Why did SASSA reject my R350 SRD grant application?

The long answer

If you check your Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant status, and it says, “Pending” it means that your application hasn’t yet been verified and approved.

If it says, “Approved” but you haven’t received any money yet, it will be paid, eventually. SASSA points out that there is no time limit for payments.

If it says, ‘“Self Exclusionary Response Found”, it means that Sassa has found that you already receive an income of more than R350 a month. If you disagree, you need to appeal. 

Careersportal.co.za gives the following advice on how to appeal:

1. Visit srd.dsd.gov.za.

2. Click on the green bar that says “click here to lodge an appeal or check appeal status”.

3. Enter your ID number.

4. Enter your cell phone number.

5. Click “send pin” and wait for the SMS, which will contain the verification pin.

6. Enter the pin and click “submit”.

7. Select the month you are submitting an appeal for.

8. Select the drop-down arrow and choose the reason for your appeal.

9. Click “submit”.

The article adds, “Applicants are required to lodge the appeal within the first 30 days after receiving a declined status, but not exceeding 90 days, to the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA). 

The appeal will be reviewed by the Tribunal. SASSA will then communicate the outcome of the appeal to you electronically.”

This is how to check your Sassa status via the SRD SASSA Gov Login

1. Enter your South African ID number.

2. Enter the phone number you used to submit the application.

You don’t need to re-apply more than once, but after your payment is approved, SASSA will ask questions every three months to check that your financial position has not changed.

SASSA said that the new cycle of payments from April 2022 would be paid in June 2022.

Many civil society organisations have protested that SASSA is excluding a great many poor people by saying people cannot earn more than R350 a month to qualify for the SRD grant. These organisations continue to urge government to pay a Basic Income Grant to everyone, but so far government has not agreed.

Wishing you the best,
Athalie