Minister Pule vows to end long Sassa queues and restore dignity

Pule says grants are not merely payments but poverty lifeline as agency flagged 420000 grants and failed 160000 in past year. The newly appointed Minister of Social Development, Dina Pule, has vowed to end long queues and restore dignity to Sassa beneficiaries, announcing reviews, digital updates and 1000 new workers to improve service. Pule said on Tuesday that she wanted to speak directly to the millions of South Africans who depend on social grants to assure them that the department has listened to their recent complaints. She said this during a media briefing held at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS). Sassa grants are not merely payments but poverty lifeline – Pule “Social grants are not merely payments; they are a lifeline to remove poverty from many households, the vulnerable, the child who depends on a grant, the grandmother who holds a household together, and the young person searching for dignity and work,” the minister said. “They help keep the lights on in a household where no one else has an income. They provide support to persons with disabilities and bring stability to families facing difficult circumstances.” Pule said that since her appointment, she has received complaints about standing in long queues at most Sassa offices. The agency launched a social grant review process in 2025 to confirm beneficiaries’ continued eligibility, but it was met with some panic. The minister said the reviews ensure eligibility criteria are met, changes in financial, medical, marital or personal circumstances are reflected and the system is protected against fraud, abuse and incorrect payments. “Simply put, social grant reviews help ensure that the right grant is paid to the right person, at the right time,” Pule said. Reviews after complaints about long queues She added that the grant system is integrated with financial institutions and departments, allowing improved data. The data verification and validation process flagged over 420 000 grants for review in 2025/26, with over 240 000 reviews completed and about 160 000 failed. For 2026/27, Sassa is targeting over 350 000 reviews. The minister also said that Sassa’s biometric verification programme has strengthened identity authentication for new applications and reviews by interfacing with the Department of Home Affairs in real time. “This technology helped prevent identity theft, duplicate claims and other forms of fraud that undermine public confidence in the system, including that more people are being arrested for committing fraud in the grant system,” she said. The agency is also continuing its fight against fraud through e-Life Certification, which allows beneficiaries to verify their existence and eligibility through secure digital processes. Pule said this is particularly important for older people, persons with disabilities and remote beneficiaries. Digital updates She further said that Sassa is committed to using the digital front to make services more accessible, safe and easy to fulfil community needs. The agency has launched a modernisation programme on online platforms such as WhatsApp and a mobile app for grant applications and is adding capacity to understaffed offices. More than 1 000 contract workers are being recruited nationwide for frontline support, processing and reduced waiting times, with extended office hours and home visits for clients over 75 and frail people. “As the minister of social development, I want to assure every eligible beneficiary that government remains committed to safeguarding social grants and continuously improving the systems through which they are delivered,” Pule concluded. She will be visiting some Sassa offices in the next few days across provinces to monitor the implementation of these interventions.