The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is responsible for distributing grants and allowances to disadvantaged people who require financial assistance.
At last count, SASSA is charged with disbursing social welfare to roughly 24 million people in Mzansi.
That figure comprises 4 million old-age-pensioners, 13 million childcare beneficiaries, 6 million Social Relief of Distress (SRD) recipients, and roughly 1 million disability and war veterans.
SASSA beneficiaries can receive their SASSA payments from selected supermarkets, such as Pick n Pay, Boxer, USave merchants, Checkers and Shoprite, and obtain this through their SASSA card, CashSend, or by getting the amount directly transferred into their bank account.
Diarise these dates
The all-important payment dates are confirmed well ahead of time for those affected to mark in their calendars.
Only one more round of payments remain this year.
Diarise the following payment dates in 2024 for Older person’s grants, Disability grants and Children’s grants for the remainder of the year.
| Month | Older person | Disability | Children’s |
| December | Tuesday, 3 Dec | Wednesday, 4 Dec | Thursday, 5 Dec |
Types of SASSA grants and amounts
1. SRD Grant
The SRD (Social Relief Distress Grant) is aimed at South African Citizens, Asylum Seekers, Refugees, and Special Permit Holders who are between 18 and 60 years old. To qualify for this grant, these individuals must not have the necessary means or receive any social grants, are not contributing/ eligible for UIF payment, and have no financial support from any other source. The amount for this grant is R370 per month.
Find out more about the SRD Grant and how to apply here
2. Child Support Grant
If you are in financial need, you can receive a grant to help you raise your child. You will need to be the child’s primary caregiver (i.e. parent, grandparent, or child over the age of 16 leading the family) and pass the means test. You will receive R510 a month for each child. If you are a primary caregiver for an orphaned child, you will receive R750 per month for each child (the R500 CSG and the R250 top-up).
Find out more about the Child Support Grant and how to apply here
3. Foster Child Support
If you have a foster child, you will also be eligible to receive a grant. A foster child is someone who has been placed in your care by the court as a result of being orphaned, abandoned, abused, at risk, or neglected. The foster child support is R1 130 per month per child.
Find out more about the Foster Child Grant and how to apply here
4. Care Dependency Grant
This grant is for individuals who are looking after children with severe disabilities that may require full-time and special care. This grant covers children from birth until they reach the legal age of 18 and equates to R2 090 per month per child.
Find out more about the Care Dependency Grant and how to apply here
5. Disability Grant
This grant is available to individuals who have a mental and/or physical disability that inhibits them from working for longer than 6 months. Individuals are offered a temporary disability grant if their ailment lasts for a continuous period of 6-12 months and a permanent grant if it continues for more than a year. It is important to note that a permanent disability grant does NOT mean that you will receive the grant for your whole life, but rather, that it will continue for longer than 12 months. The maximum payout for a disability grant is R2 090 per month.
Find out more about the Disability Grant and how to apply here
6. Pensioners Grant (Older Person’s Grant)
This grant is given to individuals who are older (60 years or plus) and can no longer work and earn a salary. People from ages 60 to 75 years old will receive R2 090 per month, whilst those older than 75 will receive R2 100 per month.
Find out more about the Older Person’s Grant and how to apply here
7. Grant-In-Aid
This Aid is given to individuals who are living on a social grant but cannot look after themselves. They will receive this additional grant to pay the person who takes full-time care of them, which equates to R510 per month.
Find out more about the Grant-In-Aid and how to apply here
8. War Veteran’s Grant
If you are a formal soldier that fought in the Second World War (1939 to 1945) or the Korean War (1950 to 1953) and are unable to financially support yourself, you will receive this grant that equates to R2 110 per month.
Find out more about the War Veteran’s Grant and how to apply here
NOTE
- Amounts are subject to change in April and October every year.
- Candidates that are receiving an Older Persons/ Pensioners grant or Disability grant, will receive payment of all their grants linked to their account first, while other grant recipients will be paid 1 or 2 days later.
- Only qualifying beneficiaries will receive the relevant social payouts each month.
