The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has reminded social grant beneficiaries of a new fourth payment day introduced for those whose grants are due for review.

Ordinarily, SASSA spreads payments over three days, starting with Older Persons Grants, followed by Disability Grants and then Children’s Grants. The additional day now serves as a clear indicator for beneficiaries across all grant types who need to undergo a review.

In the July payment cycle, those who received their grants on 7 July – the fourth payment day – must visit their nearest SASSA local office promptly to complete the review process. Failure to do so could result in their grants being suspended in the next cycle.

Read more: Sassa announces June grant payment days

SASSA National Spokesperson Dr Paseka Letsatsi said the agency had noted that some beneficiaries remain unfamiliar with the fourth payment day and become concerned when their grants do not appear during the standard three-day schedule, despite receiving prior notifications.

Dr Letsatsi emphasised that SASSA sends bulk SMS notifications to all affected beneficiaries regarding grant reviews and eLife Certification for the relevant month. Their grants are then scheduled for payment on the fourth day.

“This month, for example, we paid Older Persons Grants on 2 July, Disability Grants on 3 July and Children’s Grants on 6 July. Beneficiaries who still needed to have their social grants reviewed or undergo eLife Certification were paid on 7 July, which is what we refer to as the fourth payment day,” he said.

He appealed to beneficiaries to respond immediately to any communication from SASSA requesting a review or eLife Certification through the self-service portal.

Dr Letsatsi also urged beneficiaries to update their contact details and residential addresses with SASSA whenever these change. The agency relies on the information provided at the time of application, and outdated details can prevent important messages from reaching recipients.

Social grant reviews and eLife Certification are required under Regulation 30 and Section 14(5) of the Social Assistance Act, 2004. These processes confirm continued eligibility and oblige beneficiaries to report any material changes in their circumstances, such as financial or marital status.

Also read: Sassa introduces biometric enrolment to curb grant fraud

The reviews play a vital role in preventing payments to deceased or ineligible beneficiaries, detecting fraud, and safeguarding public funds. They also help SASSA maintain accurate beneficiary information, which improves communication and service delivery.

For the August payment cycle, grants will be paid as follows:

Older Persons Grants on 4 August, Disability Grants on 5 August, Children’s Grants on 6 August, and the fourth payment day for those targeted for reviews on 7 August.

SASSA remains committed to ensuring timely payments to eligible beneficiaries while strengthening the integrity of the social grants system through regular reviews and an accurate beneficiary database. Beneficiaries with queries are encouraged to contact their nearest SASSA office.

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