Ask Athalie Banner

Answers to your questions

Have a question you would like answered? Email us and we may answer it. The questions here are based on ones from our readers, with identifying information removed.

Please note: GroundUp is just a news agency. We are not lawyers or financial advisors, and we have nothing to do with SASSA, Home Affairs, or any other government bodies. We do our best to make the answers accurate using publicly available information, but we cannot accept any legal liability if there are errors. If you notice any discrepancies, please email info@groundup.org.za.

My late grandmother only listed one dependant to benefit from her house but there are five of us. Can this still be amended?

No, it can’t be amended after her death.

Read more

My mother's RDP was given to someone she doesn't know in another province. They're wrongly listed as her spouse. What can we do?

Your mother should return to the municipality where she applied for the RDP house with her documents and ask them to investigate how it was wrongly awarded to someone she doesn’t know.

Read more

I am struggling to get my ID. My guardian who signed my birth certificate has died. I don't have his death certificate and Home Affairs says he is still alive. What can I do?

You first need to confirm his death was registered at the Master's Office so you can take his death certificate to Home Affairs and apply for your ID.

Read more

Will withdrawing my provident fund affect my disability grant income?

It depends whether your monthly provident fund withdrawals put you over the maximum allowed income to qualify for the disability grant.

Read more

Can I be paid my UIF and SASSA pension while also getting money from my old job?

Yes, but SASSA grants are means tested, and UIF and pension benefits count as income, so your grant will be less.

Read more

Why has my R350 SRD grant application status said "pending" for two years?

SASSA manually verifies every application, which takes very long. It could be that there is information missing but SASSA does not inform applicants when this is the case, so you need to keep checking

Read more

Why does SASSA consider outstanding debt or loans as income with regard to the means test when applying for the old age grant?

SASSA does not regard outstanding debt or loans as income but regards these as assets. The current old age grant monthly income thresholds is R8,990 for a single person and R17,890 if you are married.

Read more

How can I apply for a SASSA child support grant if I don't have a bank statement to prove my income?

If you don’t have a bank account, there are other ways you can prove your income situation to SASSA.

Read more

Can I apply for an old age SASSA grant if my wife's annual income exceeds the maximum income threshold but I am unemployed and she is under debt review?

Unfortunately, if your combined income exceeds the threshold, your application is unlikely to succeed, but you can appeal the decision.

Read more

What should I do if my late parent's attorney lost their will and title deed, and we can't get hold of them?

You should be able to get copies from the Master's Office where the death was registered.

Read more