South Africa is a country where most people face poverty. According to the Stats SA 2023 report, 37.9% of people lived below the Lower-Bound Poverty Line in 2023, or about 23.2 million people.

In this case, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is a relief for those who are falling below the poverty line in 2026. The agency is offering eight social support grants, such as the SRD R370 grant.

SASSA is helping millions of citizens with its social relief grants, while many people try to take advantage of them. The grants are only for those who are eligible for them. Those who are not eligible should not apply for these grants.

However, SASSA has suspended more than 50, 000 social grants in the first quarter of 2026. Also, the agency has reviewed almost 100,000 beneficiaries, and 50% of them were not able to pass the review process.

To tighten this matter, the Treasury has pressured SASSA to strengthen its beneficiary reviews, verify eligibility more strictly, and remove grants from recipients who no longer meet the required criteria under the social assistance system.

50, 000 Failed SASSA Grant Applications in 2026

SASSA declined 50,000 applicants, but not only for ineligibility. Some beneficiaries did not complete the required review process, while others no longer met the eligibility requirements because their circumstances had changed.

Below are the main reasons identified for suspended or stopped payments.

Beneficiaries Did Not Respond to SASSA Review Requests

SASSA contacted beneficiaries who were selected for review to verify their personal and financial information. Some beneficiaries did not respond to these requests within the required period.

Failure to respond can prevent SASSA from completing the eligibility review. This can result in the suspension of grant payments.

Beneficiaries Failed to Attend Scheduled Review Appointments

Some beneficiaries were required to attend an appointment as part of the SASSA review process. Beneficiaries who failed to attend could not complete the required verification.

SASSA may suspend payments when a beneficiary does not complete the review process. The suspension can remain until the beneficiary provides the required information.

Beneficiaries’ Circumstances Changed

A beneficiary may have qualified for a grant when the application was approved but later experienced a change in circumstances. Changes in household income or other personal circumstances can affect eligibility.

SASSA reviews beneficiary information to determine whether the person still meets the requirements for the relevant grant. A change in circumstances can result in payments being stopped.

Beneficiaries Had New or Undeclared Income

The grant is also canceled for those who have received new income after their grant was approved. Income that was not previously reported can affect whether a beneficiary continues to qualify.

SASSA uses beneficiary information and verification processes to assess eligibility. If new income places a beneficiary outside the applicable requirements, the grant may be suspended.

Beneficiaries No Longer Meet the Means-Test Requirements

Certain SASSA grants have means-test requirements that consider a beneficiary’s financial circumstances. A person can become ineligible if their financial position changes after approval.

The review process helps SASSA identify beneficiaries who no longer meet the applicable income or asset requirements. Payments may be stopped when the review confirms that the eligibility conditions are no longer met.

What Steps Are Taken

SASSA has already reviewed 240,000 grants in 2026, with almost 50,000 grants suspended following the verification process. During its reviews and checks, SASSA identified 495,000 flagged beneficiaries requiring further attention. 

Following these findings, the National Treasury instructed SASSA to take stricter action against fraudulent and ineligible applications and strengthen beneficiary verification processes.

SASSA now verifies applicants with the following departments and institutions.

  • Banks
  • Credit bureaus
  • SARS
  • NSFAS
  • Government payroll systems
  • Correctional Services

Note: According to SASSA CEO Themba Matlou, the agency is saving approximately R44 million per month by strengthening security measures and beneficiary verification processes.