South Africans who applied for the R350 Social Relief of Distress grant (SRD) were left fuming on Thursday, 23 June after realizing that their applications were declined by the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa). Taking to social media, many people posted screenshots of the status of their applications and one of the reasons for their applications being declined was that Sassa found that they are already receiving an income.
One woman by the user name @Lee_Ntshole mentioned that she had been struggling to make ends meet the past two months and had no idea how she will survive now that she has been declined.
In a Facebook live stream, Sassa says applicants who have been rejected for the SRD grant would have to lodge an appeal on the official website from Monday, 28 June. Sassa stated that appeals will be reviewed and should they find that an applicant has money in their bank accounts, they will be rejected again. Sassa recently introduced a means test that disqualifies anyone who receives R350 or more in their bank accounts from receiving the SRD grant, reports EWN. Brendon Van Vrede, Sassa’s executive manager for grants explains that the means test was introduced because Sassa does not have the budget to approve everyone who needs the grant.
Van Vrede says Sassa only has a budget for 10 million and not for the 18 million people who have applied.
South Africans frustrated after Sassa rejects R350 grant applicants @ReezaySA said: “SASSA declining people just because their bank accounts receive money here and there… Haiboooo what level of laziness and corruption is this?”
@charm1806 said: “I wonder if they can wait 3 months for their salary. They live a lavish lifestyle and the poor have to wait for a mere R350 a month. Looking at the cost of living, it will barely last a day. To decline the poor, it’s damn cruel and selfish.
” @Gontse_Ml said: “Imagine and they wanna act all dumb they know very well that if your account is inactive they’ll close it, not to mention the charges because of negative balance this people are taking us for a pose.”
It has been previously reported that an amount of R240 will be added to grants of the guardians of orphaned children according to the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa). On Wednesday 8 June, the agency said beneficiaries will receive an additional R240 over and above the standard R480. Applicants are required to produce both the parents’ death certificates and if the child had only one parent, they must produce an affidavit stating that the child’s other parent’s whereabouts is unknown. The addition of the top-up grant is to assist extended family members who care for orphaned children, according to a post shared on Twitter.