SASSA pays over 5 million Covid-19 grant applications
SASSA reported that more than 8.3 million applicants have been approved and more than 5.6 million people were paid by September.
THE South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) announced it has received nearly 14 million applications for the Covid-19 SRD grant, since August.
SASSA’s spokesperson in KZN, Sandy Godlwana said more than 8.3 million applicants were approved and more than 5.6 million people were paid by September.
“Despite the high number of applications, SASSA has been able to expedite payment of verified clients, while continuing to verify the remaining applications,” she said.
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Godlwana said about 1.5 million applicants chose to be paid through the cardless payment channel at ATMs.
“This category has not been paid as yet due to the fact that SASSA went through a procurement process to use this payment method with the banks, and National Treasury is currently considering this request,” she said.
Godlwana noted that once the National Treasury approved the request, the beneficiaries will be paid.
“We really empathise with them, but we also have a responsibility to follow the law. On the other hand, unemployed caregivers without the 13-digit barcoded South African identification documents, who receive child grants, can now apply for the Special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant,” she said.
Godlwana said this category is composed largely of refugees and asylum seekers.
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