OPEN SECRETS: A peek behind South Africa’s digitalised grants system

In the past year, Open Secrets investigated the role of commercial banks in the administration of the Social Relief of Distress grant.

Documents we have obtained reveal the banks are contracted by the Department of Social Development and the South African Social Security Agency to digitally verify grant beneficiaries’ income status and dispense grant payments from Sassa.

In three articles we unpack the questions the investigation raised about accountability and transparency as the government relies on private companies for the digital transformation of its services.

In this first article we explain why the government chooses to use banks to verify grant recipients, how the process works, and the flaws in its implementation so far. ...