MINISTER TOLASHE ADVANCES DRIVE TO CURB FRAUD IN GRANT SYSTEM

By DSD News.
15 September 2025

• Minister of Social Development Sisisi Tolashe has prioritised strengthening SASSA to improve efficiency and eliminate fraud in the social grant system.
• Key measures include Beneficiary Biometric Enrolment, social grant reviews, and filling permanent leadership posts across regions.
• These reforms aim to protect the public purse, enhance accountability, and improve service delivery for millions of grant beneficiaries.

Since her deployment to the Department of Social Development, Minister Sisisi Tolashe has placed sharp focus on reshaping the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). She is confident that the agency is improving both in efficiency and in tackling the fraud and corruption that have plagued the grant system.
Tolashe highlighted the importance of the Beneficiary Biometric Enrolment being rolled out across SASSA offices, describing it as a flagship initiative to curb fraudulent activity in the grant system. She added that social grant reviews are also under way to determine eligibility and remove those no longer qualifying.
This leadership, she said, has helped restore hope and provided relief to the national fiscus, already under strain. The Minister lauded the agility of SASSA CEO Themba Matlou and his executives for consistently keeping the public informed about changes in the system.
“We appreciate the leadership that we have in the agency. Others may not have seen the enormous contribution that she has made since the new administration. When she joined, the executives gave their all to accelerate service delivery and committed to advance the aspiration of social protection to the vulnerable,” said CEO Matlou.
Tolashe acknowledged that SASSA’s reputation had been damaged by fraud allegations but reiterated that fraud prevention strategies are firmly in place. “We are seeing the results in the audit outcomes, as well as the arrest of SASSA officials who committed fraud. Gauteng and the Eastern Cape have become the most recent cases which we are focusing on,” she said.
Critical posts across SASSA’s regions have now been filled, with six regions having permanent Regional Executive Managers compared to the previous administration, when most were acting appointments. The Minister committed to capacitating local offices to reduce long queues and ensure efficiency.
SASSA is finalising an organisational structure designed to strengthen frontline offices, ensuring uninterrupted services to millions of clients. Improved efficiency, Tolashe explained, will enhance customer experience and build confidence in the country’s social protection system.