‘They wanted my bank statements’: What it took to keep her kids’ SASSA grants

Even as she celebrated her survey win, Nthabiseng described a far less pleasant process she’d recently been through reapplying for her children’s SASSA grants. She said it felt like applying for the first time all over again. “I had to bring in everything, all the paperwork that you need when you apply for grants for the first time,” she said.

The requirements, she said, went beyond basic paperwork. Nthabiseng had to secure letters confirming each of her three children was still enrolled in school and bring them in to be fingerprinted.

“I had to get like letters for all three of my kids just to say they’re still in school, and they had to come in to do their fingerprints,” she said. She added that the process also required proof the children were alive and in need of financial help.

Financial records under scrutiny

Nthabiseng said her bank statements were also requested as part of the review, to confirm she still met the criteria for the grant. “They wanted to see my bank statements and all of that just to check if I’m still eligible for the grant itself,” she said.

She linked the process to a broader frustration with SASSA’s administration, recalling a separate stretch where the grant was cut without back pay. “I didn’t get paid for like two or three months, so I didn’t have money for three months, but I didn’t get that money back,” she said.

Despite the hassle, Nthabiseng said she remains committed to keeping her children’s grants active, calling the support essential to her household.

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