SASSA payment date: Fourth date added for August amid review backlog
SASSA payment date
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has announced a new fourth payment date for social grants beginning in August 2025, specifically aimed at beneficiaries undergoing review. The move emerges amid widespread frustration from flagged recipients, and comes as part of broader measures to improve payment reliability and accelerate income and identity verification.
What’s Driving the New Fourth Payment Date?
SASSA CEO Themba Matlou revealed that the fourth payment date is a direct response to growing delays caused by eligibility reviews. Nearly 210,000 beneficiaries have been flagged this year during automated cross-checks involving Treasury, bank data, and credit bureaus.
Grants have traditionally been paid over three consecutive days each month. Starting August 2025, the revised schedule adds a payment on the first Friday, exclusively for those who have completed their review process. This aims to ensure flagged recipients aren’t unfairly disadvantaged and that payment cycles run smoothly for all.
August 2025 Payment Schedule
SASSA has released the August grant payout calendar:
- Older Persons Grant: Tuesday, 5 August
- Disability Grant: Wednesday, 6 August
- Child Grants (child support, foster care, care dependency): Thursday, 7 August
- Fourth Payment (reviewed recipients): Friday, 8 August
Importantly, grants will not be suspended; they are simply delayed by a few days for beneficiaries undergoing verification.
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Ongoing Review Process: Who’s Affected?
The agency’s recent income and asset verification sweep targets those suspected of exceeding means-test limits. If beneficiaries fail to update details or respond within three months, payments may lapse, though SASSA has emphasized that no grants are currently suspended.
To date, over 140,000 SMS notifications have been sent, but many may not have reached recipients due to outdated contact information. Beneficiaries are urged to keep their details current to avoid missing critical notices.
Why the Fourth Date Matters to You
This fourth payment date is more than a scheduling tweak, it aims to deescalate anxiety, reduce long queues at branches, and prevent undue hardship during reviews. Matlou outlined enhancements including longer office hours, extra staffing, and self-service kiosks and mobile ID verification to streamline the process.
This ensures reviewed beneficiaries can be paid in the same month, improving financial stability and reducing service bottlenecks.
What You Need to Do If You’re Flagged
- Check your SMS and contact SASSA immediately upon notification.
- Visit a SASSA office or use a self-service kiosk to submit required documents, bank statements, proof of income, and updated ID.
- Complete verification within three months to avoid suspension.
- If cleared, expect payment on the fourth payment date.
Beneficiaries facing challenges are advised to seek help via SASSA’s toll-free call centre at 0800 60 10 11.
Looking Ahead: Balancing Integrity and Access
The fourth payment date signals SASSA’s efforts to balance fraud prevention and the rightful receipt of grants. While the rollout may cause temporary inconvenience for flagged individuals, officials insist it’s crucial for system integrity and compliance with Treasury requirements.
Moving forward, SASSA must ensure communication is clear and barriers minimal as it ramps up verification measures. The success of this initiative will hinge on how effectively beneficiaries are supported through the process.
With the new fourth payment date, SASSA is pushing ahead to ensure fairness and clarity in its distribution cycle. Beneficiaries are strongly encouraged to stay informed, update personal details promptly, and complete any required reviews in time to benefit from the revised payment schedule.
