Sassa grant recipients forced to repay thousands after income threshold breaches

Grant recipients who are working while receiving social assistance payments are being forced to repay thousands of rands after exceeding income thresholds, with some facing demands exceeding R3 000.

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has implemented strict repayment policies that are leaving beneficiaries financially strained and questioning its communication practices.

Some Sassa grant recipients hit with massive bills

Quincie Gama — whose name has been changed — is a working mother who has been receiving the Child Support Grant since January. However, she discovered she owed Sassa a substantial amount when her payments suddenly stopped in May and June.

After being called in for verification, she was informed that her employment income had pushed her above the qualifying threshold.

“They said when I come I should have my bank statement, my ID copy and the baby’s certificate. They also said if I’m working, I should bring my payslip.

“I recently went to their offices and they verified my information. When they were done, they said because I’ve been working since January and I still got the Sassa grant, they’re going to stop the grant because my stipend is way above the Sassa grant means threshold,” Gama explained.

The financial impact was immediate and severe.

Sassa told Gama that she could make repayments of R560 per month as she had received grant amounts from January, totalling approximately R3 360.

The agency offered her two options: pay the full amount immediately before the end of June, or spread the payment over six months at R560 per month.

However, Gama said she was informed that choosing the installment option would incur interest charges.

“I don’t know which option to choose, because I definitely don’t have R3 000, I didn’t budget for it. But also paying in installments sounds draining and will cost more,” said Gama.

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Income thresholds vary by Sassa grant type

Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi explained that income thresholds differ depending on the specific grant and the applicant’s marital status.

For the Child Support Grant, single applicants must earn less than R5 600 per month or R67 200 annually, while married applicants face a threshold of R11 200 monthly or R134 400 annually.

“The income threshold varies according to the grant in question as well as the marital status of an applicant,” Letsatsi told The Citizen.

Repayment process and policies

When repayment is necessary, Sassa provides several options for beneficiaries.

Letsatsi outlined the available methods: recipients can approach any Sassa local, district, or head office to make arrangements.

Payment can be made at Sassa cash offices where available, through bank transfers to Sassa’s regional accounts, or via stop orders arranged directly through the beneficiaries’ banks.

“An individual can approach the Sassa local, district and head office to make an arrangement. The individual can pay at the Sassa cash office, however these are not available in all regions. He or she can also pay at the bank and in this case all Sassa regions have bank accounts. Lastly an individual can make a stop order by going to his or her bank and pay Sassa direct,” she explained.

Letsatsi explained that the agency operates under the Department of Social Development’s social assistance debtors policy that allows varying repayment periods.

When beneficiaries cannot afford to pay within the standard timeframe, extensions can be approved by delegated authority.

“Sassa has an approved social assistance debtors policy where it allows different periods to repay and where an individual cannot afford to pay within that period, a decision to allow more time can be approved by the delegated authority,” Letsatsi said.

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Interest and enforcement

Interest charges on outstanding amounts depend on the type of debt, with some not accruing interest at all.

When interest does apply, the rate follows National Treasury guidelines and fluctuates accordingly.

Beneficiaries who fail to meet repayment deadlines receive statements and reminder letters, after which they must approach the agency to rearrange their payment plans.

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Personal impact and communication concerns

For Gama, who visited the Pretoria local office, the repayment demand created significant financial strain.

Her experience highlighted concerns about Sassa’s communication with beneficiaries regarding income changes and grant eligibility.

“I feel upset because I feel like it’s something they should’ve communicated when you applied. They also could have included this fine line in the statement that they recently released regarding verification to warn beneficiaries.”

If you are not paid your social grant for the month of May 2025 please visit your nearest SASSA office, you may be required to complete a verification process if affected. #SASSAVerification#SASSACARES #ProtectYourGrant pic.twitter.com/Q17WTfIhDd

— SASSA (@OfficialSASSA) May 2, 2025

Gama said she wasn’t earning enough to be able to pull R3 000 from her own pocket. She added that the grant money being taken away from her was devastating and would set her back on her monthly budget.

“It is sad, you know, the money really helped a lot with the baby stuff, it really helped me push through the month, especially with covering things like baby porridge and purity and the likes.”

The situation was further complicated by administrative issues.

Despite not receiving payments for May and June, Gama was initially told she would need to pay for June as well, with a refund only possible after her bank statements confirmed non-receipt of those payments.

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Sassa grant eligibility requirements

According to Sassa, the Child Support Grant requires that primary caregivers be South African citizens, permanent residents, or refugees permanently residing in the country.

Both applicant and child must reside in South Africa, with the child being under 18 years of age. Documentation requirements include birth certificates for children and 13-digit barcoded identity documents for applicants and spouses.

Applicants must serve as primary caregivers and cannot apply for more than six non-biological children.

Furthermore, Sassa states that the child cannot be cared for in a state institution, and school-age children must attend school and provide proof of attendance, though failure to do so will not result in grant refusal.

The means test, implemented in line with the Social Assistance Act of 2004, ensures grants reach eligible beneficiaries by examining income sources and assets.

All grants, except foster care, undergo means testing, with requirements varying by grant type.

“The means test looks into sources of income and assets of the applicant,” Letsatsi confirmed.

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