R350 srd grant increase

People queuing outside a post office to collect their R350 SRD grants.
Image: Mkhuseli Sizani/GroundUp.

SASSA says more people will receive SRD grant after income threshold pushed to R624

SASSA said the low number of approved applications for the R350 grant was “a cause for concern” on Thursday.

R350 srd grant increase

People queuing outside a post office to collect their R350 SRD grants.
Image: Mkhuseli Sizani/GroundUp.

After the payment of the R350 grant was transferred to another framework, many beneficiaries no longer qualified for the social assistance. It caused a public outcry – one of the most pressing concerns was that the government lowered the income threshold to R350, which meant everyone who had more than that in their bank accounts was automatically excluded from the grant.

Earlier in August, the Social Development department gazetted new regulations that would facilitate the grant’s payment and raised the income threshold to R624 – the food poverty line.

SASSA ‘HOPEFUL’ MORE APPLICANTS WILL RECEIVE R350 GRANT

The South African Social Security (SASSA) said the low number of approved applications for the R350 compared to previous iterations “was a cause for concern” for itself and the Social Development department, in a statement on Thursday, 25 August.

“There has also been public outcry regarding some of the regulations, which were deemed to be unlawful and to unfairly exclude some of the potential applicants.

“To this end the Department of Social Development, last week, published amended regulations which include increasing the income threshold for means test from R350 to R624,” said the Agency.

READ: SASSA R350 grant: These are the reasons your application may be declined

From August 2022, applicants who have an income of less than R624 per month will qualify to receive the grant.

SASSA said it is hopeful that more qualifying applicants will have access to the grant. As of the start of August, the Agency reportedly received 12 million applications.

“We are still having challenges with some payments wherein some applicants have not provided us with their banking details. We encourage all applicants to provide us with their correct bank details so that we can timeously facilitate their grant payments,” said DSD Minister, Lindiwe Zulu.

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