The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is a crucial support mechanism for unemployed individuals living in South Africa. Commonly referred to as the R350 grant, it ensures that vulnerable individuals can purchase some essentials every month.
However, not everybody who applied for the SRD grant was approved for payment. The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) said people who were rejected from receiving the grant should not reapply.
Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi explained that if people reapply for the SRD grant after their first application was rejected, the system will automatically reject their reapplication.
Do not make a reapplication. If you make a reapplication, the system will automatically reject you.
Letsatsi explained that rejected SRD grant applicants must instead submit an appeal. The SRD grant appeal process will no longer be handled by Sassa. This means that clients must submit appeals via the new SRD grant appeal website.
SRD grant appeals will now be managed by the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA). The appeals tribunal has three months to decide on an appeal submitted to them.
Many applicants have said their SRD grant applications were rejected unfairly and that the reasons provided by Sassa do not live up to reality. Sassa is holding regular meetings with those third parties to think about ways to deal with issues.
Lesatsi said these meetings with third parties have resulted in spinoffs and allowed Sassa to identify backlogs and solve issues.
