9 Important Things to Know About SASSA SRD Grant

The SASSA SRD grant (Social relief of distress) is a temporary provision of assistance intended for persons in such a dire material need that they cannot meet their families’ most basic needs.

Who qualifies for SASSA SRD grant?

The qualifying criteria for the SASSA SRD grant are as follows. A person who is;

1. South African Citizens, Permanent Residents or Refugees registered on the Home Affairs database and holders of special permits under the Special Angolan Dispensation, the Lesotho Exemption Permit dispensation and the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Dispensation, and asylum seekers whose section 22 permits or visas are valid or were valid on 15 March 2020.
2. Current residents within the borders of the Republic of South Africa.
3. Above the age of 18 and below the age of 60.
4. Unemployed.
5. Not receiving any social grant in respect of himself or herself; 
6. Not receiving an unemployment insurance benefit and does not qualify to receive unemployment insurance (UIF) benefit.
7. Not receiving a stipend from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) or other financial aid.
8. Not receiving any other government COVID-19 response support.
9. Not a resident in a government-funded or subsidized institution (e.g., Prison).
10. Not receiving an Income of more than R595 per month.

Check out my guide on SASSA Status Check to know more about your status.

What is the definition of income in relation to the SASSA SRD R350 grant?

Income, in relation to the SRD R350 grant means, any source of income as defined in regulation 19 of the Social Assistance Regulations, 2008 and includes any form of donation or other financial support or financial assistance received by the applicant of not more than R595 as per the food poverty line threshold.

What can I do to dispute the Outcome? 

You have the right to apply for reconsideration should you disagree with the declined Outcome. If you wish to dispute the outcome, you can apply for reconsideration via the SRD Website srd.sassa.gov.za/reconsideration. 

Since this grant is validated monthly, the request for reconsideration must be submitted for each month that the application is declined, even if the reason for the decline and the reason for disputing this decision is the same each month. 

What led to the application being declined? 

The application did not meet one or more of the qualifying criteria during the verification process. 

1. Applications Verification and Validation.
   • All received applications for the Special Covid-19 SRD R350 grant are verified monthly to confirm if they meet the qualification criteria.
   • Applications that do not meet the qualification criteria are declined for reasons.
2. Special Covid-19 SRD R350 Grant Qualification Criteria.
   • During the application process, all applicants agreed to the declaration and consent that stipulates the qualifying criteria and provides consent to SASSA to verify the information against the various databases used to validate the qualification for the grant. 

What is the SASSA reconsideration process?

Applications are verified monthly. If you do not meet any of the qualifying criteria, the application is declined for each month that the qualifying criteria are not met. 

To reconsider the application, you are verified against refreshed databases and also against a means test through the Banks to verify if you have an inflow of funds into your bank account amounting to more than R595 per month. 

1. If you’re receiving an amount totaling more than R595 per month, the application for reconsideration is declined. 
2. If you are not receiving more than R595 per month, the application for reconsideration is approved and paid into your bank account.
3. The reconsideration decision is final. If you wish to dispute the reconsidered decision, follow the legal route and approach the court. 

How will I know if my payment is ready for collection?

The application and payment status can be viewed on the SRD website. Every applicant needs to provide the correct mobile number through which he/she can be contacted, as all communication with applicants will be through SMS notifications.

Can Caregivers apply? 

Caregivers who are not receiving any grant on their behalf will also be eligible to apply. All caregivers (all the child grants – CSG, CDG, and FCG) can apply, and they have to apply through the same channels as any other applicant. 

Caregivers who receive an adult grant (Old Age or Disability) will not qualify for this grant, as the state already supports them financially. 

Caregivers who receive grants under the system-generated numbers can apply using the “7777” number – the system will accept these numbers. SASSA will then validate against Socpen to ensure that they are current caregivers. 

If approved, if the only income they have is the child grant, then the R350 will be paid directly into the account in which they receive their child grant.

Why is it important to re-apply? 

1. People’s circumstances may have changed over time.
2. To confirm clients’ personal details, assess their income and financial status.
3. Applicants need to accept the declaration and consent, which has been strengthened to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) which came to effect on 21 July 2021.
4. To access or have the SASSA application reconsidered for the Social Relief of Distress Grant, an applicant must grant consent for SASSA to verify his or her identity, residency, income, or social security benefits with any other institution deemed necessary by SASSA.

What are the SASSA payment methods? 

1. Personal bank account
2. SAPO
3. Cash Send

If you have outstanding Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant payments to be collected at the Post Office, you may select the SAPO branch where you wish to collect by clicking on the link srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/collection. 

This will assist in ensuring that we can schedule your collection as soon as possible.