SASSA distances itself from alleged funeral policy scam targeting pensioners

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has distanced itself from an alleged scam involving elderly grant beneficiaries who were reportedly persuaded to sign up for funeral policies after being promised food parcels.

The allegations emerged after reports that some pensioners had deductions of up to R240 taken from their social grants without their knowledge. The beneficiaries claim they were approached by individuals who allegedly presented themselves as being affiliated with SASSA and convinced them to sign documents.

SASSA spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said the agency does not authorise such schemes and emphasised that deductions can only be processed when beneficiaries have signed the required documentation.

According to Letsatsi, SASSA is legally obligated to process authorised deductions once a beneficiary has entered into an agreement with a service provider.

He explained that if the agency were to refuse to process a deduction that had been properly authorised and a dispute later arose over a claim, SASSA could potentially be held liable.

Meanwhile, SASSA Gauteng has also addressed concerns from beneficiaries in Johannesburg who reported not receiving their social grants.

The concerns were raised by beneficiaries visiting the agency's Soweto office at Maponya Mall, where some complained that their grants had not been paid.

Provincial spokesperson Lungelo Mkamba said many of the affected beneficiaries were likely impacted by the agency's ongoing social grant review process.

He stressed that grants are not automatically cancelled and that beneficiaries selected for review are formally notified by SASSA.

Mkamba explained that the review process is intended to verify that recipients continue to meet the qualifying criteria for social assistance.

He said grants may be temporarily suspended if beneficiaries fail to respond within the required timeframe. However, once the review process is completed and eligibility is confirmed, payments are reinstated.

According to SASSA, the Soweto local office has completed 432 grant reviews during the current financial year. Many beneficiaries who visited the office had already been notified about the review process but had not responded to the agency's requests.

SASSA has urged grant recipients to remain vigilant against individuals falsely claiming to represent the agency and to verify any requests for personal information or signatures before agreeing to any services.

The agency also encouraged beneficiaries to respond promptly to review notifications to avoid disruptions to their grant payments.