Viral fake grant alert: DSD confirms no new R1,682 family support programme

The Department of Social Development (DSD) has warned South Africans to be on high alert after a fraudulent message claiming government has launched a new “National Family Support Allowance” began circulating widely on social media.

In the fake post, scammers allege that President Cyril Ramaphosa instructed Social Development Minister Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe to open applications for a three-month allowance worth R1,682.

The Department has flatly rejected the message as false.

The Department says it categorically dismisses this information as fake news, stressing that “there is no such programme, no new cash allowance, and no registration process linked to any ‘National Family Support Allowance’.”

According to the Department, the message appears to be designed to mislead the public and harvest personal information through fraudulent links.

“The message is a scam designed to mislead the public and potentially steal personal information through fraudulent links,” it said.

DSD urged South Africans to ignore the post, refrain from sharing it, and verify any information about social assistance only through trusted and official platforms.

These include “the official DSD website, SASSA and NDA platforms, government social media pages, and the DSD WhatsApp Channel.”

The Department reiterated that all legitimate updates on social protection programmes will always come directly from DSD, its entities, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the National Development Agency (NDA), or official government communication channels.

As misinformation continues to spread rapidly online, the Department appealed to communities to exercise caution and help curb the circulation of false content.

“The Department remains committed to providing reliable and accurate information and urges communities to help stop the spread of misinformation.”

IOL News