Social Cash Transfer Reaches 1.1 Million Households in Days

More than 1.1 million vulnerable households have received their Social Cash Transfer (SCT) payments for the September to October payment cycle, all within less than a week of the cycle opening.

The Programme said the speed of the payout shows how much more efficient it has become and how far it now reaches. In total, 1.5 million households are registered as beneficiaries, so well over two-thirds of them had been paid within days.

Digital payments are behind much of this progress. 95% of beneficiary households now receive their transfers through digital platforms. The Programme said the shift has improved transparency and accountability and allows payments to be tracked in real time. It also brings more households into the formal financial system, many for the first time.

The move to mobile money means that vulnerable families in rural and urban areas alike can get their support quickly and safely. Fewer people need to travel long distances or queue at physical pay points.

With the payments now flowing, the Programme gave beneficiaries some advice to keep their funds safe. Recipients should cash out or use their mobile wallets promptly, and they should keep their PINs confidential at all times. They were also told to make sure their SIM cards are registered in their own names, because an unregistered SIM can delay or stop a payment.

The Programme’s message to beneficiaries was clear: “Your Mobile Money Wallet is Your Bank. Protect it.”