The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has announced that unemployed caregivers who receive child grants can now apply for the Special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant. These individuals can apply even without the 13-digit barcoded South African identification documents.
The Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, brought these developments forth during the second iteration of the SRD grant.
SASSA CEO, Busisiwe Memela-Khambula, said that it would not have made sense to exclude these individuals. Especially if it is clear that they are unemployed and have no other source of income.
“As government, we have to do everything possible to ensure that we uphold the principles of our sought after Constitution and do everything possible to cushion those in distress during their hour of need.”
The category of SASSA beneficiaries who do not have South African identification but receive social grants includes permanent residents, asylum seekers and refugees. And some of these beneficiaries draw child grants such as Child Support, Care Dependency and Foster Child grants. Thus, they are not necessarily social grants for themselves.
SASSA beneficiaries that receive social grants despite not having an ID were allocated a system-generated 7777 identification number that enables them to apply for social grants.
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