The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) in Gauteng has issued a warning following growing allegations that social grant beneficiaries are being misled into signing documents that result in unauthorised deductions from their payments.
“We take these allegations very seriously as they suggest possible exploitation of vulnerable beneficiaries and undermine trust in the social assistance system, said Lungelo Mkamba SASSA Gauteng Region spokesperson.
The alarm follows circulating social media content, including a viral video in which a senior citizen claims she was deceived into signing documents that led to unexpected deductions from her grant.
The agency has stressed that it does not partner with insurance or funeral companies to enrol beneficiaries into financial products without their full knowledge and consent.
Officials say they have received multiple complaints from beneficiaries who have noticed unexplained deductions, often linked to funeral or insurance policies.
“Only one deduction, not exceeding 10% of a beneficiaries grant may be permitted for a funeral policy issued by a registered insurer and only where valid consent has been provided by the beneficiary”, Mkamba added.
Importantly, no deductions are permitted on child-related grants, including the Child Support Grant and Foster Child Grant.
The agency has urged beneficiaries who suspect they have been misled or did not authorise deductions to report the matter immediately at their nearest SASSA office.
“Beneficiaries can also send an SMS to 34548, with their ID number and insurance of funeral provider’s name. In addition, affected individuals are encouraged to contact the companies involved directly to cancel any unauthorised policies, Mkhamba highlighted.
SASSA says it is intensifying awareness campaigns to educate beneficiaries about their rights and to prevent further exploitation.
The agency also cautioned the public to be vigilant when approached to sign documents, advising them to seek clarity before agreeing to any financial arrangements linked to their grants.
In a further warning, SASSA clarified that it does not send officials door-to-door and that all legitimate services are provided through recognised offices.