The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) will delay June grant payments for approximately 210 000 beneficiaries who have not fully disclosed their income.

Heidelberg Nigel Heraut reports that the move follows a joint investigation with registered credit bureaus that identified potential irregularities in which some social grant recipients may be receiving alternative income that was not truthfully declared at the time of application, or subsequently.

Under the Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004, all grant applicants are legally required to disclose all sources of income during the application process and to report any changes in their financial status after approval.

Failure to do so constitutes a breach of the Act and may result in corrective action.

As part of the ongoing review, affected beneficiaries must report to their nearest Sassa local office within 30 days from the notice date for a mandatory grant review, as required by Regulation 30 of the Act.

Non-compliance may result in grant suspension, and continued failure to act could lead to the permanent lapsing of the grant.

The initiative aims to ensure that beneficiaries update their personal and financial information, and it forms part of Sassa’s effort to correct potential inclusion errors in the system.

According to the agency, while a person may have qualified for assistance at the time of application, an improvement in financial circumstances may render them ineligible over time.

Sassa has urged all beneficiaries to disclose any additional sources of income or undeclared bank accounts as soon as possible.

In a related advisory, Sassa is also encouraging beneficiaries still using the green bar-coded ID book to replace it with the smart ID card, citing the increased fraud risk associated with the outdated ID format.

The agency has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance approach to fraud. Should there be any evidence of Sassa officials colluding with beneficiaries to defraud the system, disciplinary and legal action will follow to preserve the integrity of the agency.

For questions about the review process, beneficiaries are urged to contact the Sassa toll-free line at 0800 60 1011 or email grantenquiries@sassa.gov.za.

Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.

Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.