‘Got nothing for October’: SASSA grant recipients describe a month without money

Several SASSA grant recipients say they did not receive their October payments, leaving households that depend entirely on the grant without a lifeline.

The complaints appeared on *The South African’s *Facebook page, where grant recipients shared how the missing money has affected them.

Sole money income, empty account

Anastasia Davids explained exactly what was at stake for her household.

“Only income I get is Sassa got nothing for October,” Davids wrote.

For grant recipients in her position, a missed payment does not mean cutting back. It means having nothing at all for rent, groceries, electricity or transport until the problem is fixed.

Charmie Botha shared the same frustration, pointing to the practical knock-on effect. “How can we plan trips for shopping when we didn’t get paid for October,” Botha wrote. Her comment drew four replies.

‘They’re playing with people’

The sense of being let down came through strongly across the thread.

Mhlanti Wendlunkulu Zikode summed up the mood in five words. “They’re playing with people,” Zikode wrote.

The comments did not specify which grant types were affected or why the payments failed, and SASSA has not issued a public explanation for the reported cases.

Seven years without a problem

Not everyone shared the experience. John Livanos said his payments have never let him down.

“I’ve been getting SASSA for 7 years now. Never had a problem!!” Livanos wrote.

His comment suggests the missing payments may be linked to individual cases, such as changes to banking details, reviews, or verification flags, rather than a system-wide failure.

Grant recipients who did not receive their October payment should first check their balance through their bank or SASSA card. If the money has not reflected, they can contact SASSA’s toll-free number on 0800 60 10 11 or visit their nearest SASSA office with their ID.

Recipients should also check whether SASSA has requested updated information, as unanswered review notices are a common reason payments stop.

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