- Sassa says only 1,815 refugees across the country currently get social grants, despite fake numbers shared widely on social media.
- Police say fake claims about undocumented foreigners getting government money caused the violent protests in Soweto and Durban this month.
Fake claims about social grants are causing violence in South African streets.
Police say rumours about undocumented foreign nationals getting government money caused the violent protests in Soweto and Durban this month.
The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has shut down the claims.
Sassa says undocumented foreign nationals do not receive social grants.
Spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi told eNCA that the agency only pays refugees who qualify.
“Only 1,815 refugees receive social grants, not the numbers circulating on social media,” Letsatsi said.
He said these grants are not permanent.
The Sassa verification system removes anyone whose status cannot be verified within six months.
The confusion started after a Constitutional Court ruling on 7 July.
The court ruled that asylum seekers cannot be blocked from applying for asylum just because they do not have certain documents.
They also cannot be turned away for missing the five-day reporting window or for entering the country at an undesignated border.
But the court said each claim must still be checked.
Applying for asylum does not mean a person will get it.
On 7 October, the Department of Home Affairs shut down claims that the ruling gave asylum seekers citizenship or blanket legal status.
Home Affairs has now handed the matter over to the Electoral Commission of South Africa.
Sassa rules for the R370 grant have not changed since 2022.
The grant is for South African citizens, permanent residents, recognised refugees, special permit holders, and asylum seekers with valid section 22 permits.
Sassa CEO Themba Matlou asked people to check official government channels before sharing false information.
