Pretoria: More than 42,000 clients have been enrolled at 432 South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) local offices across the country since the launch of the Beneficiary Biometric Enrolment (BBE) rollout just over two weeks ago.
According to South African Government News Agency, this information was revealed by SASSA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Themba Matlou, who, along with the Minister of Social Development, Sisisi Tolashe, addressed the Portfolio Committee on Social Development on the recently introduced Beneficiary Biometric Enrollment. The briefing took place on Wednesday.
SASSA has initiated a comprehensive rollout of the BBE across all its local offices nationwide. The goal is to enhance the integrity of the social grants system, while also detecting and curbing fraudulent activities. During the briefing, Matlou provided a progress report on the status of BBE since its inception at the beginning of September 2025.
Matlou highlighted that the enrolment figures include new applicants, individuals undergoing reviews, and those visiting SASSA offices to update their personal details. He praised the progress made so far, acknowledging the challenges faced but noting that all offices were well-prepared for any eventualities.
“Challenges will always come when you implement a new system but we are on top of our game and we are doing proactive monitoring and analysis to ensure the optimal implementation that will stand the test of time. As we introduce these new systems, we do so with our clients in mind so that we do not inconvenience them in any way,” Matlou stated.
Additionally, Matlou recognized initial teething problems but reported that daily monitoring and additional training for officials has been beneficial. He mentioned that officials are becoming more knowledgeable and confident as they continue to utilize the system.
The biometric enrolment is a strategic initiative to ensure that every grant recipient is verifiably authentic, and that SASSA’s systems are robust against manipulation and error, particularly in instances involving forged green Identity Documents that frontline staff may not reliably detect.
The biometric enrolment aims to achieve several key outcomes, including a significant reduction in fraudulent applications and duplicate payments, reliable verification of beneficiary authenticity and proof of life, reduction in inclusion errors, streamlined documentation processes, enhanced audit outcomes, stronger record integrity, and improved public trust in the Social Assistance Programme.