Over 180 000 SASSA Grants Under Scrutiny as Biometric Checks Begin in KZN

Many South Africans rely on social grants, but fraudulent claims and undeclared income have affected the system’s fairness. To protect legitimate beneficiaries, SASSA KwaZulu-Natal has introduced a biometric verification system that tightens identity checks, reduces fraud, and improves trust in the payment process.

Over 180 000 Grant Cases Under Review

The KwaZulu-Natal regional office of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is reviewing more than 180 000 grant cases as part of a major income verification process. This comes after the Portfolio Committee on Social Development’s oversight visit to the province in October 2025.

The review targets cases where beneficiaries may have failed to declare income or are “double-dipping” by receiving grants they no longer qualify for. These checks ensure that government support reaches those who truly need it.

Biometric Enrolment Strengthens Security

SASSA has fully implemented the Beneficiary Biometric Enrolment (BBE) system across all 82 local offices in KwaZulu-Natal. According to Regional Manager Thamo Mzobe, 901 officials have been trained, with 748 already using the new platform. Each office now has fingerprint scanners to verify beneficiary identity and prevent duplication or fake IDs.

Strong Progress in Case Reviews

Out of 184 828 flagged cases, 77 287 have already been finalized, a 77% completion rate. The rest are under active review, with completion expected by the end of the financial year.

Cases flagged for review include:

• Credit bureau alerts showing economic activity during grant receipt.
• Multiple bank accounts linked to the same ID.
• Duplicate identity numbers or forged documents.

To manage this workload, 38 officials have been deployed to the regional records management centre to oversee the process.

Part of a National Modernisation Plan

The biometric enrolment system is part of SASSA’s broader effort to modernise operations and improve data accuracy. In June 2025, SASSA paid out over 19 million social grants to 12 million beneficiaries, covering child support, disability, old-age, and SRD grants.

The new system ensures:

• Verified identity and proof of life.
• Reduced fraud and inclusion errors.
• Faster processing and better record management.
• Public confidence in fair distribution of funds.

Committee Commends SASSA KZN

The Portfolio Committee on Social Development, led by Chairperson Bridget Masango, commended SASSA KZN for its progress. Masango said digital tools like biometric verification strengthen transparency and accountability, helping the agency deliver more efficient services to South Africans in need.