DURBAN - The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is in the process of reconsidering the individual circumstances of public servants whose social grants were suspended.
Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said that during September 2021, a routine check revealed that a number of public servants were receiving social grants, while the agency did not have updated information on their income.
Sassa suspended these grants in line with the regulations, he said.
However, Letsatsi said it had since come to Sassa’s attention that many of those whose grants were suspended were in fact interns, Expanded Public Works Programme workers and general workers, whose income would not exclude them from receiving the grant.
“Sassa is in the process of reconsidering the individual circumstances of the affected beneficiaries and will reinstate their grants where indicated. However, all those affected will still be required to review their grants and provide updated information on their employment and marital status, to ensure compliance with the legislation. These reviews must be done at the local Sassaoffices,” he said.
Letsatsi further said that Sassa administered social grants in accordance with the provisions of the Social Assistance Act, 2004.
He said one of the requirements was that Sassa must ensure that the information utilised for grant payments is current and that grant payments were made only to those citizens who met the qualifying criteria.
“This means that every beneficiary has a responsibility to inform Sassa of any changes to their personal circumstances, such as changes to their marital or employment status,” he said.
Busisiwe MemelaKhambula, chief executive of Sassa, said the matter was receiving the necessary attention.
“We will do everything in our power to resolve this matter as soon as possible. However, we also wish to remind all beneficiaries that any change in their circumstances must be reported to Sassa as soon after the change as possible, to avoid a repetition of this situation”, she said.
Visit the SASSA website for more information regarding grants.
THE MERCURY