The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is rolling out a new era in social grant administration with mandatory Beneficiary Biometric Enrolment starting 1 September 2025.
This move is designed to modernize the system, curb fraud, and ensure that every grant recipient is verifiably authentic.
The agency hopes the biometric checks—covering fingerprint or facial recognition—will be a game-changer in safeguarding the Social Assistance Programme and boosting public confidence.
Resolving Key Issues Before Implementation
SASSA has faced a range of challenges over the past months, especially during discussions with organised labour.
According to CEO Themba Matlou, these issues have now been resolved, clearing the path for the biometric enrolment rollout.
“Our plans were to start biometric enrolment at the beginning of the 2025/2026 financial year,” Matlou explained.
“We hit a snag along the way, but those challenges are now behind us. All systems are go for implementation.”
Why Biometric Enrolment Matters
The new system is more than just a high-tech upgrade.
Biometric enrolment is aimed at:
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Significantly reducing fraudulent applications and duplicate payments
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Ensuring that every beneficiary is a living, verified individual
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Minimizing inclusion errors and streamlining documentation
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Improving audit outcomes and record integrity
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Strengthening public trust in the Social Assistance Programme
Matlou stressed that the system is particularly critical for detecting forged green Identity Documents, which can be difficult for frontline staff to spot manually.
How the Process Will Work
Beneficiaries who do not provide biometric data will be placed in a review cycle and notified that they need to complete their enrolment.
This step ensures that only eligible and verified recipients continue to receive grants.
All SASSA offices nationwide are now equipped with the necessary infrastructure, and frontline staff have undergone training throughout August to guarantee a smooth rollout.
Strengthening Accountability
SASSA emphasized its commitment to paying grants to the right recipients while maintaining robust systems to prevent abuse. CEO Matlou warned that officials suspected of colluding to defraud the agency would face strict consequences.
“The agency remains resolute in safeguarding its systems and ensuring grants reach the people who genuinely need them,” he said.
Where Beneficiaries Can Get Help
For questions about grants or the new biometric enrolment, SASSA encourages beneficiaries to visit www.sassa.gov.za, call the toll-free number 0800 60 1011, or WhatsApp GrantEnquiries@sassa.gov.za.
With these new measures, SASSA aims to make South Africa’s social grant system more secure, efficient, and trustworthy than ever.
