Social grants agency Sassa will introduce mandatory biometric enrolment for beneficiaries at its offices from 1 September.

Until now the system has only applied to applicants for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant and to beneficiaries whose grants are being reviewed by Sassa. Now it will be extended to all new applications. Beneficiaries who want to change their personal details will also have to enter biometric data such as fingerprints or facial scans.

Sassa spokesman Paseka Letsatsi said all grant applications captured and approved from 1 September would include biometric fingerprint enrolment or facial recognition through an electronic “know your client” (eKYC) process.

Sassa is “ramping up its efforts to improve its systems, and detect and effectively root out any fraudulent elements in the social grant administration,” Letsatsi said in a statement. He said Sassa had set up the necessary infrastructure and tools in all its offices to carry out the biometrics.

Already, beneficiaries whose cases are under review by Sassa – because of changes in their financial or personal circumstances – have to undergo biometric registration.

In May, Sassa said about 210 000 beneficiaries had been flagged after data from credit bureaus showed undisclosed income. Their grants are withheld until they complete an in-person verification at a Sassa office, but this has left eligible beneficiaries at risk of delayed or suspended payments.

During a briefing in July, Sassa also promised to extend operating hours and employ more staff as thousands of grant beneficiaries are called in for in-person reviews.

Fraud

Letsatsi said biometric data is being taken to ensure grant applicants are “authentic” and to reduce fraud and errors in Sassa’s systems. This is being done especially because it’s hard for staff at Sassa offices to detect fraudulent green ID books.

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He also said that Sassa is committed to paying the right social grant to beneficiaries. “The agency will not hesitate to act against any of its officials should they be suspected of working with anyone to defraud its systems,” Letsatsi added. – © 2025 GroundUp News

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