Zuko Komisa
- Over 400,000 claimants were removed from the system last year following rigorous fraud interventions.
- Targeted reviews of eligibility have resulted in monthly savings of approximately (R44 million).
- SASSA is pivoting towards a bank-like customer experience through digitisation and electronic application processing.
A targeted crackdown on fraud has seen the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) remove over 400,000 ineligible recipients from its system in the past year.
By rooting out “ghost” beneficiaries and double-dippers particularly within child support and foster care programmes the agency has secured monthly savings of R44 million.
CEO Themba Matlou told Parliament that the agency is undergoing a total digital overhaul to provide a customer experience akin to a commercial bank.
The modernisation includes shifting to electronic applications and deploying digital queue management systems to end the era of long physical lines at offices.
The transition to a paperless environment is well underway, with 70% of records already digitised.
Matlou noted that while the transition is a long-term project, the resulting efficiency is vital to ensuring that only those truly eligible receive state support.
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