South Africa: Governments Shouldn't Rely On AI to Decide Who Gets a Social Grant - Inside a South African Court Case

What the report says

South Africa’s court dispute over a digitally administered social grant has highlighted the risks of using automated systems to determine access to public benefits. The issue centers on the Social Relief of Distress grant, launched in 2020 by the South African Social Security Agency to provide temporary support to very poor households. According to The Conversation Africa, the government later tightened the process through online-only rules and automated checks of bank and government records to screen applicants.

The article says the result was a sharp fall in approvals, and that the process was challenged in 2023 by the Institute for Economic Justice and the advocacy group #PayTheGrants. In January 2025, the High Court found parts of the regulations unconstitutional and invalid, including provisions linked to automated verification. The government has appealed, and the case is expected to go before the Supreme Court of Appeal.

The ruling matters because it raises questions about fairness, transparency and access to social assistance when public services depend on algorithmic decision-making. The article argues that automated systems can exclude eligible people if they rely on flawed or outdated data, or if appeals are also handled online. It also notes that several South African public institutions are expanding digital tools, making the case relevant beyond welfare administration.