Sassa rolls out biometric fingerprint and facial recognition for grants
Biometric fingerprint and facial recognition enrolment becomes compulsory for all new Sassa grant applications, starting September.
Mandatory beneficiary biometric enrolment, fingerprints and facial recognition, will be rolled out at all South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) offices from September 1.
According to the agency, this move marks the beginning of a new digital era in social grant administration, and is aimed at strengthening systems against fraud and error.
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Sassa said the biometric enrolment will serve as a key step in detecting and preventing fraudulent activities within the grant system. The announcement follows extensive engagements with organised labour, which the agency confirmed has been successfully resolved.
Themba Matlou, CEO of Sassa, welcomed the conclusion of these discussions, in a media statement. “Our plans were to commence with biometric enrolment at the beginning of the 2025/26 financial year. However, we hit a snag. We have now ironed out the issues that delayed our plans, and it is all systems go for the implementation.”
The biometric enrolment initiative is expected to reduce fraudulent applications, prevent duplicate payments, and provide reliable verification of beneficiaries. It will also improve proof of life verification, streamline documentation processes, enhance audit outcomes, and boost public trust in the social assistance programme.
From September 1, all new grant applications captured and approved will include either biometric fingerprint enrolment or facial recognition through electronic Know Your Client (eKYC).
Applications submitted without biometric data will automatically be placed under review, with applicants notified to provide the required biometrics.
Sassa said it has already put infrastructure and tools in place nationwide and has been training frontline staff throughout August to ensure smooth implementation.
The agency reiterated its commitment to ensuring that the right social grant is paid to eligible beneficiaries, and warned that it will act against any officials suspected of colluding to defraud the system.
For more information, or grant enquiries, beneficiaries can visit Sassa.gov.za, or call the toll-free line 0800 60 101.
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