While the disbursement of Sassa permanent grants often dominates news headlines, the monthly R350 remains in place for over 7 million qualifying beneficiaries. The R350 grant was initially introduced to financially assist individuals who were negatively impacted by the covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Although first introduced as a temporary measure, the duration of the R350 grant has since been extended three times and is due the end on 31 March 2024. To start with, you must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to qualify for the R350 grant.
R350 Grant Requirements
- Be unemployed
- Be a South African citizen, permanent resident, refugee, holders of a special permit under the Special Angolan Dispensation, the Lesotho Exemption Permit Dispensation; Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Dispensation; or Asylum seekers with a valid section 22 permit or visa
- Be between 18 and 59 years old
- Live within the borders of South Africa
- Be registered on the Home Affairs database or Sassa's social grant database for individuals without ID documents
- Not live in a government Institution or subsidised institution
- Not receiving Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits or National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) support or any other social grants distributed by Sassa
So if you fall under this category of grant recipients but have not applied, here is how you can go about doing so.
How To Apply For The R350 Grant
- Visit the SRD grant website
- Click on 'click here to apply on online'
- Enter you mobile phone number and click 'send SMS'
- A One Time Pin (OTP) will be sent to the number you provided
- Enter the OTP
- Confirm and accept the Clauses in the Declaration and Consent documents
- Enter your personal details
- Provide your mobile number, employment information and lifestyle sustainability information
- Provide your banking details
- Follow the prompts to complete your application
Alternatively you can also apply for the Sassa grant through Whatsapp.
Applying For The R350 Grant On WhatsApp
- Add Sassa on WhatsApp using this number - 082 046 8553
- Send a message to the number - Careers Portal simply sent "SRD Grant"
- Indicate if you applying for yourself (sending the number 1) or on behalf of someone else (sending the number 2)
- Send a message with your name how it appears on your Identify document
- Send a message with your surname how it appears on your Identify document
- Read the terms and conditions. Once you have, respond YES if you accept the terms and conditions.
- Indicate whether you are a South African citizen (send the number 1) or a Permanent Resident (send the number 2) or a Refugee (send the number 3)
- Click on the link sent to you in the WhatsApp chat
- Confirm and accept the Clauses in the Declaration and Consent documents
- Enter your ID number
- Follow the prompts to complete your R350 grant application.
It is also worth noting that your application could possibly be rejected. If this happens and you feel it is for an unjustified reason. You can submit an application appeal also known as an application for reconsideration.
Sassa recommends that you do this as soon as you receive feedback on your application to avoid any possible delays.
How To Submit A R350 Appeal
Sassa advises that an appeal must submit within 90 days of being rejected as failure to do so will invalidate your appeal. Here’s how you do it.
- You will first need to visit the SASSA appeals website
- Enter your South African ID number
- Enter your cell phone number
- Click 'send pin' and wait for the SMS which will contain the verification pin
- Enter the pin into the bar and click 'submit'
- Select the month you are submitting an appeal for
- Select the drop-down arrow and choose the reason for your appeal
- Click the submit button
Beneficiaries can collect their R350 grant at selected retail outlets such as Pick n Pay, Boxer, Shoprite, Checkers, Usave and Spar store. Beneficiaries will then will be required to validate that they are the beneficiary of the grant by producing proof of their identity when collecting their grant at a retail outlet
