Care givers encouraged to apply for top-up grant

Kwatsaduza – The Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, is urging all relatives who are caring for orphaned children to apply for a Child Support Grant (CSG) Top-Up.

In a statement released by the department, residents are encouraged to access the services at their nearest South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) offices.

The top-up is an additional amount of R240 added to the standard CSG amount of R480.

This means that a relative caring for an orphaned child, specifically a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt or cousin of the child, can now receive a higher valued CSG per month of R720, instead of the standard CSG amount of R480.

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Minister Zulu explained that the top-up is not a new grant, but an additional amount to the basic CSGrant.

“The same eligibility criteria that apply to the CSG will also apply to the CSG Top-Up. The only additional proof required is that the child is an orphan. Caregivers will need to submit the death certificates of the child’s parents.

“If they only have one death certificate because they do not know the other parent or do not know whether the other parent has passed on or is alive, they can complete an affidavit at the Sassa offices,” she added.

The applicants do not need a social worker’s report or a court order to access it. This provision was introduced on June 1, 2022, and allows relatives caring for orphans to have access to an adequate social grant, without having to go through the foster care system.

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This means caregivers do not need to see a social worker or get a court order to apply for the CSG Top-Up which will ensure that all orphans living in poverty receive an adequate social grant speedily.

Zulu added that a related caregiver, who is caring for an orphaned child and is already receiving an R480 CSG for that child, can now go to their nearest Sassa office to apply for the top-up of R240 to be added to their monthly CSG.

A related caregiver, who is caring for an orphaned child that is not yet receiving a CSG for the child in their care, can apply for the CSG and the top-up at the same time.

It is anticipated that the application process, verification and payment would be processed within a month to ensure that relatives caring for orphans receive their social grants speedily.

She added the only caregiver that needs to see a social worker before they can approach Sassa are children under 18 years who are looking after their orphaned siblings in child-headed households.

Before they approach Sassa, they need to see a social worker who will assess their situation, complete a form in terms of s137 of the Children’s Act and provide them with the extra support they need due to not having an adult in the household.