The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) will roll out a new mandatory biometric enrolment system at all its offices from 1 September. This move is aimed at tightening security, preventing fraudulent activities, and ensuring that only legitimate beneficiaries receive social grants.
The Beneficiary Biometric Enrolment system will apply to new applicants, beneficiaries under review, and those updating personal details. According to Sassa, this system will transform the administration of social grants by eliminating fraud and duplication, while building stronger public trust in the grants system.
Sassa CEO, Themba Matlou, explained that although biometric enrolment was initially set to begin at the start of the 2025/26 financial year, delays pushed the rollout to September. “We have ironed out the issues that delayed our plans and it is all systems go for the implementation,” he said. He further added that the initiative will strengthen fraud detection and help root out forged identity documents that staff may struggle to identify manually.
In 2025, about 28 million South Africans (roughly 45% of the population) benefited from social grants. The introduction of biometrics will ensure that every recipient is verified and that Sassa’s systems are resilient against fraud and error.
Key benefits of biometric enrolment include:
- Reducing fraudulent applications and duplicate payments
- Authenticating beneficiaries with reliable proof of life
- Minimising inclusion errors
- Streamlining documentation processes
- Strengthening audit outcomes and record integrity
- Boosting public confidence in the Social Assistance Programme
From 1 September, all new applications will require fingerprint enrolment or facial recognition via electronic Know Your Client (eKYC). Applications without biometric data will be flagged for review, and applicants will be contacted to capture their biometrics. Sassa has already equipped its offices nationwide and is training front-line staff throughout August to ensure smooth implementation.
Matlou reaffirmed Sassa’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of social grants and warned that any officials found colluding in fraudulent activities will face consequences. “Our goal is a secure, accountable and trusted grant system that ensures support reaches the people who need it most,” he said.
