How to submit your appeal for SASSA SRD Grant
If you applied for the SASSA SRD (Social Relief Of Distress) Grant and your application was declined, you have the right to submit an appeal to have your grant application re-assessed. You will be required to fill in your 13 digit South African ID number and your phone number used when submitting your appeal application.
Who can submit an appeal for the SRD Grant?
Before you submit an appeal, make sure you meet the criteria to apply for the SRD Grant, (failure to meet all the criteria is the top reason for having your grant application declined):
- Applicants must be a South African Citizen, Permanent Resident or Refugee registered on the DHA databased or a holder of a special permit under; the Special Angolan Dispensation/ the Lesotho Exemption Permit dispensation / the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Dispensation/ an asylum seeker whose section 22 permit or visa is valid
- Applicants must reside within South Africa
- Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 60 years old
- Applicants must have insufficient means to support themselves and their family (not more than R624 per month)
- Applicants must not receive social grants on behalf of themselves
- Applicants must not be contributing to or eligible for UIF payments
- Applicants must have no financial support from any other source
If you met all of the above criteria for the SRD Grant but your application was still declined, carry on reading to find out how to submit an appeal, to have your application reassessed.
** RELATED ARTICLES **
- Read the criteria and how to apply for the SRD Grant here.
- Find SASSA payment dates here.
- Check your SASSA grant status here.
How to lodge a SASSA Appeal
Appeals must be lodged with the Department of Social Development, for each month your application was declined. Appeals must be submitted within 30 days of receiving your rejection (you may not appeal more than 90 days after your decline).
Note: the appeal instructions below only apply to SRD grants that were declined after April 2022.
When submitting your appeal, take note of the following important details:
- Make sure your contact details are correct on the SRD platform. If they are incorrect and need to updated, update your details here. If your appeal is successful, the Independent Tribunal will direct SASSA to issue payment of the Covid-19 SRD directly to you and will thus need your correct contact details. After saving your updated contact details you will be redirected back to the SRD DSD Appeal website to continue to lodge your appeal.
- Applicants (or their proxy) who are appealing, must confirm that they have read and accepted the clauses in the Declaration (https://srd.sassa.gov.za/assets/declaration.pdf) and Consent (https://srd.sassa.gov.za/assets/consent.pdf) Documents.
- After submitting your appeal, you will be directed to a confirmation message on the page that your application was submitted successfully.
- An appeal must be lodged for each month where a SASSA grant was rejected, if in disagreement with the decision.
- The Independent Tribunal will inform candidates of the outcome of their appeal electronically, within to 60 to 90 days from lodging of the appeal.
- For any queries, candidates can reach the Department of Social Development Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA) at: Tel: 012 312 7727 / Email: grantappeals@dsd.gov.za / Fax: 086 534 3124 or 086 216 371
Reasons for reconsideration decline
If you successfully submitted an appeal and your application was declined again, unfortunately this is the final decision (declined applications cannot be appealed with SASSA or the DSD). Here are what the decline reasons mean:
- alternative_income_source_identified: this means the applicant has a balance of R595 or more coming into their bank account, for the reconsidered period.
- identity_verification_failed: this means the personal information you provided in your application does not match the information provided by the Department of Home Affairs.
- existing_sassa_grant: this means the applicant was receiving a social grant during the reconsidered period.
- nsfas_registered: this means the applicant was receiving NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme) funds during the reconsidered period.
- uif_registered: this means the applicant received a UIF payment during the reconsidered period.
- gov_payrol_registered: this means the applicant was employed within a government institution during the reconsidered period.
- age_outside_range(>60): this means the applicant is over 60 years of age and therefore does not meet the age requirement during the reconsidered period.
- age_outside_range(<18): this means the applicant is under 18 years of age and therefore does not meet the age requirement during the reconsidered period.
- deceased record on DHA: this means the applicant is registered as deceased on the Department of Home Affairs database during the reconsidered period.
Cancelling or reinstating your application
Should your circumstances change and you no longer need or qualify for the special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant, you can cancel your application.
If you have cancelled your application but need to reinstate it, you can reinstate your application.
SRD Grant payments
Unlike other grant which are paid on specific days each month, the SRD Grant is paid once the candidates application has been processed.
SRD Grant applicants will receive an SMS once their grant is available for withdrawal, from approved retail merchants (Checkers, Pick N Pay, Shoprite and Boxer Stores) or banks.