The Department of Social Development (DSD) has been instructed to revise several regulations governing the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. This follows a ruling by the Gauteng High Court, which found several eligibility and verification requirements to be unconstitutional and unlawful.
In 2024, #PayTheGrants and the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ), represented by the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI), took the DSD to court, challenging several SRD grant regulations.
According to Siyanda Baduza, Basic Income Researcher at the IEJ, the judgment could make up to 18.3 million South Africans eligible for the SRD grant by removing restrictive barriers and addressing delays or non-payments.
"The government estimates that around 18.3 million people qualify for the grant, yet actual approval numbers have been far lower—less than half."
The court also ruled that the SRD grant is not temporary and must be treated like other social grants. It declared several government measures—such as exclusive online applications, bank verification processes, and outdated eligibility checks—irrational and unconstitutional.
"Online-only applications discriminate against people who do not have smartphones," the court found.
Additionally, the government must develop a plan within four months to increase the grant’s value in line with the rising cost of living. The grant has only been increased once—by R20.
"The SRD grant was introduced in 2020 at R350 and remained unchanged for several years until it was adjusted in April last year—but only by R20, which was insufficient to maintain its real value."
The ruling also criticised National Treasury for unlawfully restricting access to reduce costs and ordered reforms to ensure a fair and accessible system.
Is the SRD Grant Coming to an End?
The SRD grant is currently set to continue until March 2025. However, the National Treasury has previously warned that any additional spending on grants must be funded through permanent revenue sources.
It remains to be seen whether the grant will be extended and whether its value will be increased in the coming months.
