SASSA grant beneficiaries’ bank accounts frozen

SASSA grant beneficiaries’ bank accounts frozen – Who’s affected?

The bank accounts of some of the SASSA grant beneficiaries have been frozen, but the agency has asked recipients not to panic.

The bank accounts of some SASSA grant beneficiaries have been frozen. Image: SASSA

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has called for calm after the bank accounts of some of the SASSA grant beneficiaries were frozen, it said in a statement.

Some SASSA grant beneficiaries are currently awaiting to receive payments while many more are to be paid next week. SASSA has announced that there are currently delays in payments due to some recipients not having access to their accounts. Here’s what the agency’s statement issued on 28 January 2025 said.

SASSA GRANT BENEFICIARIES’ ACCOUNTS FROZEN

SASSA revealed in their statement that the accounts of recipients at Ithala had been frozen. This is after Ithala was placed under provisional liquidation earlier this month. The accounts of over 60 000 beneficiaries have been affected.

The agency said: “The Prudential Authority of the South African Reserve Bank applied for a provisional liquidation of the Ithala SOC Limited (Ithala) at the Pietermaritzburg High Court.

“Subsequently, the accounts of clients at Ithala, which includes just over 65 000 (sixty five thousand) social assistance beneficiaries, were frozen.”

ARE SASSA BENEFICIARIES FOR ALL GRANTS AND IN ALL PROVINCES AFFECTED?

The account holders affected include beneficiaries of most types of SASSA grants. These include those receiving Old Age, Covid-19 SRD, Care Dependency, Child Support, Combination, Disability, Care Dependency and Foster Care Grants.

SASSA further stated: “SASSA would like to advise that the majority of its beneficiaries who banked with Ithala are in KwaZulu-Natal while there is a small fraction in Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Free State, North West and Western Cape.”

The statement ended by urging beneficiaries to not panic during this time. SASSA stated that they will ensure all recipients receiving payments as normal.