South African Social Security Agency debunks fake warning linking betting to grant cancellations
Agency says viral messages claiming beneficiaries could lose grants for registering on betting platforms were not issued by SASSA.
South Africa.- The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has warned beneficiaries to disregard a viral message claiming that social grants will be cancelled if recipients are registered on online betting and gambling platforms.
The agency issued a “Fake News Alert” on August 4, in which it addressed the messages circulating on social media: “Please note that the messages below are fake and were not issued by SASSA.”
SASSA KwaZulu-Natal regional spokesperson Mbizeni Mdlalose added: “The poster is fake. We have not issued such a statement saying we are planning to terminate grants for those participating in gambling. We are under the impression that the poster is AI-generated,” Mdlalose said.
The warning came after a poster circulated telling SASSA beneficiaries registered with gambling platforms to cancel their betting accounts to avoid losing their grants. The message particularly singled out Social Relief of Distress (SRD) beneficiaries and those collecting child support grants, claiming they could lose their benefits if registered on gambling platforms.
Africa Check, an independent African fact-checking organisation, subsequently investigated the claim and concluded that the messages were false, advising South Africans to ignore them. Beneficiaries were urged to rely on SASSA’s official communication channels for accurate information about their grants.
SASSA administers South Africa’s social grants, including the Older Persons Grant, Child Support Grant, Disability Grant, Foster Child Grant, Care Dependency Grant and Grant-in-Aid. It also administers Social Relief of Distress for people facing urgent financial hardship. South Africa’s social grant system supports 26.5 million beneficiaries in 2026/27, according to National Treasury.
