The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) distributes more than 18 million grants to vulnerable beneficiaries every month. Sassa is responsible for the application, approval and distribution of social grants to beneficiaries across the country.
The agency plays a crucial role in providing support to vulnerable individuals and families in South Africa and assists them in affording basic goods and services.
Some of the socials grants distributed by Sassa include 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.
In order to qualify for the SRD grant, all candidates must be unemployed, be between the ages of 18 and 59 years old and earn less than R624 per month.
Sassa Payments For December 2023
- Older Persons grant - R2 090
- Older Persons (75 years and older) - R2 110
- Disability grant - R2 090
- War Veterans grant - R2 110
- Child Support grant - R510
- Child Support grant (Top-up) - R510 + R250
- Care Dependency grant - R2 090
- Foster Care grant - R1 130
- Grant-In-Aid - R510
- Social Relief of Distress Grant – R350
December Sassa Payment Dates 2023
The first week of each month is usually reserved for the payment of permanent social grants. Staying updated about the Sassa payment schedule is always advisable and useful.
- Older Persons Grant - 1 December 2023
- Disability Grant - 4 December 2023
- Children's Grants - 5 December 2023
SRD Grant Sassa Payment Dates For November
SRD grants will be paid to beneficiaries from 18 December until 22 December. During payment week, Sassa has encouraged beneficiaries to view their Sassa status on the SRD website, to have a look at the exact date that their grant payment will reflect in their bank accounts.
If you want to check on your grant payment information this can be done via the Sassa official website. We also have information on grant payment dates for 2023 on the Skills Portal website.
Sassa Grant Increases
Every year, the Finance minister announces social grant increases. In 2023, permanent Sassa Grant beneficiaries will receive two rounds of increases with one already having taken place.
These grants were recently increased in April and there was another increase in October 2023. Read our article on Sassa grant increases for 2023/24 to find out more.
Will There Be R350 Grant Increases?
Government has unfortunately not increased the R350 grant since its inception due to "fiscal constraint", as explained by the Department of Social Development (DSD).
It was revealed that the DSD had submitted a proposal to the National Treasury to increase the value of the SRD grant. However, the proposal was not favourably considered due to fiscal constraints.
Sassa Status Check
To confirm that you have been approved for your Sassa grant each month it is useful to run a Sassa status check. You do this with your ID number and the cellphone number that is associated with your account and then the Sassa status check will return with the information on your account.
Collect Your Sassa Grant
Sassa has made it clear that beneficiaries should not rush to withdraw their Sassa payment on the first day it becomes available and to remember that once the money has been sent to their accounts, it will remain there until they need it.
In addition, there are a few ways beneficiaries can collect their grants. These include:
Bank Account
Permanent grant beneficiaries and SRD recipients have the option of having their grants paid directly into their bank account. This is a convenient grant payment method as beneficiaries can access their money at any time after the payment was made by Sassa.
Retail outlets
Sassa grants are paid to selected retailers around the country. The vast geographical footprint of retail outlets makes it easy for grant recipients to find one close to where they live.
Beneficiaries can withdraw their money at any time when the retail outlet is operational. Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Boxer stores, Usave stores and Checkers all distribute social grants.
Mobile Cash Pay Points
There are also mobile cash pay points where grant beneficiaries can collect their money. However, this is not a flexible payment option and beneficiaries may only collect their grant payment for a few hours during a grant payment cycle.
Sassa Gold Cards
In May 2023, Sassa announced that it would extend the validity of gold cards until the end of the year. This is because millions of Sassa gold cards were set to expire in the coming months.
This means that grant beneficiaries can continue using their expired Sassa gold cards until the end of 2023. Additionally, Sassa introduced a payment method which allows beneficiaries to collect their money without a Sassa gold card.
Payment Details
If you need to change your payment details with Sassa we have full details in our comprehensive guide to changing your Sassa banking details or our banking details FAQ.
If you want to check on your grant payment information this can be done via the Sassa official website. We also have information on grant payment dates for 2023 on the Skills Portal website.
To find out more about Sassa grants, including the R350 grant, head to our Sassa section.
