The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has distanced itself from an alleged scam targeting elderly social grant beneficiaries, warning the public to be cautious of individuals falsely claiming to represent the agency.
According to reports, some pensioners were allegedly persuaded to sign documents for funeral policies after being promised food parcels. The beneficiaries later discovered that deductions of up to R240 had been made from their social grants without their knowledge.
SASSA spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said the agency is not involved in such schemes and only processes deductions when beneficiaries have signed the required documentation.
Letsatsi explained that SASSA is legally obligated to process authorised deductions and cannot refuse to do so once a beneficiary has agreed. He noted that failure to process valid deductions could expose the agency to legal liability if insurance companies later refuse to honour claims.
The agency has urged beneficiaries to carefully read and understand any documents before signing them and to avoid sharing personal information with individuals who claim to be acting on behalf of SASSA without proper identification.
Meanwhile, SASSA in Gauteng has addressed concerns from Johannesburg beneficiaries who recently reported not receiving their social grants. The agency clarified that many of these cases are linked to the ongoing social grant review process.
The clarification follows complaints from beneficiaries at the Soweto office at Maponya Mall regarding the non-payment of grants. SASSA stressed that grants are not automatically cancelled and that beneficiaries selected for review are formally notified.
Gauteng SASSA spokesperson Lungelo Mkamba, said the review process is designed to verify that beneficiaries still meet the requirements for receiving grants. He explained that grants may be temporarily suspended if beneficiaries fail to respond to review notifications within the required timeframe.
However, Mkamba assured beneficiaries that grants are reinstated and payments resumed once the review process is completed and eligibility is confirmed. He revealed that the Soweto local office has completed 432 grant reviews during the current financial year, with many beneficiaries only responding after their grants had been flagged for review.
SASSA has encouraged all beneficiaries to respond promptly to review notices and to report any suspicious individuals or activities claiming to be associated with the agency.
The agency reiterated its commitment to protecting beneficiaries and ensuring that social grants are distributed fairly and in accordance with the law.
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