The Department of Social Development (DSD) is proposing sweeping changes to SASSA SRD grant eligibility in 2025. Recently tabled amendments to the Social Assistance Act could fundamentally change the way the R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is handled, reports GroundUp.
Currently, SASSA SRD grant eligibility in 2025 stipulates earning less than R625 per month to qualify. In turn, SASSA conducts painstaking monthly checks to ensure they meet this criteria. However, one of the amendments wishes to remove the R625 income threshold. Furthermore, this is open for public comment until next Monday 14 April 2025.
SASSA SRD GRANT ELIGIBILITY IN 2025
Likewise, earlier this year, the Pretoria High Court ruled in favour of #PayTheGrants and the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ). Judge Twala ruled SASSA was being deliberately exclusionary to limit successful applicants. In turn, the agency argued it simply didn’t have enough money to pay every SRD applicant.
Currently, SRD payments sit at roughly 8 million per month. However, there could be as many as double the amount of successful applications. Therefore, paying all of them would cost an additional R36 billion annually. Ultimately, Judge Twala ruled that insufficient funds was not legal grounds for imposing exclusionary SASSA SRD grant eligibility in 2025.
INCOME VS. FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Crucially, in the case against SASSA, the IEJ and #PayTheGrants argued that terms like ‘income’ and ‘financial support’ should be kept separate. It said ‘income’ should refer only to regular earnings from employment or business. And ‘financial support’ should not unfairly disqualify anyone in genuine need. Therefore, the DSD, SASSA and National Treasury have been given till May 2025 to change the mechanics of the system. However, they’ve since been given leave to appeal against the High Court judgment.
To apply for SASSA SRD in 2025 you can do the following:
For those poor residents without internet access, SASSA has the following alternative application channels:
DO YOU THINK SASSA SRD ELIGIBILITY SHOULD BE WIDENED?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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