The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant is paid to around nine million people living in South Africa every month. The grant is commonly referred to as the R370 grant due to its monetary value.
Introduced in 2020 to assist unemployed people who had little to no prospects of finding employment due to lockdowns, the implementation has been extended on several occasions.
The latest official extension of the SRD grant was 2 November 2023 when Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana announced the extension of the R370 grant which was previously set to end in March of 2024. The most recent extension means that beneficiaries can collect their R350 grant until March 2025.
What Is The Eligibility Criteria For The R370 Grant
To qualify for the SRD grant in South Africa, applicants must meet specific criteria.
They must be South African citizens, residents, or hold a special permit.
Applicants must be between 18 and 60 years old and unemployed.
R370 grant applicants must not receive other government support, such as Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits or National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bursaries.
Applicants' monthly income must be below R624. In terms of the R370 grant, income refers to the money a beneficiary has in their bank account. This means that if a beneficiary has more than R624 in their bank account, they will not be approved for an R370 Grant payment.
Sassa conducts verification checks to ensure eligibility. The Department of Home Affairs verifies identity and citizenship, while the Department of Treasury verifies income using bank details. Once eligibility is confirmed, Sassa proceeds with payments, which are typically made at the end of each month.
How to Apply for the SRD Grant
To apply for the R370 grant, follow these steps:
- Visit the R370grant website.
- Choose your citizenship status at the bottom of the webpage. Select "South African ID Holder" or "Asylum Seeker/Special Permit Holder."
- Locate the yellow bar labelled "Click here to apply online" under the relevant section ("How do I apply for this SRD Grant" or "Asylum Seekers and Special Permit Holders").
- Enter your mobile number and click "Send SMS." Then, input the one-time pin (OTP) sent by Sassa to your phone for verification.
- Once verified, follow the prompts on the website to complete your application.
Approved recipients can choose to receive their SRD grant payments directly into their bank accounts or collect the funds at participating supermarkets, including Pick n Pay, Boxer, Checkers, USave, Shoprite, OK, and Spar.
