SASSA fails to pay more than 70 000 beneficiaries
10 January 2024
While more than 70 000 beneficiaries are still waiting to receive their January social grants from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the Agency has blamed this failure on yet another glitch – the alleged misinterpretation or failure to verify beneficiary banking details.
In September last year, another glitch left hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries without payment for weeks, and the fear for many of the unpaid Child Support Grant recipients are that they would only receive their funds in February, if at all.
For many mothers, the Child Support Grant is their only income and SASSA’s payment failure places additional strain on them at the start of the school year when they have to purchase school uniforms, shoes, and other supplies – never mind ensuring that their children do not become part of South Africa’s horrendous malnutrition statistics.
The DA has been inundated with concerns from beneficiaries that they might have to reapply and be without their funds for months. Their fears are further flamed and preyed upon by unfounded remarks that social grants will “likely disappear” should the ANC be voted out later this year.