In April 2005, the Department of Social Development (DSD) oversaw the “SASSA” launch by the South African government. Given that Busisiwe Memela-Khambula was nominated as CEO (Chief Executive Officer) by Susan Shabangu, Minister of Social Development, in 2019, the primary responsibilities of SASSA are to administer South Africa’s Social Security System and provide grants to impoverished residents.
This welfare initiative seeks to reduce poverty and enhance the integrity of the eight SASSA grant categories that are awarded nationally. As per the news statement from the Ministry of Social Development, SASSA oversees the organization’s financial matters. This welfare project, SASSA, was a crucial initiative that would provide financial support to the rural class.
8 Types of SASSA Grants:
The SASSA has established eight distinct award categories to assist its most needy residents, refugees, and asylum seekers.
The Bureau for Economic Research (BER) reports that R259.3 billion was allotted to SASSA for the fiscal year 2024–2025, and 19 million individuals are receiving these funds.
All age groups are eligible for these awards. For instance, there are grants available for elderly individuals or couples, children, people with disabilities, veterans of the armed forces, and those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic across the country.
Therefore, each of these categories of SASSA awards has a particular set of qualifying requirements and documentation needed. The government of South Africa seeks to make it easier for each person or couple to live in a society plagued by uncertainty. Let us examine a thorough overview of the eight different SASSA award categories and the services that go along with them on the official SASSA website.
- Social Relief of Distress SRD R350 Grant
- Care Dependency Grant
- Child Support Grant
- Disability Grant
- Foster Child Grant
- Older Persons Grant
- Grant-In-Aid
- War Veterans Grant
Older Person Grant:
When South African indigenous reach old age and are unable to work, they care little about paying their bills. These folks thus require welfare services. The (SASSA) initiated the old age stipend program for those individuals who are elderly in 2000. Every month, SASSA consistently raises enough to pay an elderly person’s “pension” for their services, whether they are “Government or Private.”
The SASSA has released the official dates for the SASSA Old Age Pension Payout Dates. These dates are Tuesday, July 2, 2024. The Disability Grant Payout will be distributed on July 03, 2024. Concurrently, on July 04, 2024, the Care Dependency, Child Support, and Foster Grant reimbursements will be made.
Some depend on their children, while others have invested in the past. However, this method is for you if you are not one of them and require money to live well in your old age. For the benefit of its beneficiaries, the organization updates the SASSA Old Age Pension Payout Dates regularly, making it easy for them to monitor their payments.
Who Qualifies for SASSA Old Age Grant?
Given your advanced age, you require a higher salary to pay for your everyday demands. SASSA has launched a welfare program for senior persons. Let us look at South Africa’s requirements for qualifying for an old-person grant.
- Consorts must be South African citizens, refugees, or asylum seekers.
- They ought to live in South Africa as well.
- It should be more than sixty years old.
- Consorts must pass the means test.
- Your income must be R172560 (for couples) or R86280 (for individuals) or less.
- The value of your asset must be R1227600 or less for single people or R2455200 or less for couples.
- Consorts must verify they are not receiving any other social grants that SASSA or the South African government manages.
War Veterans Grant:
The Social Security Agency of South Africa has instituted the SASSA War Veterans Grant for veterans who fought in two significant wars. World War 2, which raged from 1939 to 1945, and the Second War against Korea, which raged from 1950 to 1953, were the two significant conflicts South Africa fought in.
Hence, the stipend is intended for ex-service members who are having trouble making ends meet each month and do not have enough cash to sustain their families and themselves.
The former soldiers must be 60 or older and pass the SASSA Means Test to be eligible to apply. Recall that a retired army soldier can apply for the SASSA War Veterans Grant or the Disability Grant if he sustained a disability during combat.
In addition, candidates may apply for a second SASSA Grant in Aid in addition to the War Veterans Grant. Using these two together is acceptable to SASSA.
Additionally, if you are single, your annual income should not be greater than R86,280; if you are married, your combined income should not be greater than R172,560. Similarly, if you are single, your assets must total R1227,600; if you are married, your assets cannot surpass R2,455,200 annually.
Eligibility:
Examine the SASSA War Veterans Grant qualifying requirements carefully to see if you qualify for it.
- Former army soldier from South Africa.
- Must call South Africa home permanently.
- Sixty years old should be the minimum age.
- The applicant has to have served in either the Korean War or World War II.
- The means test requirements set out by SASSA must be met.
- Accept no grants from other government agencies.
Disability Grant:
Following the increase of R90 to R2090, the SASSA disability award amount is R2180. The beneficiaries will thus get R2180 starting in April 2024 after adding this sum. Similarly, R10 will be added to R2180, resulting in R2190 being paid following this rise as of October 2024.
Who Qualifies for the SASSA Disability Grant?
Let’s examine this.
- Candidates must be citizens of South Africa and possess a valid 13-digit Smart-ID.
- A specific authorization is required for refugees and asylum seekers to reside in South Africa.
- Candidates must reside in South Africa permanently. Whether they have a South African ID or not, they should not dwell in another nation.
- The recommended age range is 18 to 60 years old.
- The applicant may have a physical or mental handicap, such as intellectual impairment, mobility issues, arthritis, vision problems, or hearing problems.
- Must be able to pass the means examination.
- It would be best to ensure that the South African government or SASSA does not provide you with any additional social handouts.
Care Dependency Grant:
The SASSA Care Dependency Grant is intended for a primary caregiver who is having difficulty supporting their kid and worries about their financial situation, mainly if the child is disabled. Given these parents’ circumstances, the South African Social Security Agency launched the SASSA Care Dependency Grant.
Therefore, a nurturer—biological parents, primary caregivers, or foster parents—may be eligible to receive the grant. A caregiver must fulfill specific requirements to qualify for a SASSA Care Dependency Grant. The kid must meet specific requirements to qualify, such as being under 18 and handicapped. Parents must also complete the SASSA mean exam.
Furthermore, to adequately support a kid as a single parent, your yearly salary must be at least R223200. If you are married, your combined income cannot be more than R446,400.
Who Qualifies for Sassa Care Dependency Grant?
- It would be best if you were nurturers, foster parents, or biological parents (a court decree is necessary).
- You need to be a citizen of South Africa; if you are a refugee or an asylum seeker, you need specific permission to be in the country.
- You and the child must live in South Africa.
- The youngster must be less than eighteen.
- A disabled child needs full-time care.
- Except for foster parents, parents must pass the means test.
- No other government entity provides social grant facilities for children.
- If you are single, your yearly salary should not exceed R223,200.
- If you are married, your combined income cannot be more than R446,400.
Foster Child Grant:
A social assistance program called the “SASSA Child Foster Grant” is available to those who are not biological parents but are in charge of raising a kid. It is essential to realize that foster parents need a court order to nurture a kid. With the SASSA child foster grant, you can acquire assistance with basic needs like food, health care, education, medication, and so on.
SASSA seeks to support foster parents by offering social services that improve their children’s nutrition. For a variety of circumstances, including being abandoned, neglected, or orphaned, foster children may not be living with their birth parents. Interested parties, alone or in pairs, can apply for an SASSA foster child grant and get custody of these kids through the legal system. You may also investigate two other grants for children: the Child Support Grant and the Care Dependency Grant.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must be:
- I live in South Africa.
- Able to legally care for a child (a court order is required).
- Not biological parents but foster parents.
- Eighteen years of age or less.
Child Support Grant:
Applying for a SASSA child support grant can be done online at the official SASSA website or the office nearest your residence. The South African Social Security Agency provides payments to eighteen million individuals, including child support grants, to promote its residents’ prosperity objective; the award will empower parents to enhance their children’s leisure, education, and health.
Furthermore, a foster parent may be eligible to receive the SASSA Child Support Grant for up to six children. In addition to the Child Support Grant, SASSA has created two more grants for children: the Foster Grant and the Care Dependency Grant. However, you are eligible to apply for either one of these funds. Recall that if you are a single parent, your yearly income cannot exceed R52800; the kid must be under 18. If you are a couple, your combined annual income should not exceed R105600.
Therefore, you can apply online or in the SASSA office nearest to you. A representative will help you with the necessary papers and other matters when you come in person. They will request your registered cellphone number and 13-digit Smart ID. If you are a foster parent, you must also present a court order granting custody of a kid and notarized proof of your South African residency.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicants may be citizens of South Africa, refugees, or asylum seekers.
- The Section 24 permit is required to be shown by refugees as identification and evidence of status.
- You might be brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, grandparents, or biological parents.
- The child must be less than eighteen.
- You have to fulfill the Means Test standards.
- More than 06 legitimately adopted or non-biological children cannot be placed under the care of primary caregivers.
- The Child shall not receive care at a South African facility that receives government funding.
If you satisfy all these requirements, you can complete the SASSA child support award form and enclose the necessary paperwork. The following is a list of documents that are needed.
Grant in Aid:
Suppose you receive a SASSA award for old age, disability, or war veterans. In that case, you may also be eligible for a supplementary grant called the SASSA Award in Aid, provided you cannot care for yourself. You thus require a full-time caretaker. You do not have enough money to hire a caregiver on top of one of these grants that covers your monthly expenditures.
So, in this case, how do you compensate your caregiver? South Africa established the SASSA Grant in Aid in 1996 to address this circumstance. It is important to note that only current grantees will be eligible for this grant. As a result, the help funding from SASSA might be extended. Those mentally or physically reliant on another person (a paid caregiver) are eligible for this particular stipend.
Eligibility Criteria for SASSA Grant in Aid:
- Candidates must receive one of the awards for veterans of war, older people, or disabilities.
- Candidates with physical or mental disabilities depend on others (paid caregivers).
- You cannot be supervised by any South African entity that receives funding.
- It has to be 60 years of age or older.
Social Relief of Distress R350/370:
South African nationals, asylum seekers, and refugees may check their grant status, payment history, and scheduled payment dates online using the SASSA status check. You must input your South African ID and registered cellphone number in the provided fields, then click the “Submit” button to view your SRD status check. Your grant status will then be shown on the website. You may also download and store your recordings on WhatsApp or mobile.
The South African Social Security Agency, run by the African National Congress, the country’s political and present ruling party, has an online SASSA status check service. This enormous social institution helps 19 million individuals throughout the country.
The most popular grant, Social Relief of Distress (SRD R350), currently known as SRD R370, has registered almost 10 million users. There are eight different kinds of SASSA awards. Our other articles are mentioned below, and you can read our post titled “8 Types of SASSA Grants,” which provides a detailed explanation of each type of grant.
SASSA advises clients who have been authorized to verify the grants’ validity. It is possible that beneficiaries will not know when SASSA will make the payment announcements. As a result, SASSA announces the payment schedule each year following the budget announcement. Therefore, the information on the dates and amounts of all SASSA awards for the fiscal year 2024–2025 is available here.
Eligibility Criteria:
The SRD R370 financial support program is intended for those in poverty between the ages of 18 to 60. Before applying, candidates must review all qualifying requirements.
- South African citizens for life.
- If a refugee has a special permission, it must be one of the following:
- Angolan Dispensation Special.
- Dispensation of Lesotho Exemption Permit.
- Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Distribution.
- Those seeking asylum who possess legitimate visas or Section 22 permits must register with one of the following institutions:
- Department of Home Affairs: Social Grant Database of the Agency.
- The age range must be between 18 and 60.
- not receiving any social funds from another agency of government.
- Candidates ought to be jobless.
- Applicants must pass the means test.
If you fit those criteria, you can apply through any of the channels below at any time that is most suitable for you.
Grants for Fiscal Year 2024/25:
| Grants | From April 24 to September 24 | From October 24 to March 25 |
| Older P (60 years) | R2180 | R2190 |
| Older P (75 years) | R2200 | R2210 |
| War Veterans | R2200 | R2210 |
| Disability Grant | R2180 | R2190 |
| Care Dependency | R2180 | R2190 |
| Foster Child | R1180 | R1180 |
| Child Support | R530 | R530 |
| Child S Top Up | R790 | R800 |
| Grant-in-Aid | R530 | R530 |
| SRD R350/R370 | R370 | R370 |