All new grant beneficiaries to have biometrics taken from September, SASSA tells MPs

CAPE TOWN - The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) said that despite the recent inconveniences experienced at its offices due to card swaps, it would insist that all new grant beneficiaries have their biometrics taken from September.

The agency told Parliament that this was to minimise corruption and to make sure that all beneficiaries were legitimate.

Ten SASSA officials are currently facing criminal charges for aiding corruption of the system.

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SASSA's executive for grant administration, Brenton van Vrede, said that biometric registration was necessary to foolproof the system, which has been beset by fraud and corruption.

"We are not saying everyone must come in and be biometrically enrolled, but we want to make sure every new grant application from the 1st of September has biometric enrollments."

While MPs have expressed concern that this will once again lead to snaking queues and frustrated clients, SASSA said it's already started piloting the system to determine how it will impact services.

Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has begged the committee's indulgence to report back after the first financial quarter.

"At that time, we would have assessed whether this is working, what are the challenges, what are gaps, where are they, how are we intending to deal with the gaps."

Tolashe said a request had been made to the National Treasury to approve contract workers to help get the job done.