From 5 Might, all social grant beneficiaries utilizing different types of identification apart from the usual 13-digit South African ID quantity will endure obligatory biometric testing. This was introduced by social grants company Sassa on Thursday.
Sassas mentioned this initiative goals to boost the safety and accuracy of consumer identification, and to enhance the integrity and effectivity of its programs. The company at the moment pays social grants to roughly 28 million individuals every month.
At present, individuals who don’t have an id quantity can nonetheless apply for a social grant utilizing a “quad 7” quantity. It is a short-term reference quantity issued by the division of house affairs when a person doesn’t have a sound ID or passport.
Final month, Sassa informed parliament that it had paid R140-million in social grants to about 75 000 deceased beneficiaries. In February, Sassa additionally introduced findings of an investigation which discovered vital safety flaws, making its cost system susceptible to fraud. This follows findings by two Stellenbosch College college students, who found vulnerabilities in Sassa’s cost system. They discovered that giant numbers of fraudulent SRD functions have been being made utilizing ID numbers of people who had just lately turned 18.
Sassa appearing CEO Themba Matlou beforehand acknowledged the vulnerabilities within the company’s system however mentioned that steps have been being taken to handle them. This, Matlou mentioned, included danger mitigation processes and implementing safety updates.
In an announcement on Thursday, Sassa mentioned: “This initiative … is a proactive measure geared toward enhancing safety, bettering the integrity of our programs and stopping doubtlessly fraudulent actions associated to id misrepresentation.”
‘Tremendous customers’
Sassa mentioned its IT staff has collaborated with the State IT Company to supply coaching to recognized “tremendous customers”, individuals who have acquired superior laptop and course of coaching.
“These tremendous customers are actually well-equipped to coach regional employees on biometric enrolment. This may be certain that each Sassa workplace could have skilled officers when the biometric enrolment course of commences,” Sassa said.
Learn: Alleged Sassa fraud underscores urgency for higher knowledge administration
The company says it’s “pulling all of the stops in tightening its programs and measures” to safeguard social grants and be certain that “the suitable individual is paid on the proper time and place”.
Get breaking information from TechCentral on WhatsApp. Enroll right here.
