Payment and Duration
The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant provides crucial financial relief to many South Africans facing hardship. Here are the details regarding the payment of this benefit:
SRD Grant Payment
• Benefit Amount:
The monthly amount of the SRD grant is R350. This amount is intended to help cover basic needs such as food, clothing, and transportation.
It is a sum designed to provide immediate and temporary relief to those in severe need.
• Payment Frequency:
SRD grant payments are made on a monthly basis. Typically, beneficiaries can expect to receive their payments on two main dates: at the beginning of the month and in the middle of the month.
This schedule helps ensure that beneficiaries can plan their expenses more effectively.
• Payment Method:
Payments are made directly into the bank account provided by the beneficiary during the application process.
It is crucial for beneficiaries to provide correct and up-to-date banking details to avoid delays or issues with payments. In some cases, other payment methods, such as vouchers or electronic transfers, may be used if the beneficiary does not have access to a bank account.
Duration of the Benefit
• Initial Period:
The SRD grant is issued for an initial period of three months.
This period is considered sufficient to provide immediate relief while beneficiaries seek other forms of income or assistance.
• Extension Period:
In exceptional cases, the duration of the SRD grant may be extended for an additional three months, totaling six months of assistance.
To obtain this extension, beneficiaries must demonstrate that they are still in extreme need and that their efforts to find other forms of support have been unsuccessful.
• Case-by-Case Review:
Each application and extension of the SRD grant is evaluated individually. SASSA reviews the beneficiary’s situation to ensure they still qualify for the benefit before approving an extension.
This includes verifying that the beneficiary is not receiving any other form of income or support that could meet their basic needs.
• Recovery of Payments:
It is important to note that if a beneficiary begins receiving another form of social support during the period they are receiving the SRD grant, they may be required to repay the amounts received from the SRD.
This is to ensure that the SRD benefit goes only to those without other sources of support.