How do I stop an unauthorised deduction from my SASSA grant?

Lodge a complaint in person at your nearest SASSA office with your SA ID and grant card. Also file a complaint with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) at fsca.co.za or call 0800 20 37 22. For funeral policies, the Ombudsman for Long-Term Insurance handles disputes at 021 657 5000.

How much can legally be deducted from my SASSA grant?

Only one deduction is allowed per month, capped at 10% of your grant amount. For the Older Persons Grant (R2,400), the maximum legal deduction is R240 per month. For the Disability Grant (R2,400), the maximum is also R240. No deductions are allowed on Child Support or Foster Child Grants.

Unauthorised SASSA Grant Deductions 2026 — How to Check and Stop Them

Two insurance companies collect R143 million per month in funeral policy deductions from the SASSA grants of nearly one million South African pensioners and disability grant recipients — with many beneficiaries enrolled without meaningful consent, according to an ongoing investigation by Daily Maverick (Digital Profiteers series, Part 3, 4 September 2026). Clientele Life and Sanlam subsidiaries account for 87% of all funeral policy deductions across the SASSA grants system.

Key Takeaways

Two insurers take R143m/month from SASSA beneficiaries via funeral policy deductions

Many beneficiaries enrolled unknowingly — some were told they were signing up for a food voucher

By law: only one deduction allowed, capped at 10% of your grant per month

Child Support Grant holders: zero deductions are permitted by law

How to check: request your deduction statement from SASSA at 0800 60 10 11

How to stop an unauthorised deduction: file a written complaint with SASSA and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA)

What the Investigation Found

Daily Maverick’s “Digital Profiteers” investigative series has tracked the flow of insurance deductions from South Africa’s social grants system since 2025. Part 3 (4 September 2026) revealed:

R143 million per month is deducted from the Older Persons Grant and Disability Grant accounts of approximately one million beneficiaries for funeral policies
Two companies dominate: Clientele Life and Sanlam subsidiaries collectively hold 87% of all funeral policy deductions on SASSA grants (GroundUp, September 2026)
Consent failures: Investigative journalists found multiple cases where beneficiaries enrolled when a sales agent told them they were signing up for a food voucher, grocery rebate, or SASSA loyalty programme
IOL (8 September 2026) reported that SASSA has received complaints from beneficiaries who noticed their grant amount was consistently lower than expected but could not identify why

In addition to the funeral policy scandal, SASSA Gauteng raised a separate alarm in April 2026 about deductions for airtime, data bundles and micro-loans also appearing on beneficiary accounts without proper authorisation (SASSA Gauteng, April 2026).

What the Law Says

The Social Assistance Act places strict limits on deductions from social grants:

Grant Type	Maximum Deductions Allowed	Cap per Deduction
Older Persons Grant	One deduction only	10% of grant amount (max R240/month)
Disability Grant	One deduction only	10% of grant amount (max R240/month)
Child Support Grant	Zero — no deductions allowed	N/A
Foster Child Grant	Zero — no deductions allowed	N/A
SRD R370	Not applicable — paid direct to bank	N/A

Any deduction beyond these limits is unlawful. If more than one deduction appears on your grant account, or if a deduction exceeds 10% of your monthly grant, SASSA is required to stop it.

Who Is Most at Risk

Older Persons Grant recipients (pensioners) — primary target of funeral policy salespeople at SASSA pay points and retailers
Disability Grant recipients — second-most affected group
Beneficiaries who collect their grant in cash at Postbank ATMs or retail pay points — sales agents operate at many of these locations
Rural and elderly beneficiaries who may have had documents signed on their behalf without fully understanding the terms

Child Support Grant recipients are fully protected by law — no deductions are permitted on the CSG.

How to Check if Money Is Being Deducted From Your Grant

Step 1: Check your most recent grant payment against the confirmed monthly amount.

Older Persons Grant: R2,400 (age 60–74) or R2,420 (age 75+)
Disability Grant: R2,400
If your payment is consistently lower, a deduction may be active

Step 2: Request a deduction statement from SASSA.

Call SASSA free on 0800 60 10 11 (Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:00) and ask for a full deduction audit on your grant account. SASSA is required to provide this information.

Step 3: Visit your nearest SASSA office.

Bring your SA ID and grant card. Ask the officer to print a full history of deductions on your account going back 12 months.

How to Stop an Unauthorised Deduction

Step 1: Lodge a complaint with SASSA directly.

Go to your nearest SASSA office with your ID and grant card. State that you did not consent to the deduction or that the deduction exceeds the legal limit. SASSA must investigate and, if the deduction is found to be unlawful, stop it.

Step 2: Complain to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA).

The FSCA regulates insurance companies. You can lodge a complaint online at fsca.co.za or call 0800 20 37 22. Provide the name of the insurer, the monthly amount deducted, and a statement that you did not consent.

Step 3: Contact the Ombudsman for Long-Term Insurance.

For funeral policies specifically, the Ombudsman for Long-Term Insurance (OLTI) handles disputes. Call 021 657 5000 or visit ombud.co.za.

Do not cancel your grant account to stop deductions. Contact SASSA and the FSCA through the proper channels — cancelling your account will stop your grant entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an insurance company deduct money from my SASSA grant without asking me?

No. By law, any deduction from a social grant requires your written consent, and only one deduction is permitted — capped at 10% of your grant. If you did not sign anything, or if you signed without understanding what you were agreeing to, you can dispute the deduction with SASSA and the FSCA.

My Child Support Grant is lower than R580 — is a deduction allowed?

No. The Social Assistance Act prohibits all deductions from the Child Support Grant. If your CSG payment is lower than R580 per child, contact SASSA immediately on 0800 60 10 11 and ask for a deduction audit.

I have more than one deduction on my grant — is that legal?

No. Only one deduction per grant per month is permitted by law. If two or more deductions appear on your account, at least one is unlawful. Lodge a complaint with SASSA in person and follow up with the FSCA.

I signed something at a pay point but I do not remember what it was — what do I do?

Request a copy of any signed documents from the insurer (get the insurer’s name from SASSA’s deduction statement). You have the right to see what you signed. If the document was misleading about what you were agreeing to, you can challenge the deduction with the FSCA and the Ombudsman for Long-Term Insurance.

Will stopping the deduction affect my SASSA grant?

No. Your grant, payment date and amount are entirely separate from any insurance policy deductions. Stopping an unauthorised deduction has no effect on your grant entitlement.

Sources

Daily Maverick — dailymaverick.co.za — “Digital Profiteers Part 3: How combating fraud in South Africa’s digitalised grants system hurts the poor”, 4 September 2026
GroundUp — groundup.org.za — “Nearly 90% of all SASSA grant funeral deductions collected by just two companies”, September 2026
IOL — iol.co.za — “SASSA recipients warned: how unauthorised funeral policies could hit your grant”, 8 September 2026
SASSA Gauteng — “Unauthorised deductions from social grants — Gauteng office warning”, April 2026