COSATU calls on SASSA to streamline its SRD grant verification process

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) calls on the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to streamline its verification processes for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant following reports that beneficiaries are struggling to access the grant due to issues with the verification procedure.

The SDR grant was introduced in May 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown to provide support to individuals who had no other income and were not receiving any social grant. Extended beyond the pandemic, the R370 grant has provided a safety net for millions particularly as the unemployment rate climbed to the current 43.6%, and 70.6% for youth between the ages of 15 and 24. For instance, young people seeking employment use the grant to buy data to send applications and pay for transport to attend interviews. Others use it for necessities such as food and toiletries.

Starting earlier this year SASSA requires new and existing beneficiaries to undergo biometric ID verification, in particular those it suspects of fraud or of being victims of identity theft. However, beneficiaries have experienced issues with the verification link sent to them and this has resulted in them not being able to access their grants, sometimes for months.

Considering that for some, this grant is their sole source of income, COSATU urges SASSA to sort out the glitches and streamline the verification procedures to enable beneficiaries to access the grant with ease. Of course, all required identity checks must not be compromised.

The Federation has been consistent in calling for the SRD grant to be hiked up to the food poverty line and by so doing lay the foundation for the SRD grant to be transformed into the Universal Basic Income Grant. If this noble goal is to be achieved, it is imperative that SASSA ensures that verification and payment procedures for the SRD grant are not compromised and work efficiently for all beneficiaries.

For this reason, COSATU calls upon SASSA to tighten up its processes and ensure an efficient service to its beneficiaries.

Issued by COSATU

Zanele Sabela(COSATU National Spokesperson)

Mobile: 079 287 5788 / 077 600 6639

Email: zanele@cosatu.org.za