The announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that pension and social grants will increase means there are families who will no longer qualify for Social Relief of Distress (SRD) in the form of food parcels.
Thabisile Msani from Social Development clarified this during the Joint Operations Committee (JOC) on Covid-19 meeting last week.
“Some families will no longer qualify for SRD because of the money added to their grants. However, assessments by social workers will continue because we may find that in some families, the money will go into medication and they will be left with nothing. People will need to remember that both grants and SRD come from one department, which is Social Development,” said Msani.
The USSD *134*7737# has been launched for those who do not have access to WhatsApp to be able to apply for R350 SRD grant.
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Social Development continues to shelter the homeless in Bhekuzulu during lockdown and it is also working with ward councillors in all 22 AbaQulusi wards to distribute food parcels to those in need.
The department admitted there were challenges regarding databases for families that needed SRD, especially the database coming from ward councillors, but has since found a common ground to ensure that all deserving families receive food parcels after screening and assessment by social workers.
The qualifying criteria for SRD is as follows:
* A family that cannot make ends meet, as they have no maintenance or income, and reside at home.
* The breadwinner of the family has died or is admitted to an institution funded by the State for a period less than six months, and home circumstances have been assessed.
* A person assessed to be medically unfit to undertake any remuneration, or home circumstances assessed by a social worker.
* The individual or family waiting for an approval of an application for funding or social grant.
* Persons (children and adults) who were in receipt of cooked meals in State-funded / community development centres, as no meals are provided at the moment.
* A person who is in receipt of Child Support, Care Dependence and a Foster Care grant may qualify if home circumstances have been assessed and a social worker’s report recommends SRD.
* SASSA will give preference to grant beneficiaries who, for whatever reason, did not receive their grants for April where a temporary disability grant lapsed in March and the beneficiary cannot get to a SASSA office to re-apply, if they are still unable to work; where the beneficiary was defrauded of the grant; or other interruptions in payment.
Community members can call SASSA call centres on 0800-60-1011 or 033-846-3400. The community can also call the Department of Social Development call centre on 087-158-3000 or approach any community leader (councillor, traditional leader, Member of Parliament) or Operation Sukuma Sakhe (OSS) structures.
People can also contact the following numbers: 060-998-9677 for Louwsburg; 060-998-9673 for Vryheid; and 060-998-9570 for eMondlo.
Applications for the R350 SASSA Social Relief of Distress grants are now open.
Applicants must be:
– Above the age of 18;
– Unemployed;
– Not receiving any income;
– Not receiving any social grant;
– Not receiving any unemployment insurance benefit and not qualifying to receive unemployment insurance benefits;
– Not receiving a stipend from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme; and
– Not a resident in a government-funded or subsidised institution.
Prospective applicants will need to provide the following compulsory information for processing of their applications:
– Identity Number;
– Name and Surname as captured in the ID (and initials);
– Gender and disability;
– Banking details (bank name and account number);
– Contact details (cell-phone number);
– Proof of residential address.
In terms of the application process, an application for Social Relief of Distress or a social grant may be lodged electronically over and above any other available means of lodging such applications. The measures applicable include sending a WhatsApp message to 0600-123-456 and selecting SASSA or sending an email to SRD@sassa.gov.za. Additional access channels are still being finalised, including SMS, self-help desks and an online application process.
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