SASSA SRD R350 Grant [2024]

The South African government announced in April 2022 that they will offer a grant to COVID-19 victims. Citizens who lost their jobs and other sources of income due to the pandemic can now receive a monthly grant of R350. It was great news for the citizens of South Africa and the grant named as “SASSA SRD R350 Grant” or SASSA Social Relief of Distress grant.

The purpose of this article is to provide complete information about the SASSA SRD grant and explain how to apply. Additionally, we will provide you with information about the qualification criteria and documents required for your application.

SASSA SRD R350 Grant: Eligibility Criteria

You must first understand the eligibility criteria for the SRD grant before applying. Criteria include:

Must be a South African citizen or recognized Refugee in South Africa or an Asylum Seeker in South Africa (valid section 22 permit or visa)
You must be 18-60 years old and living in South Africa.
You must earn less than R624 per month to pass the means test.
You must not be getting any other type of government social grant.
To meet your basic needs, you do not have enough resources.
The applicant must be unemployed and have no other source of income.
To qualify for the R350 grant, you must not have sufficient assets or investments.
You cannot be a contributor or recipient of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
You must not receive a stipend from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
No employment or educational offer should be rejected unreasonably.
The station you live in must not be state-funded.

Documents Requirement to Apply For SRD R350 Grant

It is not only necessary to meet eligibility requirements, but you also need to submit some documents. Therefore, when you apply for the SASSA SRD 350 grant, you must accept all the terms and conditions. As a result, you will be required to fill out and sign two forms.

The first form you need to sign is a declaration form, and the second is a consent form. For the Special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant, both forms are required.

You must provide your full name, surname, date of birth, and gender as they appear on your ID, passport, or permit.
Your original 13-digit barcoded South African ID (identity document) is required if you are a South African citizen. Passport numbers or special permit numbers must be provided by asylum seekers, refugees, or special permit holders.
Your phone number (This phone number should be registered under your name. SASSA will also use this number to communicate with you regarding your status and updates).
You must provide proof of your residential address. Your current address can be verified by any document or utility bill.
You will need proof of your unemployment status, such as a discharge certificate from your previous employer if you were previously employed.
Your most recent bank statement showing your income and expenses.
Documents that reflect your current financial situation, such as invoices, payslips, or proof of any additional income.

How to Apply for the For SRD R350 Grant?

A mobile phone, computer or laptop, and internet access are required to apply for the SRD Grant. There are six steps involved in applying for a SRD Grant:

Step 1: Select Application Method

There are 3 easy channels to apply for the SRD grant, you can apply via WhatsApp and the SASSA official website. Only one method can be used to submit your application. Multiple submissions will not speed up the application process.

SASSA SRD Website Application:

Visit the SASSA official website.
Go to the section “How do I apply for this grant” and select “Click here to apply online.”.
You must provide your active and registered mobile number.
Click on “Send SMS”.
You will receive the OTP code on the phone number you provided.
Enter the code on the website and click “Verify Pin”.
Accept the Terms & Conditions (Including COVID-19 SRD Grant Agreement).
Please provide your personal information, including:
ID Number
Name and Surname
Gender
Addresses
Email and mobile number

SASSA SRD WhatsApp Application:

Send a message to the WhatsApp number 082 046 8553.
Start chat by providing the personal information.
In chat, you will receive the OPT code, a reference number, and a link to the SRD website.
Tap on the link, enter the OTP, and click verify.
Enter your ID number and surname
Make sure your details are the same as those on WhatsApp.
Accept the Terms & Conditions (Including COVID-19 SRD Grant Agreement).
Please provide your personal information, including:
ID Number
Name and Surname
Gender
Addresses
Email and mobile number

Step 2: Select Payment Method

It is possible that you have applied for the SRD grant before, or that this is your first application.

For Existing Applicants:

Personal Bank Account:

Go with personal bank accounts and please confirm the following information:

Verify existing personal banking information
Agree to Terms and Conditions
Click Submit

Existing applicants with the Cash option who would like to change to the bank payment option:

Please provide the following banking details if your previous payment method was cash send, but you would like to change it to a bank account method:

Your Bank Name
Your Account Number
Your Branch Name
Your Account Type
Agree to the Terms and Conditions
Submit your Banking Details

New Applicants:

You will be asked to choose one of two payment methods if you are applying for the first time for a SRD grant: With a Personal Bank Account or Cash.

Bank Account:

You will need to provide the following banking information if you choose to use a bank account as your payment method:

Bank Name
Account Number
Branch Name
Account Type
Read and agree to the Terms and Conditions
Submit the form

SASSA cannot pay your payments to another person’s bank account, so you should have your own bank account.

Cash Option:

The following information must be provided for new applicants without a personal bank account:

Choose Payment option – Cash Send
Agree to Terms and Conditions
Submit Banking Details

Step 3: SMS Confirmation

You will receive an SMS confirming your banking details on your provided mobile number. An SMS will be sent to applicants notifying them of their banking details. As a result of receiving this SMS, the application for the SRD R350 Grant has now been activated.

Step 4: SASSA Verification

Congratulations, your SASSA SRD R350 application is active. Once SASSA checks your personal information against the Department of Home Affairs (ID number, name, and surname) and completes the verification process, they will approve or decline your SRD grant application with a valid reason. Hence, your application process cycle is completed.

What is the Processing Time For SRD R350 Grant Application?

SASSA SRD R350 grant applications typically take 60 to 90 days to process. Depending on how many applications they receive, it may vary. As soon as your grant application is processed and approved, you will be paid. SASSA will provide you with an explanation of why your application was rejected, as well as instructions for appealing the rejection. You can cancel your application before it has been approved if your financial situation improves. You will need to appeal the decision to cancel your application if it has already been approved.

SASSA SRD R350 Grant Payment Process

If your SRD R350 grant application is approved, you will begin receiving payments from the date you applied. As SASSA does not have any fixed dates, they release the payment schedule every month. So, check out the latest SASSA Payment dates.

Payments will be made to you by SASSA in one of three ways (you must choose one):

Your bank account or Postbank account will be credited directly. You may be charged a service fee by the banks.
There are SASSA-partnered retail outlets such as Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Boxer, Checkers, Usave, and Spar where you can withdraw your grant payment in cash.
A specific institution (e.g. an old-age home, a disability center, or a non-profit organization).

Grant payments through a bank account

The following documents must be submitted if you wish to receive your grant payments through a bank account: SASSA Grant Consent Form.

ID cards, driving licenses, or birth certificates can serve as proof of identity.
Your bank account number should be in your name.
Bank statement showing your name and account number for three months.

At any time, you can update your bank account details or payment method by filling out a form at the welfare office. Once the verification is complete, the payments will be received through the new payment method from the following month. You can nominate someone to collect payments on your behalf if you are too old to collect grants yourself.

Why My Sassa SRD R350 Grant Declined?

Once you have submitted your application, you can check the status of your application to see if it is approved or declined. But What if SASSA may have detected that you no longer qualify for the grant benefits during your R350 application process. The ‘Declined’ application status has led to quite a few inquiries from applicants.

Let’s take a look at what each of these messages means.

Identity_verification_failed: Your application does not match the information maintained by the Department of Home Affairs or you have a mismatch in your identity information.
alternative_income_source_identified: The applicant’s bank account reflects an income of more than R595 per month according to the application.
Debtor: The applicant received funds but did not meet the criteria, and payment will resume only if the applicant qualifies for R350.
existing_sassa_grant: The applicant received another social grant during the reconsideration period, making them ineligible for the SRD Grant.
exclusionary_response_found: A person receiving funds or living in a government facility receives this response.
nsfas_registered: This indicates that the applicant received funds from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) during the reconsideration period.
uif_registered: The applicant received unemployment benefits from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) during the reconsidered period, indicating that they have another source of income.
gov_payroll_registered: This information indicates that an applicant has a job and income while the reconsideration process is in progress.
age_outside_range(<18): Applicants who are younger than 18 during the reconsideration period are ineligible.
age_outside_range(>60): If the applicant is over 60 years of age during the reconsidered period, they are not eligible.
Deceased Record on DHA: Under the reconsideration period, the applicant is listed as deceased on the DHA database.

SASSA Contact

In case of additional questions, please feel free to contact SASSA

Contact the SASSA Toll-Free Call Centre at: 0800 60 10 11
For more information, please contact SASSA’s Head Office: 012 400 2322
Please send your queries to SASSA Email Address: [email protected]

SASSA SRD R350 Grant [2024] – Detailed Guide