Payment of COVID-19 social grant gaining momentum

SASSA in Mpumalanga has so far paid 32 751 for special Covid-19 social relief grant.

SASSA in the process has identified and eliminated duplicate applications.

The reason for the rejection is that some applicants had some form of income or are recipients of social grants.

All the applications were validated against the Department of Home Affairs, Socpen and NSFAS database. Furthermore, they were validated against whether they (applicant) were on the government payroll or receiving benefits from the Unemployment fund.

The Agency avoided rushing the process to avoid possible double payments and paying people that are already employed and have an income.

This was also done to prevent double-dipping.

All approved applicants who were requested to provide SASSA with their banking details, their monies will be deposited into their bank accounts after they have (bank accounts) verified.

Applicants who have no bank accounts and cell phone numbers registered in their own names, their payments will be directed to the Post Office.

They will be informed via SMS when they can collect their payments using their identity documents.

Applicants who do not have bank account details but provided cell phone numbers registered to their names will be required to choose a bank of their choice.

They will then receive cash send payment to their cell phones.

The applicant will be paid from the month they applied.

Each month applicants will be subjected to the verification process to determine if they still qualify.

If they still qualify, they will be paid again without having to re-apply.

If they do not qualify any more, they will not be paid again.

People who receive any type of social grant do not qualify.

SASSA urges applicants not to submit more than one application as this further delay the approval process.

This grant will only be paid for a period of six months from May to October 2020.

SASSA urges applicants to be patient, as payment is currently in progress and it (SASSA) is making payments regularly and working closely with banks to improve the payment process to enable it to become more effective and efficient.

For more information contact the Customer Care Unit on 013 754 9439/9428/54 or toll-free number: 0800 60 10 11 from 08:00 – 16:00 during weekdays Monday to Friday.