SASSA Biometric Verification 2025 : Thousands of South Africans dependent on SASSA grants are facing payment delays in October 2025 as the new biometric system has stopped more than 200,000 payments temporarily. Though the intention is to increase security and mitigate fraud, the process has come to try the patience of beneficiaries dependent on such funds.
Why Biometric Verification Has Been Adopted
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) introduced biometric verification early this year to tighten security measures and to ensure that grants get to the intended recipients. SASSA reckons that since identity fraud and duplicate applications are on the rise, requiring fingerprint scanning and facial recognition checks would make the payment mechanism much more trustworthy.
The road has not been smooth; many grant holders have also reported glitches in the system, verification errors, long queues at SASSA offices, and general uncertainty as to when the money will be deposited.
Who Is Affected?
The largest delays, officials say, are taking place in the payment of Older Persons Grants, Disability Grants, and Child Support Grants. These have often included certain classes of people who struggle to have access to biometric facilities, such as those living in rural areas or the elderly.
Beneficiaries are urged to complete their biometric validation as soon as possible to prevent any further delays. Should your payment be withheld, you may have to do verification at the nearest SASSA office or Postbank branch.
Backlog Brings Stress To Families
For many families, the delay has brought so much anguish. Average grant payments such as the R2,315 pension or R1,250 disability support really act as lifelines whose value goes toward groceries, transport, and basic living expenses. Missing a single CSG or Messenger payment has the power to throw families into the throes of financial distress.
SASSA has acknowledged the backlog that has been created and assured the people that teams are working round the clock to clear the system and unleash the payments at the earliest.
What Beneficiaries Should Do
Should your grant for October fail to appear in your account, SASSA expects you to:
- Confirm your biometric verification has been done.
- Check SMS notifications from SASSA for directions.
- Go to your SASSA office if you have not done the verification yet.
It may be frustrating now, but biometric verification will ensure smoother payments in the following months.
Also Read: Don’t Miss Your SASSA Grant: Full August And September 2025 Payment Schedule