The social security agency has made a decision on expiring SASSA cards for 2024. Image: iStock
Social grants from SASSA are meant to provide care and assistance. But is it illegal to play LOTTO with your social grant? Here’s what we found.
The social security agency has made a decision on expiring SASSA cards for 2024. Image: iStock
Social grants from SASSA are meant to provide care and resources to citizens who need it. But is it illegal to buy a LOTTO ticket with your grant, or are you free to spend the social grant payment on what you wish? The South African explored just how social grants can legally be spent, and who is allowed to do the spending.
Let’s start with the first question of who can play the lottery.
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The National Lottery rules stipulates that LOTTO players must be 18 or older to play. Players must buy their own ticket, and be able to legally sign a contract.
Without these conditions met, someone cannot legally play the lottery (or claim their win from Ithuba).
Social grant payments are allocated to the person who receives the grant. The only person who legally may spend the grant is the person in whose name the grant is received.
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According to the SASSA rules, a social grant must be:
It is illegal to spend someone else’s social grant, or to use someone else’s SASSA card or payment.
It is completely legal to buy a LOTTO entry with your SASSA grant, when:
There’s one catch: if you win the lottery jackpot, you might no longer be eligible for your SASSA grant – and will automatically fail the means test if your LOTTO payment(s) exceed allowed earnings.
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A lottery win is still counted as an income.
If you see fraud at work, report fraud online here.
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Only grant recipients may spend their social grants, and nobody can withold your card. Contact the Head Office Hotline at +27 80 060 1011.