The Department of Social Development confirmed that Sassa received 11.4 million applications for one of its grants and approved 5.2 million of these. The chance does however remain that your approved status could change.
In April 2024, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) began administering grants under the new regulation, namely the Social Assistance Act. With current regulations, existing Social Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant beneficiaries are required to have a monthly threshold of R350 or less.
Sassa had announced that a total of 5.2 million applications were successful out of the 11.4 million applications that the government agency had received for the grant. However, one’s application status may easily change after being verified through bank processes.
As the government agency have been receiving complaints of being declined after months of receiving the grant, according to the new regulations, funds exceeding R350 automatically results in ones grant application being declined and this may differ from one month to the next.
Lobby group, Black Sash argued that these processes are not 100% accurate and the group has also proposed for something to be done so that financially deserving people are not excluded from receiving the grant.
Should one’s SRD grant approved status change from being approved to being declined, Sassa has allowed for a second chance in the form of an appeal for the grant beneficiaries. Hence, they have been urged to not reapply.
It is said that the appeal may be lodged within a period of 30 days after being notified by Sassa that your grant application has been declined, appealing Sassa’s decision to the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals.
The Department of Social Development has emphasised that an appeal application needs to be lodged in relation to each month where a person is rejected by Sassa, if in disagreement with the decision.
