R350 social grants to end in May: here’s when they’ll be paid

The R350 Special Relief of Distress (SRD) Covid-19 grants will be paid for the last time at the end of April, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has announced.

Sassa said that those who are yet to claim any of R350 grants are eligible to claim even after 30 April but no new payments would be made thereafter.

The agency has since encouraged beneficiaries not to hurry to collection points upon receiving SMS notifications.

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This is to avoid long queues that may result in people being turned away to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Sassa released the various payment dates for the month of May 2021:

• Older person’s grants will be paid on 4 May 2021, including all types of grants linked to these accounts.
• Disability grants will be paid on 5 May 2021 including all types of grants linked to these accounts.
• Foster care grants 6 May 2021.
• Care dependency grants 6 May 2021
• Child support grants 6 May 2021

Human rights organisations are putting pressure on the government to extend, expand and increase the R350 SRD grants.

Last week various organisations picketed outside the Social Development Department head office in Pretoria and handed over their memorandum of demands.

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Among other things they demand the extension of the SRD grant to, at the very least, the food poverty line of R585 per person a month.

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu has since announced that the department has requested that the R350 Covid-19 relief grant be extended but awaits the decision of the Treasury.