Accessibility Statement | Sassaststuschecke.co.za

Sassaststuschecke.co.za is committed to making this website accessible to the widest possible range of users – including people with disabilities, people using older or basic devices, people with slow or limited internet connections, and people reading in languages other than English. Accessibility is not an afterthought for us. It is a core part of our purpose.

Our readers are primarily South Africans accessing government grant information under difficult circumstances – sometimes on a basic smartphone, sometimes with limited data, sometimes with visual or cognitive challenges, and sometimes in a language that is not their first. We build and maintain this website with all of these users in mind.

1. Our Accessibility Commitment

We aim for this website to be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users – the four core principles of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. While we are an independent South African platform rather than a government entity, we voluntarily align our practices with these internationally recognised accessibility standards.

Specifically, we are committed to:

• Writing all content in plain, clear language that is easy to understand regardless of educational background or literacy level
• Ensuring the website is usable on the widest range of devices – including basic Android smartphones, older handsets, and low-specification hardware
• Designing pages that load quickly on slow or metered internet connections, including 2G and 3G mobile networks
• Making content accessible to users who rely on screen readers, magnification tools, or other assistive technologies
• Providing text alternatives for all non-text content where relevant
• Ensuring sufficient colour contrast between text and background throughout the site
• Making all navigation and interactive elements operable via keyboard for users who cannot use a touchscreen or mouse

2. Plain Language – Accessibility Through Clarity

For our readers, the most important form of accessibility is language accessibility. Many South Africans navigating the SASSA grant system have limited experience with bureaucratic language, legal terminology, or digital interfaces. If our guides are not written in plain, understandable language, they are inaccessible to the people who need them most – regardless of screen reader compatibility or colour contrast ratios.

Our plain language commitment means:

• We use short sentences and short paragraphs throughout all guides and articles
• We avoid jargon – and when technical terms are unavoidable (such as ‘e-KYC’ or ‘ITSAA’), we explain them immediately and clearly in the same sentence or paragraph
• We use active voice rather than passive voice wherever possible
• We use real examples to illustrate abstract processes – for example, explaining what ‘Pending’ actually means in practical terms rather than just defining it
• We structure content with clear headings so that readers can scan and find what they need quickly
• We use numbered steps for processes so that readers can follow along one action at a time

If you find any section of our website confusing, unclear, or difficult to follow – please tell us via the Contact Us page. Plain language is a continuous improvement process and reader feedback is how we know where we are falling short.

3. Technical Accessibility Features

Device and Browser Compatibility

Sassaststuschecke.co.za is designed to function on the widest possible range of devices and browsers, reflecting the reality that many of our users access the internet on basic Android smartphones rather than high-specification devices.

• The website is fully responsive – it adjusts its layout automatically for screens of all sizes, from small feature-phone screens to large desktop monitors
• All core content and functionality is available on Android smartphones running Android 5.0 and above
• The website is tested on commonly used South African mobile browsers including Chrome for Android, Samsung Internet, and Opera Mini
• Core content loads and is readable even when images or stylesheets fail to load – for users on very slow connections or data-saving browser modes
• The website does not require JavaScript to be enabled to read the main content – though some interactive features may require it

Loading Speed and Data Efficiency

We actively optimise the website for low-bandwidth connections because many of our readers access content on metered mobile data plans:

• Images are compressed and optimised to reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality
• We avoid large auto-playing videos, heavy animations, or bandwidth-intensive features that would consume significant data or cause slow loading on mobile networks
• Core page content – guides, articles, and reference tables – is delivered as lightweight HTML and text
• Pages are designed to be usable even when some content fails to load due to network interruptions

Screen Reader Compatibility

We aim to ensure that all content on this website is accessible to users relying on screen reader software:

• All images include descriptive alternative text (alt text) that conveys the purpose and content of the image
• Page headings follow a logical hierarchical structure (H1, H2, H3) to enable efficient navigation via screen reader
• Links use descriptive text that makes sense when read out of context – for example, ‘Check your SRD status on the official portal’ rather than ‘click here’
• Form elements and interactive buttons include appropriate labels
• Colour is never used as the sole means of conveying information – all colour-coded content is also differentiated by text or icon

Colour and Visual Design

We apply colour contrast standards throughout the website to ensure content is readable for users with colour vision deficiencies or low vision:

• Body text and background combinations meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA contrast ratio requirements (minimum 4.5:1 for normal text)
• Important warnings, status indicators, and action buttons use both colour and text/icon labelling so that colour-blind users are not excluded
• The default text size is set to be readable without zooming on standard mobile screens
• The website layout supports browser text zoom up to 200% without horizontal scrolling or loss of content

Keyboard Navigation

All interactive elements on this website – links, buttons, and navigation menus – can be accessed and operated using a keyboard alone, without requiring a mouse or touchscreen:

• Focus indicators are visible when navigating by keyboard, so users know which element is currently selected
• Navigation follows a logical tab order that reflects the visual layout of the page
• Skip-navigation links allow keyboard users to bypass repeated navigation menus and jump directly to main content

4. Language Accessibility

South Africa has 12 official languages, and a significant proportion of our readers are more comfortable in Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Afrikaans, or another home language than they are in English. We acknowledge this reality and are working to address it.

Our current language accessibility position:

• All content is currently published in English as the primary language – English is the most widely understood language for written information across South Africa’s diverse language communities
• We write in plain, clear English specifically to make content more accessible to readers for whom English is a second or third language
• We are actively working to provide key guides in additional South African languages, beginning with Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, and Afrikaans – we will update this statement when translated content becomes available
• We recommend that readers who prefer another language use the browser’s built-in translation feature (available in Chrome, Edge, and Samsung Internet) to translate page content – results are generally good for SASSA-related terminology

Until formal translations are available, Google Translate integrated into Chrome for Android provides a reasonable translation for most South African languages. Open a page, tap the ‘Translate’ prompt that appears at the bottom of the screen, and select your preferred language. Translation quality for Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, and Afrikaans has improved significantly in recent years.

5. Known Accessibility Limitations

We are transparent about areas where our accessibility does not yet meet the standard we are working towards. The following known limitations exist as of March 2026:

We review and update our accessibility practices regularly. If you encounter a specific accessibility barrier that is not listed here, please report it via the Contact Us page. Reader-reported issues are our primary source of information about real-world accessibility problems.

6. Tips for Accessing This Website With Assistive Technology

Screen Reader Users

• Use the heading structure to navigate quickly between sections – all main sections start with an H2 heading
• Skip links are provided at the top of each page to allow you to jump directly to the main content, bypassing the navigation menu
• Tables include header cells to give context to data rows when reading cell by cell
• All status result explanations (Pending, Approved, Declined) are provided as text labels, not colour alone

Users With Low Vision

• The website supports browser zoom up to 200% without loss of content or horizontal scrolling
• Text can be resized using your browser’s built-in text size controls without breaking the page layout
• Minimum text size on body copy is 11.5 points – larger than most website defaults – to improve readability on small screens
• High contrast mode in your device’s accessibility settings is compatible with our website layout

Users on Basic Phones or Slow Connections

• Enable Data Saver mode in Chrome for Android to reduce data usage while browsing – core content will still load correctly
• If images fail to load, all essential information is available as text – you are not missing critical content
• The USSD option (*120*3210#) for SASSA status checks does not require internet at all – use it when data is unavailable

Older Adults and First-Time Smartphone Users

• Increase your phone’s display text size via Settings > Accessibility > Text Size before visiting the website
• All steps in our guides are numbered so you can follow them one at a time without losing your place
• If a process seems unclear, call the SASSA helpline on 0800 60 10 11 and an agent can walk you through the steps verbally

7. Accessibility Feedback and Contact

We actively welcome feedback about the accessibility of Sassaststuschecke.co.za. If you experience a barrier to accessing our content – whether related to disability, language, device, connectivity, or any other factor – please tell us. Every report helps us improve.

When reporting an accessibility issue, please include the following to help us respond effectively:

• The page or section where you experienced the problem – include the page title or URL if possible
• The type of device, browser, and assistive technology you were using (if known)
• A description of what you were trying to do and what happened instead
• Any error messages that appeared

Please use the Contact Us page to submit your feedback. We aim to acknowledge all accessibility reports within 3 business days and to provide a substantive response within 10 business days.

If the barrier you are experiencing prevents you from using the Contact Us form, you can call the SASSA helpline directly on 0800 60 10 11. While the helpline is SASSA’s own service and not ours, SASSA agents can help with the actual grant queries that our website explains. Alternatively, Black Sash (blacksash.org.za) provides in-person and telephone assistance to grant beneficiaries at community advice offices across South Africa.

8. Accessible Alternatives to This Website

For users who are unable to access this website regardless of the accommodations above, the following official SASSA channels provide the same grant-related services in more accessible formats:

9. Updates to This Statement

This Accessibility Statement reflects the current state of Sassaststuschecke.co.za’s accessibility as of the date shown at the top of this page. We review and update this statement whenever we make significant changes to the website’s design, technology, or content policies.

Accessibility is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time checklist. We are continuously working to identify and remove barriers. The Known Limitations table above will be updated as improvements are made.