Quite a number of the R350 Social Relief Distress grant beneficiaries, will be discontinued from receiving grant from the government. Latest announcements and reports have indicated a massive cut, most especially from those getting financial help from friends and families .

Applicants were informed payments will be made from mid-June and will pay starting from April. Sassa says they work within a budget, which is what led to the cut, creating a new criteria that will eliminate those with source of income even though its below R350. About 10.6 million ne applications for the new round since April, have not yet received payment from the two months which is April and May.

Sassa has signed an agreement with banks to screen accounts and monitor incomes. “To enable the means testing, Sassa needed to precure the services of banks. This process was completed in the previous year, but required the concurrence of the minister of finance, before concluding the contracts. The concurrence from the minister of finance was received on 30 April 2022. The concurrence, however, contained additional conditions, which the banks legal services had to work through, resulting in delays in concluding the contracts.” said Sassa

The budget released since the extension in February, is R44 billion which can only cover 10.5 million recipients which is less than a the number of new applicants, not including those who reapplied and those who applied for reconsiderations. The new budget will eliminate the poorest in South Africa