By: Xolani Khumalo
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) will begin mandatory digital biometric enrolment at all its offices nationwide from 1 September 2025.
The move is part of a broader strategy to secure grant payments, strengthen the integrity of the social grant system, and clamp down on fraud involving deceased or inactive accounts.
SASSA spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said the biometric enrolment system, which uses fingerprint or facial recognition as part of electronic know-your-customer (eKYC) verification, is expected to revolutionise the way grants are administered. The technology will ensure that beneficiaries are physically present and alive at the time of enrolment or reapplication, thereby closing loopholes previously exploited by fraudsters.
According to SASSA CEO Themba Matlou, while the system was initially expected to roll out earlier in the 2025/2026 financial year, stakeholder consultations led to some delays. However, the agency is now fully prepared to implement the new process across the country.
The biometric system is expected to bring multiple improvements such as significantly reducing fraudulent applications and duplicate payments, enhancing identity verification, and improving the accuracy of beneficiary records. By doing so, it will also reduce inclusion errors, streamline documentation, and strengthen audit outcomes.
SASSA believes this move will help restore and build greater public trust in the administration of social grants.
