Approximately 11 692 beneficiaries of child support grants in the Free State are at risk of not getting a social grant payout for the cycle of June.
The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), in a statement issued, made it known that these individuals have been identified as potential double-dippers – earning an income whilst benefiting from the Sassa child support grant.
The grant is generally for children from birth to 18 years of age, and is suspended at the end of the month in which the child turns 18.
“Sassa, in collaboration with registered credit bureaus, has identified approximately 210 000 social grant beneficiaries nationally, including 25 612 in the Free State, who appear to be receiving an income that was not truthfully disclosed to the agency.
“These individuals are required to present themselves at their nearest Sassa local office for a grant review within 30 days from the date of this notice, in accordance with Regulation 30 of the Social Assistance Act. 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 Motshewa Maleka, acting provincial senior manager of Sassa.
She explained that the initiative aims at ensuring that beneficiaries confirm any changes in their financial circumstances and for them to update their personal details.
“It also seeks to address potential inclusion errors in the current social security system. A beneficiary may have qualified for a grant at the time of application, but improved material conditions over time may render them ineligible,” said Maleka.
Those affected are strongly warned that failure to comply with these requirements constitutes a violation of the Act and may result in corrective action. “The agency encourages all beneficiaries to disclose any alternative sources of income and to report any additional bank accounts not previously declared,” said Maleka.
Furthermore, beneficiaries still using the green barcoded identity document (ID) book are urged to replace it with the smart ID card, due to the increased risk of fraud associated with the older ID format.
For more information on grant reviews, beneficiaries are advised to go to the Sassa offices, contact the toll-free customer care line on 0800 60 1011, or send an email to GrantEnquiries@sassa.gov.za.
