Latest Sassa non-payment debacle blamed on beneficiaries submitting wrong banking details

Sassa communications officer Omphemetse Molopyane said they received complaints from beneficiaries who had not received their monthly payments. File Picture: Nokuthula Mbatha / Independent Newspapers

Sassa communications officer Omphemetse Molopyane said they received complaints from beneficiaries who had not received their monthly payments. File Picture: Nokuthula Mbatha / Independent Newspapers

Published Jan 10, 2024

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The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has blamed the latest round of grant non-payments on incorrect banking details provided by beneficiaries.

In a statement on Wednesday, Sassa communications officer Omphemetse Molopyane said they received complaints from beneficiaries who had not received their monthly payments.

"This was due to incorrect banking details provided when beneficiaries were applying for grants or changing their methods of payments," Molopyane said.

Sassa urged grantees to ensure that they provide the correct banking details when applying for social grants for the first time or making any changes to their personal details.

"Providing Sassa with incorrect banking details may delay the availability of the money into the beneficiary bank account," she said.

The agency further noted that bank verification must be done monthly with different banks as part of an industry practice.

"Should the details provided to Sassa differ from the details being verified during account number verification, a payment delay will occur," Molopyane said.

In cases where monies are paid out due to incorrect banking details, the grantee may apply for Social Relief of Distress funding at any Sassa office, which, by law, shall be recovered from the grand value once the account details have been resolved.

"This implies that Sassa will recover the Social Relief of Distress amount from the next available social grant payment," Molopyane said.

All affected grantees are urged to contact their nearest Sassa offices.

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