Child Grants Delayed Due to Parentage Verification Problems

More Child Support Grant applications are being delayed due to parentage verification issues at Home Affairs. This problem affects parents who recently registered a child, changed surnames, updated marital status, or corrected identity details. Because the verification happens behind the scenes, applicants often have no idea why their grant is delayed.

What Parentage Verification Actually Means

When a caregiver applies for a Child Support Grant, SASSA must confirm that the applicant is legally responsible for the child. This requires a match between:

• The parent’s ID
• The child’s birth record
• Home Affairs’ parent-child database

If any detail is missing or incomplete, the application remains “Pending Verification.”

Why Verification Delays Are Increasing

System Between SASSA and Home Affairs

A 2025 backend update increased the accuracy of parent-child matching. However, this improvement came with side effects:

• Delays due to mismatched records
• Slower syncing between the systems
• More cases requiring manual confirmation
• Longer queues within Home Affairs databases

Small Errors Cause Large Delays

Common trigger points include:

• Missing father details
• Late registration of birth
• Surname differences between parent and child
• Incorrect spelling of parent names
• Parental marital changes not updated at Home Affairs

Impact on Families & Caregivers

Child grants are often the only financial support for a household. Any delay affects:

• Food purchases
• Transportation
• Baby supplies
• Healthcare access

Parents who expect the grant quickly become frustrated when weeks turn into months without approval, especially if they receive no explanation.

Objection on SASSA – Why?

Because the SASSA application status only shows “Under Review,” applicants assume the problem lies within SASSA. In reality, the delay occurs because the verification engine is waiting for Home Affairs to finalize or correct the parent-child relationship.

How To Avoid Delays

Confirm Your Parent Details at Home Affairs: Check that your ID number, surname, and details match the birth certificate.

Ensure the Child’s Birth Record Is Fully Updated: Late registrations or missing parental fields must be corrected before applying. Bring all supporting documents when applying

This includes:

• Birth certificates
• Proof of identity
• Guardianship documents
• Court orders, if applicable

FAQs

Why is my child grant still under review after two months?

Your parent-child verification may still be pending at Home Affairs.

Can I apply without the father’s details?

Yes, but missing information may slow verification.

Does a surname mismatch delay approval?

Yes. SASSA needs matching records to confirm the relationship.

Can grandparents apply for a child grant?

Yes, but they must provide proof that the child is in their care.