SASSA, USA News (South Africa): The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has outlined targets in its annual performance plan to reduce its call volumes by 16.7%. According to the agency’s documents, it plans to stop answering up to 800,000 calls as part of an effort to update its systems and improve the turnaround time for resolving customer enquiries.
In the 2024-2025 period, the agency answered 4.8 million calls. However, by March of the following year, SASSA aims to drop that figure to 4.2 million, resulting in 600,000 fewer answered calls. The agency intends to continue lowering the number of answered calls each year until reaching a target of 4 million calls annually by 2029. Alongside these targets, the agency aims for 70% of customers to complete an after-call survey, though details regarding target satisfaction rates were not specified.
Performance Metrics and Processing Targets
Historical data indicates fluctuating performance metrics for the agency. In 2023-2024, SASSA resolved 97% of enquiries within five days, a figure that dropped to 94% by 2025. Additionally, the agency plans to adjust its processing benchmarks for Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant applications. Between 2022 and 2024, the agency processed 100% of SRD grant applications, but it now intends to process 95% of applications amid rising submission volumes. Furthermore, as of June 2026, the agency had maintained on-time payments for 89% of approved SRD grants.
Shift Toward Digitalization and AI
The proposed changes stem from SASSA’s initiative to digitize operations and replace customer care workers with AI-powered chatbots. Nevertheless, the agency acknowledges within its own planning documents that beneficiaries may face adoption hurdles due to a lack of digital literacy. Many recipients reside in rural areas or households lacking internet access, making telephone calls a vital alternative to traveling long distances for assistance.
