BRITS POS – BRITS - The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is deeply concerned by the upsurge in what appears to be unlawful deductions by financial service providers targeting social grants beneficiaries.
SASSA has been inundated with enquiries from its beneficiaries, stating that their grant money is consistently being deducted by various insurance companies that they have not signed up for, believing that the Agency is working with these companies.
CEO Themba Matlou has reiterated that SASSA has no authority to make any deductions on social grants without the consent of the beneficiaries.
“We have utmost respect for our beneficiaries and the Act governing social assistance in the country and we will never do anything to short-change our clients. Your money is your money, if you qualify for a grant, the money belongs to you and as SASSA we have no right, nor authority to dictate how you utilise it”, he emphasized.
Matlou also urges all beneficiaries who have fallen victim, to immediately visit the SASSA local office to report the matter for investigation.
In line with the Act, the Agency may allow only one deduction per month not exceeding 10 per cent of the value of the beneficiary’s social grant for a funeral policy issued by an insurer to be made directly from a social grant. The beneficiary of the social grant must consent to such deduction by electronic communication or any other means of communication and has to submit such consent by electronic communication or any other means of communication to SASSA.
It is important to emphasise that funeral deductions are not permitted from child-related grants, such as the Child Support Grant, Care Dependency Grant, or Foster Child Grant. Similarly, Temporary Disability Grants, are excluded from funeral deductions altogether.
For more information, visit www.sassa.gov.za or call our toll-free number: 0800 60 10 11 or email
