On the day older persons’ grants were scheduled to pay, some beneficiaries reported that their money did not reflect or could not be withdrawn, despite receiving the usual payment notifications. Early statements indicated the problem seemed localised to a specific banking channel rather than a general failure of SASSA’s systems. In particular, SASSA noted that, as far as it was aware at the time, the delays affected pensioners using Capitec accounts.
Eyewitness and regional reports quickly converged on the same core fact pattern: a subset of older persons could not access funds on 2 October. Estimates put the affected group at roughly 15,000 beneficiaries, underscoring that this was significant but far from the millions typically paid each month.
SASSA Payment Delays October 2025 Quick summary
Item |
Details |
|---|---|
What happened |
Some older persons could not access their grants on Thursday, 2 October 2025, even after receiving payment confirmations. |
Who was affected |
Reports indicate the issue mainly affected pensioners who bank with Capitec. Estimates suggest about 15,000 beneficiaries. |
Cause |
A technical problem between the payments clearing house PayInc (formerly BankservAfrica) and Capitec interrupted access to funds. |
Status by 3–4 October |
SASSA said the glitch was resolved and beneficiaries could access their grants. Those still experiencing issues were told to contact Capitec or SASSA. |
What to do now |
Check your balance again, keep your phone on for bank alerts, and if funds still do not reflect, contact Capitec and the SASSA call centre with your ID ready. |
Official site |
SASSA: sassa.gov.za. Payment date reminders appeared on SASSA social channels for October 2025. |
What caused the October delay
Follow-up statements the next day pointed to a technical failure in the payments chain external to SASSA’s internal processing. SASSA and multiple outlets explained that the disruption occurred between PayInc the national payments clearing house formerly known as BankservAfrica and Capitec. That fault prevented some transactions from reflecting on time for Capitec-banked pensioners.
The picture that emerged is familiar in modern payment ecosystems: SASSA completed its internal run and released payment instructions on time; the interruption happened downstream in the clearing and bank reflection stages.
The fix and current status
By Friday, 3 October, SASSA said the issue had been resolved, and the affected beneficiaries would be paid. Independent reporting the same weekend echoed that payments were restored and that anyone still experiencing trouble should contact Capitec or SASSA’s call centre for individual assistance.
Several outlets repeated the guidance that those with persisting problems should escalate via official helplines until balances reflect as expected.
If your grant still has not reflected: step-by-step
- Check your balance again and review any new SMS alerts from your bank. Short lags can occur after a clearing-house fix.
- If you bank with Capitec and there is still no reflection, contact Capitec support and have your ID ready. Then contact the SASSA call centre so both parties can trace your transaction.
- If you use a different bank but experience similar symptoms, call your bank and SASSA; while the October incident was concentrated at Capitec, individual account-level errors are possible.
- Do not share card PINs or one-time passwords with anyone. SASSA and your bank will never ask for these. Use only published helplines and the official site for updates.
What SASSA, Capitec and the payments ecosystem are doing
SASSA apologised to affected pensioners and said technical teams worked through the night with Capitec and PayInc to restore access. Statements also emphasised that the agency would continue monitoring to prevent a repeat. As of the weekend after the disruption, major outlets reported the fix was in place.
It is worth noting that the October payments calendar for other grant types remained unchanged; the problem was not a national halt to all grants but a clearing-bank reflection issue concentrated on one channel during the older persons run. Official social posts continued to list the standard October sequence of 2, 3 and 6 October for older persons, disability and children’s grants respectively.
Practical tips to reduce stress during payment windows
- If you use a retailer or ATM, go later in the day or the next day once you have confirmed funds reflect; money does not disappear if you do not withdraw on the exact date. This helps reduce crowding and repeat travel.
- Keep your phone on and able to receive bank messages and one-time pins. If you changed numbers recently, update your bank and SASSA records.
- If your account details changed, give your bank and SASSA enough time to process updates before the next grant cycle.
Frequently asked questions
Is the October 2025 delay only a Capitec issue?
That is what early statements suggested. SASSA said that, as far as it was aware at the time, only Capitec-banked beneficiaries were affected.
How many people were affected?
Reports referenced approximately 15,000 beneficiaries.
Has the issue been fixed?
Yes. SASSA and multiple outlets reported the technical fault was resolved and that payments should be accessible. If you are still affected, contact Capitec and SASSA.
Was this SASSA’s fault?
SASSA said payment files were dispatched on schedule and that the problem occurred downstream between PayInc and Capitec.
Do I need to reapply or change banks?
No. This was a processing glitch. Do not make hasty bank changes during a payment window; call your bank and SASSA so they can trace and resolve your transaction.
Where can I see payment date reminders and official notices?
Use SASSA’s official website and social channels, which posted the October 2025 dates and updates.
Bottom line
The October 2025 pension delay was real but targeted: a clearing-house link with Capitec temporarily held up access for a defined group of older persons. The fault was identified and resolved within a day, with agencies saying all affected beneficiaries would be paid. If you still do not see your funds, escalate promptly through the official SASSA and Capitec helplines and keep your phone on for updates.
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