ISIGWEBO SENKUNDLA ESIQHUMAYO NGESIBONELELO SE-SRD

The government has been instructed to “gradually increase” the social grant and income thresholds and allow applications to be made by individuals.

The Pretoria High Court has declared that some of the criteria for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant are unconstitutional. This includes the online-only application requirement, the monthly income limit of R624, and the grant amount itself.

Judge Leonard Twala has ordered the government to raise the grant continuously to align with the rising cost of living and inflation. The judge also stated that benefits and payments should not be included in the income threshold.

Support groups like the IEJ and #PayTheGrants have welcomed the ruling, calling it a victory for South Africans and a step towards improving social assistance policies. The High Court found that the income requirement of R370 per month for the SRD grant was unconstitutional and invalid. The court also instructed the government to increase the grant amount and the income threshold to make it more accessible.

Introduced in 2020 as an emergency response to the Covid pandemic, the SRD grant was initially set to last for six months but has been extended yearly. The grant amount was increased from R350 to R370 in April 2024. The grant is available to individuals earning less than R625 per month, with SASSA processing monthly payments to bank accounts to ensure recipients meet the eligibility criteria.

This has often meant that millions of people who rely on financial support from friends or family have not qualified for the grant.

In October 2024, the #PayTheGrants campaign and the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) challenged the government’s SRD grant criteria, arguing that the rules excluded millions of South Africans who could be eligible for assistance.