Notice to SASSA Beneficiaries SASSA Grants Being Reviewed We are working with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to clear the backlog of applications.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) on Thursday reminded beneficiaries of social grants that have been put under review. They said that they should note that their grants will be paid in a different cycle to that of normal grants in August 2026.

Any claimant whose grant is under review will be paid on the fourth payment day, instead of the set payment date for their particular grant category. This will allow beneficiaries to meet the necessary review criteria and enable SASSA to ensure that they are still qualified to receive social assistance.

August 2026 Grant Payment Schedule
Normal grant payment dates for August 2026:

Older Persons Grants will be paid on Tuesday, 4 August 2026.
Disability Grants will be paid on Wednesday, 5 August 2026.
Children’s Grants will be paid on Thursday 6 August 2026.
Awarded grants will be paid on Friday, 7 August 2026.

Recipients must not panic if their money has not made it through on the first, second or third payment day. And those who are under review must not rush to the SASSA local offices merely because the money isn’t showing up on 4, 5 or 6 August. Under the special payment arrangement, the grant will be paid out by Friday, 7 August 2026.

But getting paid is not the end of the story. To get paid, if your grant has been reviewed, beneficiaries will be required to go to their local SASSA office during August to provide the necessary information and complete the verification process.

Why Beneficiaries Must Complete the Review

SASSA performs grant reviews to assess if SASSA beneficiaries still qualify to receive the social assistance they get. Grant reviews are legally prescribed as a role that SASSA has to perform to ensure that public money is paid out to those who qualify.

A review also allows SASSA to ensure that a beneficiary’s situation has not changed beyond the applicable eligibility parameters. It also helps SASSA to stop the provision of incorrect information, avoid false benefit claims, and to update its list of beneficiaries.

Thus, if a recipient receives a review notification, they should not ignore the notification. If the requested information is not provided or the review process is not completed, the grant may be suspended or cancelled according to the Social Assistance Act.

The review process does not exist to defer payment. It is a valid administration tool and a safeguard of social assistance to qualifying residents and ensure their grants reach the grant recipient.

How SASSA Notifies Beneficiaries

SASSA typically notifies beneficiaries subjected to review via SMS notifications. Beneficiaries will therefore need to ensure that the cellphone number on the SASSA database is valid and that the number is active.

In the case of a change to a number, address or any other information, the beneficiary must inform SASSA of the update. Beneficiaries are responsible for updating their details, and this should be done when changes occur, especially since SASSA uses this information in its database.

Also, substantial changes in the applicant’s personal and financial situation must be reported by recipients. These would include change in income, employment, financial position or marital status or in any other circumstances that may affect eligibility for a grant. Changes in travel outside South Africa must also be reported.

Getting information right means preventing scenarios in which a beneficiary fails to get an essential message because SASSA has incorrect contact details.

Information Beneficiaries Should Keep Updated

All recipients of a social grant are required to notify SASSA of any changes in relevant circumstances. Those changes include:

A change in marital status.
A new residential address.
A new cellphone number or other contact information.
Changes in employment or income.
Changes in other financial circumstances.
Travel outside South Africa.
Any other development that would be likely to have a material effect on entitlement to the relevant grant.

Updating data can help SASSA keep accurate records and manage the grant system more effectively. It can also help avoid delays, disruptions or difficulties when recipients wish to access their grants or if they are required to go for a review.

BENEFICIARIES ARE ADVISED NOT TO WAIT FOR A PROBLEM TO OCCUR BEFORE VERIFYING THE ACCURACY OF THEIR DETAILS ON THE SASSA DATABASE.

Documents to Take to a Review

When going to review, a beneficiary should bring the papers they will need to show that they still qualify for a grant. They may vary depending on the grant and whether the person being reviewed is a claimant or not.

Typically, the following details shall be required from beneficiaries;  Valid South African identity document (South African passport or travel document, a 13-digit bar-coded ID book or a Smart ID card), and where applicable, information or identification of a spouse.

Income may be requested as proof. This may be recent payslips, pension slips or an affidavit in which you state that the beneficiary is unemployed or no longer receives an income.

The claimant should provide recent bank account statements for the previous three months for any existing bank, savings or investment accounts. These will likely be used as evidence of the beneficiary’s financial position.

You may also need to show proof of residence. Evidence you can provide with your application includes a municipal account, utility bill or a letter from a traditional authority or ward councillor.

Where the marital status of the beneficiary plays a role, evidence such as a marriage certificate, divorce order or death of a spouse may be requested. An affidavit may be required for divorce or desertion cases.

Extra documentation might be relevant, depending on the type of grant. For example, if you benefit from Child Support Grants, you might require offering children’s birth certificates and verification associated with school attendance. You may also have to produce a death certificate if the death of a partner or child is applicable to the grant.

Beneficiaries must read the SMS or review notice sent to them as SASSA might ask them to submit the supporting documentation that is relevant to their situation.

Preparing for the Review Appointment

Reapplying and attending a review. Beneficiaries should try to attend a review appointment as soon as possible after they are notified. Attending as close to the notification date as possible will avoid unnecessary delays at the office.
Beneficiaries are advised to attend their review appointments as soon as they can after getting the notification. Delaying until the last moment can result in avoidable delays, especially at busy SASSA offices.

If needed, all original documents should be brought along with certified copies. Having all the documentation ready can make verification faster and less likely that you will be asked to come back because a required document is absent.

If you are ill and can’t travel to a SASSA office, please get in touch with your closest office. In those cases where it is allowed, you can appoint someone else a procurator to act on your behalf.

Beneficiaries should not simply ignore the review because they are unable to go into an office physically. They should rather communicate with SASSA and determine which alternative method can be arranged to complete the process.

Make Use of SASSA’s Digital Services

SASSA still urges applicants and beneficiaries to use its digital and online services where available. Using digital services to apply and retrieve services can reduce travel to an office, save transport costs and help cut down on time spent waiting in queues.

Final Reminder to Beneficiaries

The special arrangement for August 2026 is important for people who have had their grants put under review. People who are under review must be aware that if their payment does not come in on one of the usual payment days (4, 5 or 6 August), their special payment date is Friday, 7 August 2026.

The review process should be completed in August – recipients will still be required to respond to the review notification following payment on the fourth day.

Beneficiaries should also remember to keep their cellphone number, address, financial details. Any other relevant information with SASSA up-to-date so the agency can reach out to them and keep the records up-to-date.

Why are grant reviews important? Grant reviews are crucial in safeguarding South Africa’s social assistance system as they enable SASSA to verify continued eligibility, prevent fraud and abuse, preserve public resources. Maintain the integrity of its database of grant recipients.

SASSA remains dedicated to the effective and dignified administration of social grants. Beneficiaries are, however, urged to cooperate when reviews are required, provide truthful information and submit documents within the specified period.

If recipients keep their records current and respond to review requests in a timely manner, they can minimize or avoid administrative issues that can slow down the delivery of social grants to those who qualify.

Released by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).