{"id":3140,"date":"2025-04-17T13:27:44","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T11:27:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/?p=3140"},"modified":"2026-03-12T10:42:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T08:42:08","slug":"old-age-grant-not-ending-sassa-debunks-viral-misinformation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/old-age-grant-not-ending-sassa-debunks-viral-misinformation\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Age Grant Not Ending \u2014 SASSA Debunks Viral Misinformation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has reassured millions of elderly citizens that the Old Age Grant will <em>not<\/em> be discontinued despite the circulation of false information online. In a time when many South Africans rely heavily on social assistance, SASSA has moved quickly to dispel the panic caused by fake news. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ALSO READ: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/how-to-use-sassas-new-online-application-portal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Use SASSA\u2019s New Online Application Portal<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-source-of-the-panic\">The Source of the Panic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The panic stemmed from a widely circulated message that first appeared on the Amritavidyalayam website, warning that elderly beneficiaries could lose their grants unless they resubmitted or updated documents by the end of April. The post claimed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cAs we step into a new financial year, thousands of elderly South Africans relying on the Sassa old age grant may face an unexpected disruption.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>This message quickly went viral across social media platforms, leaving many vulnerable South Africans anxious and confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-sassa-s-firm-rebuttal\">SASSA\u2019s Firm Rebuttal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>SASSA has since categorically denied the claims, labelling the message as <em>\u201cincorrect and fake.\u201d<\/em> According to <strong>Paseka Letsatsi<\/strong>, SASSA\u2019s national spokesperson:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cThis message is mischievous, and we urge our beneficiaries not to panic as no grant will be cancelled. 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Letsatsi emphasized that no mass cancellation or requirement to update documents currently exists, and any necessary reviews are handled on an individual basis with proper prior communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-who-qualifies-for-the-sassa-old-age-grant\">Who Qualifies for the SASSA Old Age Grant?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The Old Age Grant is a <strong>lifeline<\/strong> for many South Africans. It is granted to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Legal South African citizens<\/strong>, permanent residents, and refugees,<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Individuals <strong>60 years or older<\/strong>, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Those <strong>without any other income<\/strong> or with income below a certain threshold.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This grant is one of the key pillars of social welfare in South Africa, ensuring that senior citizens can live with dignity and security in their retirement years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-over-19-million-rely-on-sassa-social-grants\">Over 19 Million Rely on SASSA Social Grants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>South Africa currently provides social grants to over 19 million beneficiaries, including the elderly, children, and persons with disabilities. Given the scale of the program, any misinformation can have a massive impact, causing distress not only to individuals but to families and communities who depend on this support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-danger-of-fake-news\">The Danger of Fake News<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>SASSA has warned the public about the real dangers of spreading false information, especially when it concerns social services. The agency stated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe appeal to all South Africans to stop these acts, and our beneficiaries to be vigilant and cautious about the information they consume.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The rise of social media has made it easier for rumours and hoaxes to gain traction. SASSA urges citizens to avoid sharing unverified messages, especially those that could cause anxiety and harm to vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-stay-informed\">How to Stay Informed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid confusion, SASSA encourages beneficiaries and the public to follow official communication channels:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>SASSA\u2019s verified <strong>social media pages<\/strong> (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <strong>official SASSA website<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Public statements from <strong>trusted government officials<\/strong> and departments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you ever receive a message that seems alarming or suspicious, it&#8217;s always best to double-check with SASSA directly before sharing it further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-call-for-responsible-sharing\">A Call for Responsible Sharing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The<a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizen.co.za\/news\/sassa-confirms-old-age-grant-will-not-be-cancelled\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"> Old Age Grant is not being discontinued<\/a>, and there is no blanket requirement for document updates by April 30. SASSA has confirmed this is fake news designed to mislead and panic the public. The agency remains committed to supporting South Africa\u2019s elderly citizens and has promised to continue providing accurate and timely information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s all do our part in protecting those who are most vulnerable by sharing responsibly, verifying sources, and staying informed through credible platforms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has reassured millions of elderly citizens that the Old Age Grant will not be discontinued despite the circulation of false information online. In a time when many South Africans rely heavily on social assistance, SASSA has moved quickly to dispel the panic caused by fake news. ALSO READ:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":3148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has reassured millions of elderly citizens that the Old Age Grant will not be discontinued despite the...","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[829,828,135],"class_list":{"0":"post-3140","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-old-age","8":"tag-fake-news","9":"tag-old-age-grant","10":"tag-sassa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3140"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3149,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3140\/revisions\/3149"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gauteng.net\/whats-on-g\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}