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sassa SOUTH AFRICAN SOCIAL SECURITY AGENCY
Privacy policy

This document provides further details related to the Privacy of Personal Information, and acts in conjunction with the provisions laid out in the Declaration and Consent documents found at https://srd.sassa.gov.za/.

By engaging with SASSA on any of its engagement channels, you signify your acceptance of this Privacy Policy.

Terms, Abbreviations, Definitions
Applicant Verification The process of determining an Applicant’s eligibility for a SASSA grant Bank Account Verification The process of ensuring that the Bank Account belongs to the Beneficiary who has been approved for payment Beneficiaries Those Applicants who have been approved to receive a SASSA benefit DSD Department of Social Development EFT Electronic Fund Transfer Engagement Channels The channels on which SASSA engages with the public Identity Proofing The process of verifying a Party’s identity POPIA Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 SASSA South African Social Security Agency
What information do we collect

We collect Identity Profile information including but not limited to:

  • Identifying Numbers (South African ID, Passport Number, Asylum Seeker File Number and Special Permit numbers),
  • Contact details (email addresses, phone numbers)
  • any credentials used to access SASSA products and services across the various engagement channels - web, mobile, callcenter and branch channels

We collect Usage Data including but not limited to:

  • device specific identifiers where these are available and dependent on the engagement channel
  • device operating systems
  • browser details
  • IP addresses

We collect information related to the various Grant Payment methods made available by SASSA;

As mandated by law, we also source Applicant Verification Information from a variety of other state agencies and financial institutions in order to verify an Applicant’s eligibility for Grant assistance. These agencies include but are not limited to:

  • Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)
  • South African Revenue Services (SARS)
  • Government Employees Pension Fund (UIF)
  • National Student Financial Aid Scheme
  • A variety of retail banks

We exchange Personal and other information gathered, with these agencies and institutions so that they are able to provide the relevant Applicant Verification information.

We also source Applicant Verification and Personal Information from IT systems internal to SASSA.

What do we use it for

The information gathered is used:

  • to qualify Applicants for Grant assistance
  • for purposes of facilitating Grant payment
  • for purposes of communication with Applicants and Beneficiaries
  • for purposes of Identity Proofing when accessing products and services across the various engagement channels
  • for purposes of data analytics and reporting
  • to enable proactive and reactive fraud management and risk mitigation strategies
Who do we share it with

We share the information gathered with:

  • other state agencies and retail banks for purposes of Applicant Verification, to determine if an Applicant is eligible for assistance from SASSA;
  • With National Treasury for Bank Account Verification for approved Beneficiaries;
  • With the relevant EFT clearing houses, for purposes of processing payment
  • With Retail Banks for purposes of Account Creation and management of e-wallet facilities
  • With the DSD, for purposes of Appeals processing
  • With service providers and partners who are appointed by SASSA to provide relevant products and services that enable it to deliver on its mandate
Where does the information reside

All data gathered resides in hosting centers across the Republic of South Africa.

How is this data retained

This data is retained to the extent needed to manage and administrate the products and services that you subscribe to, and in accordance with all relevant laws, regulations and compliance requirements.

Security of Personal data

All information is stored, managed and processed in accordance with POPIA.

While all efforts are made to adopt the necessary security posturing and prevent unauthorised access to the information gathered, SASSA will not assume liability for any attempt to gain such access to its Infrastructure.

Cookie Policy

SASSA does not use any cookies within its SRD370 platform, neither within its SRD370 Grants Mobile app or nor within its SRD website available at https://srd.sassa.gov.za . In the event that cookies are used in future, the relevant cookie banner , cookie usage and consent notifications will be displayed, in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) (available here https://popia.co.za/) and any other South African data security and privacy legislation that may be applicable.

You can read a summary of POPIA, attend a POPI workshop, read POPIA judgment summaries, get a POPIA compliance framework or join a programme to help you take the necessary action to comply.

Changes to this policy

We reserve the right to amend this Policy as needed over the course of time. Any changes will be published.

Contact Us

For any concerns or queries, please contact us: https://www.sassa.gov.za/SitePages/Head-Office-and-Regional-Contacts.aspx