The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has come out to clarify a few misunderstandings about the existing R350 grant payment backlog. The agency has also voiced concerns over the fact that most applicants of the grant are unemployed, educated members of the youth.
While the South African Social Security (Sassa) has had to address a wide variety of concerns shared by their beneficiaries with regards to grant payments.
Some of these issues include, the existing R350 grant payment backlog, the processing of outstanding Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant applications as well as the new regulation that are soon to be implemented to any backlogs in future..
Sassa has already dealt with much of the current payment backlog according to the agency’s spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi.
We are delighted to inform the public today that we have dealt with the backlog. When we get to September, we’ll be dealing only with people who applied during that month.
He added that R625 will be the new threshold for the R350 grant. The current threshold is R350. However, the department is still working to mandate it. Many applicants, who are currently excluded from the system, are expected to benefit from the amendment since they have more than R350 in their bank accounts.
Sassa also pointed out that approximately 5% of all applicants for the SRD grant are young. Sassa has also expressed concern about the high youth unemployment rate in the nation, which currently stands at 60%.
However, the agency’s national spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi stated that there had been a misconception that the figure was 65% while actually stands at 5% of young people who applied for the SRD grant.
“The only thing which we wanted to clarify is that there was a problem in terms of communication where information was put out there that 65% of people who apply hold degrees and I think we said we need to clarify that to say out of everyone who applied, 5% hold degrees.” He added
Letsatsi further emphasised that Sassa has also made strides in the payments of this SRD grant, which was first established to help impoverished South Africans lessen the financial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also pointed out that due to the high level of youth unemployment in the country; it makes sense that a large number of young people would be applying for the SRD grant. Sassa also intends to ensure that the current SRD grant backlog is resolved by the end of August
Additionally, more than 5 million R350 grant applications have been granted as of last month, and more than 4 million of those applicants have already had their grant payments processed, according to Sassa.
