SASSA urges 210k grant recipients who earn above specific thresholds to 'come forward' and 'do the right thing'
Affected beneficiaries won't receive grant payments. SASSA urges those identified not to ‘run away’ as it is willing to engage cordially.
A South African Social Security Agency office in Pretoria. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/Eyewitness News
CapeTalk and 702's Africa Melane speaks to Paseka Letsatsi, Head of Communications at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
Listen below:
About a month ago, SASSA identified through credit bureau checks almost 210,000 grant recipients who did not communicate a change in earnings.
SASSA said it was acting in terms of the Social Assistance Act, which requires beneficiaries to declare all sources of income when applying for a grant and to report any changes after the grant has been approved.
Individuals identified were once eligible for SASSA grants; however, they failed to inform the agency of changes to their employment status and/or income exceeding the threshold for grant recipients.
South Africans earning above specific thresholds do not qualify for certain SASSA grant payments.
According to the South African Government, these are the financial thresholds making South Africans eligible for certain grant payments:
- Should not not earn more than R86 280 per annum, if you are single or R172 560 per annum if married.
- Should not have assets worth more than R1 227 600 if you are single or R2 455 200 if you are married.
- Should not earn more than R223 200 a year, if you are single.
- Your combined income should not be above R446 400 a year if you are married.
- Should not earn more than R52 800 per year if you are single.
- If you are married, your combined income should not be above R105 600 per year.
- Should not earn more than R86 280 if you are single or R172 560 if married.
- Should not have assets worth more than R1 227 600 if you are single or R2 455 200 if you are married.
- Should not earn more than R 86 280 per year, if you are single or R172 560 if married.
- Should not have assets worth more than R 1 227 600 if you are single or R 2 455 200 if you are married.
The agency said it's still reviewing beneficiaries suspected of having alternative sources of income.
The affected beneficiaries will not receive grant payments in June’s payment cycle, which started on Tuesday, 3 June. Individuals will have 30 days to visit their nearest SASSA office for a review.
Flagged grant recipients must 'present their case' by bringing their ID and three months' bank statement to the office.
ALSO READ: Flagged SASSA beneficiaries must present case or grants will be cancelled
Letsatsi explains that the 210,000 grant recipients earning additional income will be 'reconciled' in the coming weeks based on the number of people who come forward to clear up their standing with SASSA.
"We are going to reconcile the number in the next two to three weeks because we want to see who is committed to make an arrangement with the agency."
- Paseka Letsatsi, Head of Communications - SASSA
"We are still at a cordial stage and people must not be afraid to come forward. We have not escalated this situation, we are just engaging with them and asking them to come forward and do the right thing."
- Paseka Letsatsi, Head of Communications - SASSA
"We expect people to be honest and say, 'I'm now employed, can you kindly remove me from the system'... We want to advise the public that we work together with other government agencies; the Department of Home Affairs, credit bureaus, banks... We have systems that pick up that you are getting income, and people need to understand that it is illegal to attempt to cheat the system."
- Paseka Letsatsi, Head of Communications - SASSA
"We know that the public is bleeding and we need to make sure that each and every cent is used properly."
- Paseka Letsatsi, Head of Communications - SASSA
Letsatsi explains how this became an issue.
"When you make an application for a social grant, there is a section in the form which says when your condition changes, you are obliged to inform the organisation. In this instance, we say, when you change your contact details, you need to inform us. Secondly, if your condition changes and you get employed, you need to make sure to inform us so the necessary steps can be taken to remove you from the current system."
- Paseka Letsatsi, Head of Communications - SASSA
"... we have taken a step to enforce the regulation... when a person earns money over a particular threshold, they need to be removed from the current system..."
- Paseka Letsatsi, Head of Communications - SASSA
Should individuals not come forth once their grants have been suspended, the matter will be escalated, although, the process is not yet at the escalation phase.
Letsatsi urges individuals in this position to come forward so an arrangement and acknowledgement of debt with SASSA can be clarified and a 'plan can be worked out to pay back the money'.
"We don't want to escalate the situation... we have suspended the grant, we have not stopped it permanently. We have suspended it so we can have an engagement with them. If we have to escalate it, it will have to involve other government law enforcement agencies for investigations, but SASSA has not arrived at this stage yet. We have not escalated, so don't run away from us..."
- Paseka Letsatsi, Head of Communications - SASSA
The crackdown follows updated conditions introduced by the National Treasury for the management of social grants, including monthly income checks using banks and government databases.
SASSA urges grant recipients to disclose alternative sources of income and undeclared bank accounts.
How to contact SASSA:
Call the toll-free helpline on: 0800 601 011.
You can also email: grantenquiries@sassa.gov.za
For WhatsApp enquiries, you can use the number: 0600 123 456.
Find more information on the SASSA website.
Visit a SASSA near you:
Western Cape
Golden Acre, Adderley Street, Cape Town
Contact number: 021 469 0235
Gauteng
28 Harrison Street, Johannesburg
Contact number: 011 241 8320
Mpumalanga
18 Ferreira Street, Nelspruit
Contact number: 013 754 9446
Eastern Cape
1st Floor Waverley Office Park, 3-33 Phillip Frame Road
Contact number: 043 707 6335
Kwa-Zulu Natal
1 Bank Street Pietermaritzburg
Contact number: 033 846 3400
North West
SASSA House, University Drive, Mmabatho
Contact number: 018 388 4006
Free State
African Life Building, 75 St Andrew Street, Bloemfontein
Contact number: 051 410 8339
Limpopo
43 Landros Mare Street, Polokwane
Contact number: 015 291 7509
Northern Cape
95-97 Du Toitspan Road, Kimberley
Contact number: 053 802 4919
Flagged grant recipients have until the end of July to present their case...
Grant recipients have until the end of July to present their cases or risk having their grants permanently cancelled.
Depending on the circumstances they may also face charges of fraud.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.