single, one-off lump-sum deposits be treated differently from regular income?
  • Is there a faster digital route for SASSA review? SRD applicants can check status and appeal online, but permanent grant recipients can only travel to an office.
  • Could there be a secure upload portal documents, with a reference number and call-back system?

SASSA pretends in its promotional material that it pays grants to “reach the right people at the right time and place.” However, for pensioners like Rita Cronje, stuck in the heat for days with nothing to show for it, there doesn’t appear to be a ‘right time.’

But what do you think? Can the SASSA review process be handled better? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below …