Beneficiaries struggle with SASSA grant identity verification
SASSA grant identity verification is once again under the spotlight in South Africa. Back in January, the High Court ruled it unconstitutional to withhold social welfare due to budget issues. As such, stringent new SASSA grant identity verification protocols were ruled 'exclusionary.'
Nevertheless, this month saw the introduction of the latest SASSA biometric verification rules. Essentially, any new applicant for R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) must verify their identity online with a digital photo uploaded via a smartphone. This is to protect against fraud and grant corruption. If an ID has been used fraudulently (often by a third party), that person will be unable to access the SASSA system. Image: File
However, civil society group, Black Sash, says it is receiving hundreds of calls weekly about failed SASSA grant identity verification, reports GroundUp . The organisation says the most common complaint they're discovering is that ID numbers have been fraudulently used by others and therefore are blocked by the agency.
This is an issue long-identified by the South African Social Security Agency as potentially damaging to the efficacy of R370 SRD. As such, agency officials want to eventually make the non-permanent grant into a permanent basic income grant for the unemployed. Doing so will prevent millions of Rands wastage on policing identity theft and fraudulent grants. SASSA has said it is unaware of any biometric verification issues this month. Image: File
Interestingly, Black Sash confirms that most of these SASSA grant identity verification issues come from people who have just turned 18. Likewise, other applicants struggls because they don't have smartphones or data. In turn, this makes it impossible to access the links sent by the agency. And calling the SASSA helpline leads nowhere either.
However, even those with smartphones and access to data will struggle. SASSA beneficiaries who still only have a green ID book, have a higher chance of failing the SASSA grant identity verification. This is because there is no digital photo on file with the Department of Home Affairs. Meanwhile, SASSA says it is unaware of any problems with the latest SASSA grant identity verification initiative. SASSA has asked the National Treasury to extend SRD by two more years till it figures out how to work a basic income grant. Image: File
Roughly nine-million people living near the poverty line apply for R370 SRD relief each month. Typically, those unable to complete SASSA grant identity verification must apply for a new smart ID card, until such time as the flagged account is fixed. This costs R140 for a replacement ID as well as transport and time. Clearly, the SASSA grant identity verification system was is unreliable.
It's often offline, slow, with inoperable links, or unable to accurately confirm peoples' true identities. As such, Black Sash's suggests SASSA set up help desks at local offices where beneficiaries can be manually verified by staff, too. Thankfully, clients are now also able to collect SASSA SRD grants in-person at participating retailers. To do this, beneficiaries must show their ID and cellphone number linked to the SRD account. A message is then sent to that number for approval before the cash is withdrawn.
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