Run down and offline: Here’s why Sassa offices are so crowded

More than 19 million South Africans rely on social grants, yet the offices meant to serve them are frequently characterised by long queues, broken facilities and system outages caused by infrastructure problems.

A presentation on Wednesday by the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) to parliament’s portfolio committee on social development revealed that deteriorating infrastructure, occupational health and safety (OHS) violations and problematic lease agreements are behind many of the conditions experienced by beneficiaries at local offices.

Sassa said the problems largely stem from the fact that most of its offices operate in leased buildings, where landlords control maintenance and repairs.

Large office network under strain

Sassa told MPs that its national property portfolio consists of 462 facilities across the country.

These include 102 properties leased through the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and 119 directly leased from private landlords, while 211 properties are shared with other government departments. Only 30 buildings are fully owned by Sassa.

The agency said the arrangement leaves it with limited control over repairs and upgrades.

“The relationship between landlord and NDPWI means Sassa has no control to fix all OHS non-compliance issues,” the presentation stated.

The agency also noted that some offices operate from temporary facilities, such as park homes and porta-camps in areas where permanent infrastructure is unavailable, particularly in rural or high-demand locations.

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Infrastructure failures and safety risks

Sassa said several oversight visits by parliament, the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and agency executives found “unfavourable office conditions” in many regions.

These conditions have even led to contravention notices from the Department of Labour due to non-compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

According to Sassa, a major issue is that many leases have moved to monthly arrangements, discouraging landlords from investing in maintenance.

“Due to month-to-month leases, the landlords are not committed to addressing OHS [issues],” the agency told the committee.

The agency said this situation has compromised employee well-being and created labour concerns.

Operationally, the deteriorating infrastructure has resulted in restricted operating hours, long queues, service backlogs and even temporary office closures, which have eroded public trust in the system.

Broken Sassa offices

The presentation outlined numerous OHS violations affecting offices across the country.

Among the most serious problems were frequent power failures and unreliable electricity supply, which often force systems offline and halt services.

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Many offices were also reported to be severely overcrowded, with client demand far exceeding available space.

Infrastructure deterioration has further compounded the situation. Some facilities were found to have broken or non-functional toilets, damaged air-conditioning systems, and crumbling internal and external structures, including walls and ceilings.

In several instances, Sassa said buildings had deteriorated to the point that they posed safety risks to both staff and beneficiaries.

The remedies

To address the crisis, Sassa has started reviewing its entire property portfolio and infrastructure strategy.

The agency said it has invoked provisions in the South African Social Security Agency Act that allow it to acquire or hold immovable property, and has requested permission to procure office facilities directly rather than relying solely on the public works department.

Sassa said it plans to prioritise offices experiencing severe OHS challenges, those with long-outstanding accommodation requests and sites currently operating on month-to-month leases.

A broader policy review is also underway to allow the agency to build or own its own offices in future, which it believes will provide greater control over maintenance and compliance.

“The review of Sassa’s immovable property policy will enable Sassa to procure independently,” the agency said.

Ultimately, the agency told MPs that resolving infrastructure failures is essential to improving the experience of millions of South Africans who rely on social grants each month.

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