Cape Town, 14 July 2025 – Black Sash notes the briefing delivered by SASSA CEO Themba Matlou this morning on the agency’s ongoing review process of social grant beneficiaries and the suspension of payments to thousands of individuals. While we appreciate the attempt to explain the legal framework and rationale behind the reviews, the reality for grant recipients on the ground tells a far more troubling story, one that cannot be brushed aside by semantics, administrative language or internal justifications.
We acknowledge that SASSA has a legal obligation to ensure the integrity of the social assistance system and conduct reviews as prescribed by the Social Assistance Act. However, this does not absolve the agency from its constitutional duty to ensure procedural fairness, transparency, and dignity in how these reviews are carried out.
Despite the CEO’s claim that no grants have been suspended, we are witnessing a surge in complaints from beneficiaries who have been cut off without clear explanation or notification. Our Community Monitoring teams, based across the country and our national Helpline have been overwhelmed with distress calls from elderly persons, people with disabilities and caregivers, many of whom only discovered their grants had been “flagged” when their money failed to appear. This was further exacerbated by the impact of bank verification checks on Older Persons’ grants, which also impacted grant payment delays and added to the fear, confusion, and queues at SASSA local offices.
We reject the notion that SMSs and bulk communication are sufficient or effective. Many grant beneficiaries, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities have limited access to phones, network connectivity, digital platforms, or updated contact details which SASSA themselves note.
Black Sash has consistently called SASSA out on its poor communication strategy and bulk communication in a short time does not address the issue of beneficiaries not receiving their grants within a reasonable time in a way that SASSA can constitute adequate notice confirming that the beneficiary has been informed. It is the state’s duty to provide reliable, direct and accessible communication and not to shift the blame onto those who are most excluded from formal systems.
What SASSA’s Briefing Did Not Address:
- Where is the evidence of proper notice, as required under administrative justice provisions?
- Does SASSA have the necessary capacity to deal with influx of beneficiaries flagged for review, as we see queues of people growing at local offices with many being turned away, without being assisted?
- Why was the rollout of a 4th payment date not accompanied by public education or accessible notice to affected communities?
- Have SASSA staff been briefed on these processes and adequately trained to respond in a way that is supportive?
- What mechanisms are in place for appeals or immediate reinstatement for those wrongly flagged?
We also find the justification of “National Treasury conditions” deeply concerning. If fiscal austerity is driving the removal of people from the social grant system under the guise of fraud detection – this represents a direct threat to the constitutional rights of the poor and vulnerable. Fiscal accountability cannot come at the expense of people’s basic needs and dignity.
Black Sash does not oppose fair and lawful grant reviews. But a review process that results in confusion, exclusion and hunger without due process is not a review.
We call on SASSA and the Department of Social Development to:
- Pause further reviews until effective, community-based communication strategies are in place.
- Ensure that SASSA staff have been trained and have the requisite capacity to implement the review process at its local offices,
- Publish clear criteria for review selection and provide beneficiaries with accessible avenues to challenge decisions.Ensure that the affected beneficiary has received reasonable notice
- Commit to working with civil society and grassroots organisations to improve outreach and support mechanisms.
Social grants are not just a bureaucratic process, they are a lifeline, a constitutional right and a matter of life and dignity for millions. We urge SASSA to act swiftly and justly.
For media enquiries and interviews, contact Oliver Meth, Communications & Media Manager on 068 352 9045 or email oliver@blacksash.org.za