Social grants distributed by the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) include the Older Persons pension grant, Disability grant, War Veterans grant, Care Dependency grant, Foster Child grant, Child Support grant, Child Support grant Top-Up and Grant-in-aid.
Another Sassa grant distributed is the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant which is a temporary grant introduced in 2020 to provide financial support to unemployed South Africans.
Every month, SRD grant applications are open. However, once you apply and are approved for one month, you don't have to apply again.
How to Apply for the SRD Grant
There are two convenient ways to apply for the SRD Grant
- Online: Apply through the official SRD grant website
- WhatsApp: Apply via WhatsApp using the Sassa number (082 046 8553).
How To Submit Your R370 Sassa Grant For May 2024
Online using the Sassa SRD website
- Select Citizenship: Start by choosing your citizenship status at the bottom of the webpage. You can select either "South African ID Holder" or "Asylum Seeker/Special Permit Holder."
- Start Application: Locate the yellow bar that says "Click here to apply online" under the relevant section ("How do I apply for this SRD Grant" or "Asylum Seekers and Special Permit Holders").
- Verify Phone Number: Enter your mobile number and click "Send SMS." Then, enter the one-time pin (OTP) sent by Sassa to your phone for verification.
- Complete Application: Once verified, follow the steps on the website to finish your application.
- Save Sassa Number: Add the number 082 046 8553 to your phone contacts to easily access Sassa on WhatsApp.
- Start WhatsApp Chat: Open WhatsApp and send "Hi" to this number to initiate the application process.
- Request Help: After receiving a response from Sassa, reply with "Help" to get further instructions.
- Choose SRD Option: You'll receive various options. Reply with "4" to access the Sassa platform message. Then, reply with "SRD" in that message to proceed with the SRD Grant application.
- Start Application: Confirm whether you're applying for yourself or someone else. Then, provide your name, surname, and ID number directly in the WhatsApp chat.
- Follow Further Instructions: You'll receive a message with further steps to complete the application process.
After you apply, you are then advised to consistently do a Sassa status check. There are two user-friendly options for checking your Sassa grant status: Online and using WhatsApp.
SRD Grant Increase
In March 2024, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the SRD grant payment would be increased from R350 to R370. This represents an increase of 5.7% for the grant.
Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu confirmed the grant increase of R20 in Government Notice No. R. 3210 of 29 March 2023.
The SRD grant increase came into effect on 1 April.
To qualify for the R370 grant, you must meet the eligibility criteria set by Sassa. This includes being a South African citizen, resident, or special permit holder. You cannot be receiving other government support like UIF benefits or NSFAS bursaries, and your bank balance must be below R624.
SRD grant payments are usually made in the last week of the month, after verification checks have been completed. It's important to remember that Sassa payments won't be made on weekends and public holidays.
