What is the Sassa SRD Grant?
The Social Relief - of Distress - (SRD) Grant in South Africa, also know as the Sassa SRD R350 grant or the SRD R350 grant was introduced to assist SA residents with no regular job or other grant income.
The grant is governed under the Social Assistance Act, providing financial assistance to vulnerable members of society who need financial support - in the form of social security benefits.
What is Sassa - the South African Social Security Agency?
The South Africa Social Security Agency is the government institution that manages grants and allowances for groups in South African society needing assistance. They do this on behalf of the Social Development Department.
This includes the social grant for children, the older persons grants and disability grants. SASSA also manages the Sassa R350 SRD grant, which is also known as the SRD R350 grant, for the special relief for those suffering distress during the Covid-19 crisis. But what is your Sassa SRD status?
With the introduction of the SASSA R350 grant, a large number of SRD grant application requests were rolling in with heading to srd.sassa.gov.za, as the website serves many purposes. Not only can you do your SASSA application for R350 on there for the Sassa SRD R350 grant, you can also check your SASSA SRD grant status.
This is also the SASSA website to correct banking details, SRD R350 grant status, to grant consent, and other information. What does Sassa status refer to with the Sassa grants?
You must always be aware of your grant application status by running a Sassa status check. There is no need for an application form as you can do an online application for the Sassa SRD R350 grant.
SASSA Appeal Status For R350 SRD grant
Sassa is responsible for distributing the government social grants to assist those who are in need, on behalf of the Department of Social Development. They check on the Department of Home Affairs database to confirm applicants ID numbers. Home Affairs has all the relevant information for all SA citizens and those in the country legally. You won't be able to get this grant if you receive any UIF payment as the UIF payment is a form of financial support. Appeals should be lodged within 90 days.
There are many millions of grants paid successfully each month, but there are still some people who don't receive the grants they should. This is why it is important to do a Sassa status check and this appeal process is supported by the Department of Social Development. The good news is that social assistance appeals normally run smoothly.
Sassa Appeal Online
If you feel you have unfairly been refused a SRD R350 grant when your SASSA grant application was rejected you can lodge an appeal with Sassa. Click here to gain access to the R350 SRD grant appeal link.
There is an official structure for social assistance appeal applications so there is a formal appeal process to go through with your Sassa appeal. An organisation called the Social Development Independent Tribunal has been set up specifically to deal with social assistance appeals around Sassa grants and related matters.
Then you can check on your R350 Sassa grant appeal process application status with Sassa. You need to check that Sassa has your ID number and banking details listed correctly, and then you will know that your appeal status is correct. Remember that if you receiving an unemployment insurance benefit, you won't be eligible for the Sassa SRD R350 grant.
You can access the Sassa contact details for your SRD R350 grant appeal status. You can appeal to Sassa via the cell phone number but it is usually better to do this via message.
SRD Appeal Sassa Status Check
If Sassa says you don't meet the SRD R350 grant eligibility criteria and you lodge an appeal against being refused an R350 grant it is important to follow up on it with a Sassa status check. You can't trust the Sassa systems to process your appeal on time. You need to do an Sassa grant appeal status check regularly to ensure that your grant appeal is progressing well.
If you need to lodge a Sassa status check appeal for your Sassa grant we have a comprehensive guide to Sassa appeals for SRD grants including the R350 SRD grant. You can also watch our Youtube video on Sassa grant appeals.
Update Banking Details With Sassa
It is possible to collect your Sassa grants from retailers like Shoprite or Pick n Pay - but direct payment into your bank account is the most efficient. Particularly because the Post Office is no longer distributing R350 grants.
Existing Sassa Grant
If your grant is paid into your bank account you have to make sure that your banking details are recorded correctly at Sassa so that they can pay grants that are due to you. The last thing you want is someone else getting your Sassa R350 (SRD) grant, or any other grant, paid into their bank account because your bank details are not correctly recorded at Sassa - particularly your ID number. If you need assistance we have a guide on how to update your banking details with Sassa to ensure you get your financial support.
You can also contact Sassa via their toll free phone number 0800 60 10 11. Keep these contact details to hand.
Use The Official Sassa Website
It is very important that you must only submit your personal details to the official Sassa website which has the website address sassa.gov.za or the official SRD website. When you use the official website, that is only when your actual application begins for the Sassa SRD R350 grant. You need to submit your ID number and cell phone number on the website to confirm your details.
SRD.Sassa.gov.za appeal - Sassa app R350 appeal
There is also a dedicated SRD website for the SRD Sassa grant at srd.sassa.gov.za to use for the social relief grant. The important thing to note is the use of the .gov.za website addresses.
There are no Sassa websites or SRD website at any .co.za website addresses. So there are websites that give you information about Sassa that you are welcome to use. Just don't submit your personal details to any of these websites.
You can also contact Sassa via their cell phone number to find out about your SRD Sassa grant status.
Asylum Seekers
The SRD grant eligibility criteria mean that it is available for all South Africans as well as asylum seekers and special permit holders. If you were turned down because you are not an SA citizen you can appeal to Sassa via the independent tribunal.
Is the Sassa R350 Grant Enough?
The R350 has been very welcomed by those who received their grant from Sassa. However civil society organisations have criticised the R350 grant because it is not enough for those who are without resources and could be facing hunger and homelessness. However there have been examples of people
Other Grants That Sassa Administers
There are a number of other grants that Sassa is responsible for. These include the Child Support Grant, Disability Grant and Older Persons Grant.
Other Sassa Social Grants:
Child Support Grant: The Child Support Grant is a monthly grant provided to parents or primary caregivers of children under the age of 18. To be eligible, the child must be a South African citizen or permanent resident, and the household income must be below a certain threshold. The grant amount is currently R460 per month and is paid to the caregiver.
Disability Grant: The Disability Grant is a monthly grant provided to individuals with disabilities who are unable to support themselves financially. To be eligible, the individual must be a South African citizen or permanent resident,
Old Age Grant: The Old Age Grant is a monthly grant provided to South African citizens or permanent residents who are 60 years or older and are unable to support themselves financially. The grant amount is currently R1,890 per month and is paid directly to the beneficiary.
Applications for grants and appeals can be made at your nearest SASSA office or online through the SASSA website and SRD website.
Careers Portal has the latest information on Sassa payment dates, SRD Sassa grant applications and even your Sassa SRD grant application status.