SASSA Pensioners Lose Grants After Agency Quietly Introduces eLife Review Process

• SASSA implemented a mandatory eLife Certification process without notifying grant recipients ahead of the change
• Older Persons Grant payments were suspended for April, May and June 2026, leaving pensioners without income for months
• Elderly beneficiaries were forced into long queues at local offices despite many struggling to stand for extended periods

SOUTH AFRICA— Thousands of South African pensioners have had their monthly grant payments suspended after the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) introduced a mandatory eLife Certification and in-person review process without issuing any advance notice to beneficiaries.

According to The South African, grant recipients only became aware of the new requirement after payments failed to arrive for April, May, and June 2026. Many turned to community Facebook groups to piece together what had happened, finding no official correspondence from the agency explaining the suspension.

Pensioners left without warning

Beneficiaries reported that their Older Persons Grant funds were withheld without explanation, compelling them to visit local SASSA offices in person to complete the review process. The unannounced enforcement of the eLife Certification system has drawn sharp criticism, with recipients questioning why the agency did not contact them directly before halting payments that many rely on to cover food, rent, and medication.

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The physical demands of the in-person review have added another layer of hardship. Elderly and frail pensioners have been required to stand in lengthy queues for hours, a considerable challenge for those who struggle to remain on their feet for short periods.

Millions of grant recipients are affected

South Africa has more than 18 million grant recipients nationwide. The abrupt enforcement of the eLife system, without a phased rollout or adequate public communication, has disrupted household budgets across millions of homes where the grant serves as the primary or sole source of income.

The situation has exposed a significant gap in how SASSA manages policy transitions, particularly those requiring direct action from vulnerable beneficiaries. For pensioners without reliable internet access or community support, the social media posts that alerted others to the review requirement may never have reached them, leaving some still unaware of why their payments stopped.

SASSA has not issued a formal public statement addressing the complaints or outlining a clear process for affected beneficiaries to resolve their suspended payments.

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View a previous announcement about the review process on Facebook:

Basic Income Grant to replace SRD grant

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the government's plans to implement a new Basic Income Support grant that could replace the existing SRD grant, which has supported millions since its inception. As South Africans await further details, the urgency of transitioning toward a structured support system raises hopes for enhanced employment opportunities and economic stability for recipients.

Source: Briefly News