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Government makes it easier to receive the R350 coronavirus grant – what you need to know

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) will open its systems to allow approved applicants to change their preferred method of payment for the special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.

The grant of R350 per month has been made available for six months and is paid to individuals who are currently unemployed, and do not receive any form of income, social grant or UIF payment.

Sassa said that from Monday (31 August) to Sunday (6 September 2020) beneficiaries can change from receiving their grants at the post office to receiving them through their personal bank accounts. They may also change from one bank to another.

Approved beneficiaries of the grant can change their payment method by visiting the SRD website during this period, with the window open 24 hours a day.

Sassa said that this development was made in an effort to address challenges some beneficiaries have experienced in trying to access their special relief grant from the Post Offices.

The agency said that beneficiaries should not go to the Post Office before they have received the SMS notification that says funds are available.

The SMS notification is used to limit the numbers of people reporting to a Post Office on a particular day and also to ensure that sufficient cash is available.

Bank accounts

“When choosing a bank account, ensure that the account is in your name – Sassa cannot pay money for one person into the account held by another – and that the bank account is not closed,” said Sassa chief executive Totsie Memela.

“The payment process is delayed if money is sent to a closed account, as Sassa has to wait for the funds to be returned before sending it to the Post Office for collection. Clients who update their details are advised to ensure that their information is captured correctly to avoid any further delays.”

Memela said that the payment of the Covid-19 grant is quicker if paid into a bank account and that applicants without bank accounts are thus encouraged to open a bank account.

There are many entry-level, inexpensive options in the market – some of which can be opened online, Memela said.

“Clients who have just been approved for the relief grant by Sassa and have received an SMS to upload and verify their bank details, can do so at any time and need not wait for the window period.  The sooner the details are uploaded, the quicker the payments can be made.”

Sassa said that clients who opted to receive their special Covid-19 SRD grant through cash transfer will indeed get their August 2020 payment through this preferred method.

The agency said that clients must ensure that the cellphone numbers they provided to Sassa to receive payments, are registered in their own names and not names of other people like relatives or neighbours.

It is mandatory that the cellphone number should have gone through the RICA process in order for payment to be done through it.

“Any citizen who does not update their information during this window period, or who provides incorrect banking details will have the payments for the remaining months sent through to the Post Office,” Sassa said.


Read: Covid-19 has wiped out a third of South Africa’s middle class – study

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