SASSA Gold Card valid beyond December

South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) gold cards will continue to be valid in December and in the months beyond that.

This means that social grant recipients will be able to use their cards as normal.

SASSA Gold Cards can be used to withdraw SASSA grants from a wide network of the country’s ATMS at any bank, including many retailers, such as Boxer, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Usave, Spar, and Shoprite.

SRD Grant extended to March 2025

The COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD Grant) has been extended until March 2025.

Delivering the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement in November, Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana said R34 billion has been allocated to extend the grant by another year.

The grant was introduced to support low-income individuals affected by the lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Rejected disability can be appealed

Disability grant applicants have 90 days to appeal their rejected applications.

If the applicant does not understand the rejection reasons they have a right to ask SASSA officials to provide clarity.

As of  November 1, 2023, each beneficiary receives a R2 090 monthly disability grant.

The applicant must meet the following requirements:

• be a South African citizen; permanent resident or refugee permanently residing in South Africa.
• be 18 to 59 years of age;
• undergo a medical or functional assessment confirming disability;
• provide clinical information or referral form confirming disability;
• provide a referral form duly completed by a treating facility or practitioner if previously rejected on medical grounds;
• the applicant and spouse must be subjected to the Means Test;
• not be maintained or cared for in a State-funded institution;
• not be in receipt of another social grant in respect of himself or herself;
• submit a 13-digit barcoded identity document or the smart ID card for self and spouse.
• n the absence of an ID or a birth certificate, an alternative identification prescribed by SASSA will be acceptable.

Child support grant top-up

Relatives who are caring for orphaned children are encouraged to apply for the Child Support Grant Top-Up at their nearest SASSA offices.

The additional R240 to the standard R480 is enabled by a 2015 Cabinet-approved policy.

Only relatives caring for an orphaned child can apply for and receive the Child Support Grant Top-Up of R720 per child per month.

No Social Worker’s report or court order are needed to access the Child Support Grant Top-Up.