SASSA R350 Grant Applicants Facing Challenges

Citizens are facing a number of different issues when it comes to getting approval for the special Covid-19 R350 relief grant. Some people are being rejected by the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) online application system.
Thulani Pike from the Equal Rights Forum says these rejections are for a number of different reasons according to applicants.
Pike says that applicants are being notified by the Sassa system, that they are employed. The system is advising these applicants to claim from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) if they have recently become unemployed or they should claim tax. Some citizens say they were notified that they are not on the system.
“Another challenge is that in previous one you find that the money has been paid but they cannot trace the money, where the money is, they go to the post office they said no the money is not with us, so we have those challenges” explained Pike.
 He says he has taken these issues to Sassa but is yet to receive a response, citing the difficulty with logging issues through the call centres.
Some citizens have voiced their displeasure with the ways in which applications need to be made. One man added “I think we should have [a place] where people can walk in and do these applications because a lot of people in the townships don’t have smartphones”
Applications for the grants are still open. You can contact Sassa via their official channels which are https://srd.sassa.gov.za or on WhatsApp 0820468553.
Sassa announced that they are currently training volunteers to assist people in the application process. Sassa’s general manager, Sibusiso Nhlangothi says these volunteers will be spread out across the different districts to help people apply for the relief grant.
The first payments of the recently reintroduced R350 relief grants started this week.