Still time to appeal grant unemployment payments
Applicants are requested to provide reasons they think SASSA's decision was incorrect
WHILE payment of the R350 unemployment grant is to cease at the end of this month, beneficiaries still have an opportunity to submit appeals for rejected applications.
Beneficiaries of the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant have until 28 February to submit grievances to the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
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Applicants are requested to provide reasons they think SASSA’s decision was incorrect or provide additional motivation when lodging their complaints.
Declined applicants who had already lodged appeals do not need to resubmit.
‘SASSA will inform applicants about the outcome of their appeals through SMS. Appellants are requested not to send attachments when lodging their appeals,’ SASSA said in a statement.
This comes as hundreds of residents continue to brave long queues at various post office branches in the City of uMhlathuze to access their relief payments.
One Empangeni beneficiary, who did not want to be named, said as a result of the high number of beneficiaries on a daily basis, they are forced to queue as early as 3am or 4am to receive the money.
Another beneficiary said travel costs, which could be up to R50 a day, were cutting into the relief funding.
‘But we still have to queue because we need the money,’ he said.
In December, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu announced that R13.5-billion has been disbursed through the special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress grant to more than six million beneficiaries.
‘Of these payments, the South African Police Office accounts for four million payments, with 1.6 million paid through personal accounts and 100 000 through the mobile money or cash send platforms,’ Zulu said.
There are 40 584 unclaimed benefits, mainly from the cash send or mobile payment option.
The recipients can send their grievances through https//srd.sassa.gov.za or by sending an email to the covid19appeals@sassa.gov.za
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