Gauteng MEC Faith Mazibuko recently addressed a common misunderstanding affecting many grant applicants. She recounted the case of a woman whose South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grant was discontinued due to rental income from rooms on her property being deposited into her bank account. According to Mazibuko, Sassa interpreted this as a consistent income stream, which disqualified the woman from receiving the grant.

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“The grant must go to the person who truly qualifies for it,” Mazibuko emphasised. “If you have rental income, even from backyard rooms, Sassa may assume you have a reliable source of income. That’s why you must submit an affidavit explaining the nature of that money.” Mazibuko was speaking on the side-lines during the recent Gauteng Social Development Department’s service delivery blitz event in Alexandra.

She advised that individuals in similar situations should complete a sworn affidavit detailing that the rental income is once-off or irregular, and that the income is not sufficient to sustain them long-term. She explained that the affidavit helps Sassa conduct a fair means test, which assesses whether an applicant’s income and assets fall below the threshold required for grant eligibility.

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On July 7, Sassa noted that, during the social grant review process, grants get momentarily delayed until a beneficiary has successfully completed the review process. The agency noted that the review is not a punitive measure intended to exclude deserving beneficiaries, but to ensure continued eligibility and prevent misuse of public funds.

“The review of social grants helps identify beneficiaries who may no longer qualify, due to changes in financial, medical, or legal circumstances,” Sassa CEO Themba Matlou said. “More importantly, reviews allow Sassa to detect and prevent cases where individuals continue receiving grants, despite being listed on payroll systems of other entities (public or private).”

Matlou further indicated that Sassa beneficiaries are legally obligated to inform the agency of any changes to their financial circumstances after the approval of their application. When your circumstances change, this may result in the suspension of your grant. Currently, the annual income threshold to qualify for the older persons grant is R107 880 per year for single individuals, and R215 760 for married couples, according to Sassa records.

Mazibuko noted that sometimes Sassa beneficiaries might get an inheritance, or a policy pay-out, adding that similar affidavit requirements apply in such cases. “It is a once-off payment. It will not sustain you for the next five years. A person like that is supposed to do an affidavit, noting that they have received the money through policies or inheritance.”

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