Durban - There were still 500 000 social grant recipients who had not signed to authorise the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) to make funeral deductions from their grant payments, the agency said on Monday.
Sassa spokesperson Shivani Wahab said that recipients that had funeral policy deductions made from their social grants had to visit Sassa to ensure that they retained their policies.
"Social grant beneficiaries have to request Sassa to facilitate the payment of premiums for their funeral policies directly from their social grants, on condition that the request meets the requirements as set in the Social Assistance Act."
A funeral policy premium is the only deduction that is allowed to come off a social grant before the grant is paid to the beneficiary.
"Beneficiaries with current deductions for funeral policy premiums are urged to respond without further delays to ensure that their funeral policies remain intact.
"Failure to visit Sassa to sign the authorising forms may lead to Sassa terminating the deductions. This may result in the policy lapsing as a result of failure to pay. If the premium is not paid consistently the insurer may refuse to pay a claim in the event of the death of a beneficiary, which will cause hardship to their families," said Wahab.
Beneficiaries without the funeral policy deductions should not approach Sassa.