SASSA says it is moving to improve grant services in the Western Cape as pressure grows at government service centres.

The South African Social Security Agency announced new steps after a high-level meeting between its provincial leadership and Western Cape Social Development MEC Jaco Londt.

The meeting also introduced the province’s new SASSA Regional Executive Manager, Lungelwa Sigasana Makaula.

According to IOL, Makaula’s appointment fills a leadership role that had been vacant for an extended period. SASSA says the move is expected to bring stability, strengthen governance and improve operations across the province.

Digital Tools Planned to Cut Queues

SASSA says its modernisation programme will play a major role in improving services.

The agency plans to roll out electronic queue management systems, self-service kiosks and expanded digital services.

These tools are expected to reduce waiting times and make the process easier for beneficiaries who rely on grants.

SASSA also said implementation plans for the electronic queue system and self-service kiosks have been finalised. However, the rollout still depends on equipment being delivered to selected offices.

More Support During Busy Winter Period

With demand expected to rise during winter, SASSA says it will introduce several measures to reduce congestion at local offices.

These include adding more queue marshals and client flow assistants at busy service points. The agency also plans to extend operating hours where pressure is high.

Appointment coordination will also be improved. SASSA says it will strengthen digital and assisted self-service options while monitoring queues in real time.

Temporary outreach points and Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programmes will continue. These services are aimed at bringing support closer to communities and reducing pressure at local branches.

System Issues Still Causing Delays

SASSA also acknowledged ongoing challenges.

The agency said intermittent system downtime linked to the Department of Home Affairs interface remains a problem. It has escalated the matter to national level for intervention.

SASSA says it is also working to reduce transactional backlogs and improve support for complex Postbank-related enquiries.

Makaula said the meeting showed a shared commitment to improving social assistance services in the Western Cape.

SASSA says it will keep filling critical vacancies at local offices while waiting for approval of its revised organisational structure.