21 July 2026
Social Development Minister Dina Pule has defended SASSA’s controversial social grant review programme, saying the agency plans to review more than 350,000 grants this financial year while saving an estimated R1.5 billion for the state.
Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday, Pule acknowledged growing frustration among beneficiaries over long queues and grant review processes but insisted the measures were necessary to protect the integrity of South Africa’s social assistance system.
“I received complaints regarding our people standing in long queues in most of our offices and had to step in urgently to understand the cause and seek immediate intervention to bring back dignity and respect,” she said.
The minister said SASSA had identified more than 420,000 grants for review during the 2025/26 financial year through data verification and validation processes. Of those, more than 240,000 reviews were completed, while around 160,000 beneficiaries failed to comply with the review process.
“Simply put, social grant reviews help ensure that the right grant is paid to the right person, at the right time,” she said.
The reviews verify whether beneficiaries’ financial, medical or personal circumstances have changed and help prevent fraud, abuse and incorrect payments.
Source: IOL
