Grant Beneficiaries Face SASSA Review Hurdles As Black Sash Raises Concerns

Human rights organisation Black Sash is urging social grant beneficiaries to respond to review notices from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), despite difficulties many are experiencing when trying to access the agency's services.

Black Sash has reported an increase in calls from distressed beneficiaries regarding SASSA's grant review process, which was introduced last year to verify whether recipients continue to meet the requirements for financial assistance.

Kgothatso Sibanda, manager of the Black Sash helpline, said beneficiaries had reported several obstacles, including the cost of travelling to SASSA offices, long queues, unreliable network coverage and administrative delays.

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"The biggest problem that beneficiaries have encountered is lack of capacity at SASSA local offices, and systematic glitches. You find that the offices are offline and, therefore, cannot assist the people that are there."

SASSA spokesperson Andile Tshona said measures had been put in place to assist beneficiaries experiencing difficulties with the review process.

"We encourage our beneficiaries to use these services by ensuring that they indicate to SASSA that they would like an official to visit them at their homes, as well as to appoint someone as their procurator."

Tshona said 1,000 SASSA officials were being deployed across the country to assist with social grant reviews and other services.

Pensioner Describes Difficulties Accessing Foster Care Grant

The difficulties reported by Black Sash come as some beneficiaries continue to describe problems accessing SASSA services.

Angie Jacobs, a pensioner from Athlone, said she had been trying for years to obtain a foster care grant for three children in her custody.

Jacobs was at SASSA's Athlone local office on Thursday after previously being directed to different offices while trying to resolve her application.

"It's been a real battle... I was in Cape Town; they refused to help me because they said I lived in Athlone. I came to Athlone three or four times already."

She said repeated trips to SASSA offices had also resulted in additional transport costs without resolving the matter.

"Some people are here from 4:30am. I got here at about 6am in all cases, and every time I just got turned away."

SASSA Points To Additional Support

SASSA said it had introduced measures intended to address concerns raised by beneficiaries, including the deployment of additional staff at its offices.

The agency said the 1,000 officials being deployed nationally would assist with grant reviews as well as other services.

SASSA has also advised beneficiaries who face difficulties travelling to its offices to request a home visit by an official or appoint a procurator to act on their behalf.

Black Sash's appeal comes as beneficiaries are being asked to engage with the review process, despite the operational and administrative challenges reported at some SASSA offices.