Sassa said it remains committed to paying social grants to all eligible beneficiaries while strengthening the integrity of the grants
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The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has reminded social grant beneficiaries identified for grant reviews that they must visit their nearest local office after receiving their payment on the newly introduced fourth payment day or risk having their grants suspended.
The agency said the additional payment day is now part of its payment process for beneficiaries across all grant categories who are due for social grant reviews or eLife Certification.
Fourth payment day explained
Sassa said it normally pays social grants over three days, with Older Persons Grants paid first, followed by Disability Grants and then Children’s Grants.
However, beneficiaries selected for grant reviews are now paid on a fourth day instead.
During the July payment cycle, beneficiaries who received their grants on 7 July were those required to complete a grant review or eLife Certification.
“The agency has noted that some beneficiaries are still unfamiliar with the fourth payment day and often become concerned when their grant money is not paid during the normal three-day payment cycle, even though they would have received a notification,” said Sassa national spokesperson Dr Paseka Letsatsi.
He explained that Sassa sends bulk SMS notifications to beneficiaries identified for grant reviews and eLife Certification before scheduling their payments for 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 07 July, which is what we refer to as the fourth payment day,” he said.
Beneficiaries urged to respond to Sassa communication
Sassa urged beneficiaries not to ignore requests to undergo grant reviews or complete verification through the eLife Certification self-service portal.
Letsatsi also appealed to grant recipients to ensure their contact details remain up to date to avoid missing important communication.
“If your personal details change and you do not notify us, we will continue sending communication to the contact number or address on our records, believing that you will receive it,” he said.
The agency warned that beneficiaries who fail to complete their reviews after receiving payment on the fourth payment day could face suspension of their grants during the following payment cycle.
Why grant reviews are conducted
Sassa said social grant reviews and eLife Certification are conducted in accordance with Regulation 30 and Section 14(5) of the Social Assistance Act, 2004.
The agency said it is legally required to carry out regular reviews to confirm that beneficiaries continue to qualify for assistance, while beneficiaries are obliged to report any significant changes to their personal circumstances, including changes to their financial or marital status.
According to Sassa, the reviews help confirm continued eligibility, prevent payments to deceased or otherwise ineligible beneficiaries, detect fraud and protect public funds.
The agency added that the process also helps maintain the integrity of the social assistance system by ensuring support reaches those who genuinely qualify.
Keeping beneficiary information current also improves communication and service delivery, Sassa said.
August payment dates confirmed
Sassa also confirmed the payment schedule for the August grant cycle:
- 4 August – Older Persons Grants
- 5 August – Disability Grants
- 6 August – Children’s Grants
- 7 August – Fourth payment day for beneficiaries targeted for grant reviews.
The agency said it remains committed to paying social grants to all eligible beneficiaries while strengthening the integrity of the grants system through regular reviews and maintaining an accurate and reliable beneficiary database.
