SASSA REAFFIRMS ACCOUNTABILITY AND SERVICE EXCELLENCE BEFORE PARLIAMENT

By Precious Mupenzi.

• The South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA) 2024/25 Annual Report has been presented to the Parliamentary Portfolio on Social Development, highlighting the services that keep millions of vulnerable people out of poverty.
• ⁠In opening remarks to the committee, Minister of Social Development Sisisi Tolashe noted that the 2024/25 Annual Report was the first presented under the Government of National Unity.
• SASSA disbursed R267-billion in social assistance during the 2024/25 financial year, including to more than nine million Social Relief of Distress recipients.

As South Africa marks Social Development Month, the Department of Social Development (DSD), led by Minister Sisisi Tolashe, appeared before the Portfolio Committee on Social Development in Parliament for the presentation of the South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA) 2024/25 Annual Report.

In her opening remarks, Minister Tolashe said SASSA’s presentation of its Annual Report on 8 October 2025 symbolised the department’s unwavering commitment to transparency and accountability.

She reminded the committee that this was the first annual report presented under the Government of National Unity for the 2024–2029 term, a significant milestone in ensuring that social protection continues to be a pillar of South Africa’s developmental agenda.

Strengthening systems and restoring public confidence

“SASSA’s work affects nearly every South African at some point in their lives, from a child’s first grant, to assisting families during crises, and ensuring a life of dignity in old age. Our services are a lifeline that keeps millions of vulnerable people out of poverty,” said Minister Tolashe.

She further expressed satisfaction with SASSA’s performance during the financial year 2024/25, noting steady progress despite ongoing challenges in service delivery.

“I am pleased with SASSA’s performance for the year under review, which reflects the effort across the agency to improve the way we do things. This is encouraging for the agency’s future, and I look forward to maintaining the momentum we have built,” the minister added.

Tolashe highlighted that SASSA had disbursed R267-billion in social assistance during the 2024/25 financial year, including payments for more than nine million Social Relief of Distress recipients each month.

The number of active social grants grew from 19.1 million to 19.2 million, reaffirming the government’s social protection reach to almost half of the country’s population.

She also outlined leadership and governance improvements, noting that several key positions had been filled to stabilise the agency, including the CEO and three regional executive managers.

On the ongoing Postbank-SASSA matter, the minister assured members of the committee that the government would await the Constitutional Court’s directions before taking further action, adding that the Inter-Ministerial Committee led by the president was seized of the matter.

“We must ensure that all our decisions comply with legislation and do not disadvantage beneficiaries who receive grants through banks of their choice,” she emphasised.

Delivering results and managing risks

Following the minister’s address, SASSA’s acting CEO, Brenton van Vrede, presented the agency’s audited performance outcomes for the year ending 31 March 2025.

SASSA achieved 74% of its predetermined targets, slightly lower than the 86% achieved in 2023/24, due mainly to system and capacity challenges in some regional indicators.

However, the agency maintained an unqualified audit opinion from the Auditor-General of South Africa — a reflection of sound financial management and governance improvement.

“SASSA paid out over 26.3 million grants, including both permanent and COVID-19 SRD grants, with an impressive 99.96% of payments processed successfully each month. This level of performance shows that our systems remain stable and efficient,” said Van Vrede.

Other notable achievements included:
•⁠ ⁠Administrative efficiency: The cost of administering social assistance was reduced to 2.6% of total transfers (R7-billion against R267-billion).
•⁠ ⁠Employment stability: 95% of funded posts were filled.
•⁠ ⁠Infrastructure improvements: 109 SASSA offices were upgraded nationwide.
•⁠ ⁠Fraud prevention: 99% of reported fraud and corruption cases were finalised, with several arrests made in collaboration with law enforcement agencies.
•⁠ ⁠Customer experience: Average turnaround time for processing applications was seven days, and 94% of inquiries were resolved within five working days.

Van Vrede noted that irregular expenditure had decreased substantially from R34-million in 2023/24 to R1.47-million in 2024/25 as part of corrective measures to strengthen internal controls and consequence management.

“We continue to work closely with our stakeholders and law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of our systems and ensure that every rand benefits those who need it most,” he said.

Commitment to continuous improvement

Minister Tolashe commended the agency’s leadership and employees for their continued service to South Africans and urged SASSA to continue addressing the concerns of beneficiaries regarding long queues, system downtimes, and customer service efficiency.

“Our mission is not only to disburse grants but to restore dignity and improve the quality of life for our people. As we commemorate Social Development Month, let us recommit ourselves to building a caring, capable, and responsive social protection system,” she said.