SASSA is making big changes to how people apply for grants in South Africa. They plan to make everything digital & modern.
This new system will be paid for with money saved from ending their deal with Postbank in October 2025. The Department of Social Development shared these plans recently.
The new system will make things faster by using computers to check applications & keep records.
They’ll also add self-service machines in local offices & a digital system to manage waiting lines.
SASSA first worked with the Post Office in 2018 when they had to stop using their old payment company.
When the Post Office had money problems in 2023 Postbank took over.
Now that deal is ending too.The government will spend R248.8 billion on social grants in 2025/26. This amount will go up to R271.4 billion by 2027/28.
Recent studies show more South Africans now depend on grants than ever before. In some provinces more people get grants than have jobs.
In 2003 about 13% of people got grants. By 2024 this grew to 40% partly because of the R370 COVID relief grant.
The government might turn this into a basic income grant but hasn’t decided yet. Four out of ten South African homes now get grants.
For many families grants are their main money source especially in the Eastern Cape Northern Cape & Limpopo provinces.
