The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has confirmed that Old Age Grant payments will continue in May, dismissing social media misinformation suggesting the grants would stop if certain documents were not updated by April 30, 2025.
The posts, which were widely circulated on various social media platforms, sparked panic among many beneficiaries who feared they might not receive their payments.
However, in a statement this week, the agency said it had noted the fake social media posts with concern and urged beneficiaries not to panic as the grants will not be cancelled.
"As Sassa, we would like to confirm that the message is incorrect and fake. This message is mischievous, and we urge our beneficiaries not to panic, as no grant will be cancelled," the agency said.
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Sassa clarified that only certain grants are subject to periodic reviews. When a review is necessary, the agency directly communicates with the affected beneficiaries before any action is taken.
"Sassa only reviews grants that need to be reviewed at a particular time and that is communicated to the beneficiaries whose grant is to be reviewed before any action is taken."
The agency also condemned the spread of fake news on social media, labelling it as deeply unfortunate and highlighting the panic it causes.
“We appeal to our beneficiaries to only rely on credible sources of information on our official social media pages.
"Before anyone can share any information pertaining to social grants, they must first verify its authenticity to avoid disseminating false information that may cause anxiety and stress to our beneficiaries”, Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said.
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