JOHANNESBURG - September marks more than just the start of a new season, it will also usher in a new digital era for the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
From the 1st, all social grant beneficiaries will be required to undergo mandatory biometric enrollment.
The move, according to SASSA spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi, will speed up applications, improve efficiency, help eliminate fraudulent activities and strengthen the verification processes.
“We have committed ourselves to cleaning up our system so that by the 2025/26 audit, we are at least 95% , with no ghost beneficiaries,” he said.
In a statement on Monday, the agency announced that grant applications captured and approved from the 1st of September, will include biometric fingerprint enrolment or facial recognition through electronic Know Your Client (eKYC).
If there are applications without biometric data, they will be put into the review cycle.
Letsatsi has emphasised the agency’s readiness ahead of this system change.
He says they are confident the rollout will go smoothly, despite acknowledging risks such as hacking attempts or technical glitches.
Letsatsi has also addressed concerns about how elderly beneficiaries will adapt and promises SASSA officials will be on hand to assist.