During the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, announced that the Sassa Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant will be ending in March 2025, after being extended for another year. One question that has been popping up is whether current R350 grant beneficiaries have to reapply.
Do I Have To Reapply?
Well, good news for beneficiaries is that they don't need to reapply if they've been approved already. Sassa goes in and verifies whether beneficiaries still qualify every month but this does not mean that a reapplication has to be done.
What Happens To Your SRD Grant Application After You Submit It?
Sassa's online system processes applicants' information through a number of different databases when considering their application.
The first step is that the applicant's name, surname and ID number is run though the Department of Home Affairs. Sassa does this to make sure the details provided match with the Department of Home Affairs database.
Your ID number and mobile number is then put through a Fraud Risk Scoring process. This is done to see if you pose a risk to SASSA and what needs to be done.
Applications where applicants have chosen to receive their R350 grant payment through their bank account will go through a bank verification process. This is done to ensure that the applicant does not have an alternative monthly income which exceeds R624.
During the bank verification process, the applicant's details are sent to the Department of Treasury, then to the bank chosen by the applicant.
The application will also be checked to ensure that the applicant is not using another person's banking account. Sassa has emphasized that applicants must provide their own bank account details.
The South Africa Social Security Agency manages grants and allowances for groups in South African society needing assistance. This includes grants for children, the older persons grants and disability grants. SASSA also manages the R350 grant for the special relief of distress during the Covid-19 crisis.
