Black Sash urges South Africans to act on SASSA grant review notices

Human‑rights organisation Black Sash is urging South African social‑grant beneficiaries to act on review notices that the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has been issuing as part of its verification process.

Spike in calls to Black Sash helpline over SASSA review process

Black Sash reports a marked increase in calls from grant recipients who say they are distressed by the review process that SASSA introduced last year to confirm continued eligibility for financial aid. The organisation’s helpline manager, Kgothatso Sibanda, said the surge reflects growing anxiety about whether beneficiaries will receive their payments on time.

Beneficiaries cite transport costs, long queues and poor network coverage

According to Sibanda, callers repeatedly mention the expense of travelling to the nearest SASSA office, the time lost waiting in “long queues” and the difficulty of staying in contact when mobile‑network coverage is unreliable. These factors, she says, leave many people unable to complete the verification steps that the review requires.

“The biggest problem that beneficiaries have encountered is lack of capacity at SASSA local offices, and systematic glitches. You find that the offices are offline and, therefore, cannot assist the people that are there,” Sibanda told reporters.

Office capacity shortages and technical glitches compound the problem

Black Sash says that understaffed local offices and recurring technical failures mean that even when beneficiaries reach a centre, the service may be unavailable. The organisation describes these “systematic glitches” as causing offices to go “offline,” effectively cutting off any on‑site assistance.

Because of office closures and delays, some callers have had to make multiple trips to a SASSA centre, stretching already thin personal resources and prolonging the time it takes to receive a decision on their grant status.

What Black Sash is urging beneficiaries to do

The group’s public appeal is simple: anyone who has received a review notice should respond promptly, whether by visiting a SASSA office, submitting the required documentation or seeking support through Black Sash’s helpline. Black Sash emphasises that timely action is important, but it does not cite an official SASSA statement on what will happen if a notice is ignored.

No official comment from SASSA

At the time of writing, SASSA has not issued a public comment on the surge in complaints or on the operational challenges highlighted by Black Sash. The agency’s silence leaves beneficiaries without clear guidance on how to navigate the review process amid reported capacity and technical issues.