By Dylan Bettencourt
- Sassa used credit bureau checks to track 210,000 grant beneficiaries suspected of hiding income.
- Beneficiaries who don’t respond to review requests within two months will have their grants suspended.
The South African Social Security Agency is using credit bureau checks to hunt down 210,000 grant beneficiaries suspected of hiding their income.
Sassa is said to use credit bureaus to track bank deposits, employment records and loan payments of people receiving grants.
The agency is targeting beneficiaries who appear to be working but have failed to declare their income when applying for social grants.
Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said beneficiaries flagged by the system must present themselves at local offices for review or risk losing their grants permanently.
“Beneficiaries who fail to comply with this process risk having their grants suspended. Continued non-compliance may lead to the permanent lapsing of their grants,” said Letsatsi.
The credit bureau checks look for regular salary deposits, UIF contributions, active loan repayments and tax records that suggest people are earning above the R624 monthly threshold.
Sassa can reject or reverse grant approvals if these checks show monthly income above the limit or formal employment.
Signs that Sassa believes you’re working include monthly salary payments into your bank account, recent UIF claims, appearing on employer payroll systems, or paying back personal loans through debit orders.
The agency has amended payment schedules for targeted beneficiaries as a warning that they need to contact Sassa.
Those who don’t respond within two months will have their grants suspended. After suspension, beneficiaries have one month to prove they still qualify before grants are permanently cancelled.
“During the time of suspension, the beneficiary has one month to approach Sassa should they believe they still qualify. After this period, the grant will be permanently cancelled and, depending on their circumstances, a fraud investigation opened,” Letsatsi said.
Sassa is also urging beneficiaries still using green bar-coded ID books to replace them with smart ID cards due to increased fraud risks.
The agency has warned that officials caught working with beneficiaries to defraud the system will face immediate disciplinary and legal action.
More than 18 million people rely on Sassa grants.
Pictured above: Sassa card.
Image source: File
