Applications for the Special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant will be opened from Friday, with the first payments expected to be made in the last week of August 2021.

Announcing the re-introduction of the special COVID-19 SRD Grant, during a media briefing today, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said an amount of R26.7 billion has been allocated for the new iteration. She said the amount includes the administrative costs borne by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), and it is for a period of eight months with effect from August 2021 until March 2022.

“All recipients who may have not received some of their payments during the first iteration of the grant between May 2020 and April 2021 will certainly receive their payments, and this new iteration will not affect those payments. We have taken note that the majority of the previous applications were paid to males between the ages of 18-35 and in order to address this gender imbalance, the grant has now been opened to include caregivers, the majority of whom are women,” Zulu said.

Eligibility criteria for COVID-19 SRD Grant

A Social Relief of Distress Grant of R350 per month, as indicated in the Directions is payable for the period indicated therein to a person who is:

A South African Citizen, permanent resident or refugee registered on the Home Affairs database and persons who are holders of special permits under the Special Angolan Dispensation, the Lesotho Exemption Permit dispensation and the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Dispensation, and asylum seekers whose section 22 permits or visas are valid or were valid on 15 March 2020;

Currently residing within the borders of the Republic of South Africa;

• Above the age of 18 and below the age of 60;
• Unemployed;
• Not receiving any social grant in respect of himself or herself;
• Not receiving an unemployment insurance benefit and does not qualify to receive an unemployment insurance benefit;
• Not receiving a stipend from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and other financial aid;
• Not receiving any other government COVID-19 response support; and
• Not a resident in a government funded or subsidised institution.

Zulu said that care givers who are not receiving any grant on their own behalf will also have to apply for the special grant.