The agency, which provides monthly social support to over 18 million people, says the payments were made due to timing issues in its grant processing system.
Why Grants Were Paid to the Deceased
According to Sassa Chief Financial Officer Tsakeriwa Chauke, payment files are prepared at the end of each month to ensure grant beneficiaries receive their money at the beginning of the following month.
“Some beneficiaries may pass away between when the payment file is generated and when the payment is made, and they are included in the payment run,” Chauke explained.
Delays in Death Reporting Contribute to Issue
Sassa official Brenton van Vrede said the agency’s systems are fully integrated with the Department of Home Affairs, which records all registered deaths. However, delays occur when families fail to report a death in time.
“Although we are fully synchronised with Home Affairs, we are still dependent on citizens reporting a death,” said van Vrede.
He noted that while most deaths are captured, a small percentage are missed. These missed cases make up just 0.02% of the total grant budget.
Sassa Developing New Recovery System
To address the issue, Sassa is working on a new payment recovery system that will allow for bulk recalls of funds based on official death records. The system is expected to be tested in April 2025.
