Applications for the R350 grant are declined for a number of reasons and it can sometimes be difficult to make sense of what these reasons are.
If your application for the R350 grant has been declined and the reason stated is 'existing_sassa_grant', it means you are a current recipient of a social grant.
According to SASSA's eligibility criteria, applicants of the R350 grant cannot be receiving any other form of social grants. This is with recent exception to caregivers who accept grants on behalf of children.
If you are unfamiliar with the eligibility criteria, you can familiarize yourself with it below.
In order to qualify for the R350 grant, applicants will need to meet the following requirements:
- Be a South African Citizen, Permanent Resident or Refugee registered on the Home Affairs database.
- The grant is also open to persons who are holders of special permits under the Special Angolan Dispensation, the Lesotho Exemption Permit dispensation and the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Dispensation, and asylum seekers whose section 22 permits or visas are valid or were valid on 15 March 2020;
- Currently residing within the borders of the Republic of South Africa;
- Above the age of 18 and below the age of 60;
- Unemployed;
- Not receiving any social grant in respect of himself or herself;
- Not receiving an unemployment insurance benefit and does not qualify to receive an unemployment insurance benefit;
- Not receiving a stipend from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and other financial aid;
- Not receiving any other government COVID-19 response support; and
- Not a resident in a government funded or subsidised institution.
Caregivers who are not receiving any grant on their own behalf are also eligible to apply for the R350 grant.
If you feel that your application was wrongly declined by SASSA, you can apply to have the decision appealed.
How to appeal a declined R350 grant application:
- Visit the SASSA website at https://srd.sassa.gov.za/
- Scroll and check the "Application for reconsideration" heading
- Select "click here to apply online or check reconsideration status"
- Follow the prompts
Appeals must be submitted within 30 days of receiving the application outcome, as SASSA will not automatically review rejected applications.
