Got a declined SASSA status? Anxious about what to do next? Don’t worry, you are in the right place. The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) manages multiple kinds of social relief grants, and COVID-19 SRD is one of them. The grant has proper eligibility criteria that every applicant must meet. However, sometimes, the declined status comes due to a burden of applications, mismatched information about the applicant, or a system error.
If you are in the queue of applicants who are 100% eligible but still facing a declined SRD status, then you can appeal for your R370 grant payment. I will guide you through the complete process with easy steps. You will be able to lodge your appeal for R370 grant without any issues.
- Note: The SASSA appeal option is available for applicants whose SRD grant applications were declined for periods after April 2022. Applicants can submit an appeal for an eligible declined month through the official SASSA appeal process.
SASSA SRD Status Declined?
Are you grieving the SASSA SRD decline? Are you confused about why your R370 payment application was declined despite complete eligibility for the grant? Then your answer is here:
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) pays the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to approximately 8.2 million beneficiaries every month. At R370 per beneficiary, SASSA distributes about R3.034 billion each month, totaling about R36.408 billion a year. (According to www.thesouthafrican.com).
This number is not stopping here. According to the www.moneyweb.co.za report, each month, almost 80, 000 new applicants apply for the SRD grant. So handling this number of applications and the budget is very hectic.
For this reason, SASSA must maintain a strict balance when approving and declining SRD grant applications. If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available budget, SASSA prioritizes applicants with the greatest financial need.
As a result, an application may be declined because other applicants have lower incomes or more severe financial circumstances, even if the applicant meets the basic eligibility requirements.
Who Can Appeal for SRD R370 Payment Disapproval?
Those who qualify for the SRD grant eligibility can appeal for the SRD R370 grant payment. You need to appeal within 30 days, or no more than 90 days after receiving the grant payment disapproval.
Make sure you have all the documents that are required for the SRD grant application, such as a permanent South African ID or a temporary ID if you are an asylum seeker or a refugee. You must be either unemployed or not earning more than R624 per month.
How to Appeal to ITSAA (Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals)?
1) Visit SRD Appeal Portal
For your ease, the Department of Social Development has developed a SASSA appeal portal. You can visit the portal at: https://srd.sassa.gov.za/appeals/ to appeal to the ITSAA (Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals) for your SRD grant.
The web portal is 100% secure and organized by the Government of South Africa. So you can visit the portal and enter your personal details without any worries. However, stay alert to 3rd-party websites, apps, or forums that can steal your information.
2) Go to the Appeal Application Form
On this official SRD appeal portal, you will see a green colored button with the text “Click here to lodge an appeal or check appeal status”. Tap on this button, and you will be redirected to the next page where you will be asked to enter your South African ID number and phone number.
Enter your 13-digit ID number and then provide your 10-digit phone number. Now tap on the “Send PIN” button to get an OTP on your mobile phone to verify your phone number and identity.
3) Accept Declaration and Consent
The applicant or authorized representative must read the Declaration and Consent documents carefully. The applicant must confirm acceptance of the terms and conditions before continuing with the application process.
4) Update/Change Phone Number Online
The applicant must ensure that the contact phone number provided in the SRD grant application is accurate and up to date. ITSAA communicates appeal decisions electronically, and SASSA uses the applicant’s registered contact details for further communication. Incorrect contact information can delay notification and payment processing after a successful appeal.
Applicants can change or update their phone numbers online on the SRD appeal application portal or visit directly here.
5) Filling the Appeal Form with Valid Details
Finally, the appeal application form will appear on your screen. You need to enter the following details for this form:
- Your full legal name
- Residential address
- ID number
- 6-digit SRD Application ID or AppID
- Choose a reason for the declined application: Means_Income_Source_Identified, etc.
Once you add all the details, you need to submit the appeal application. Just tap on the “submit” button to send the appeal to the officials.
How to Check Your SASSA Appeal Status?
Your job is not done after only submitting the appeal application. In fact, you need to check your SASSA appeal status regularly to know the status of your appeal application. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to check the appeal status, as I will guide you.
- Visit the SASSA appeal portal: https://srd.sassa.gov.za/appeals/appeal.
- Enter your ID number and phone number without dashes.
- Tap on the “send PIN” button and verify your phone number with an OTP.
- Check your appeal application status on the next page. It could be pending, approved, or declined.
- ITSAA can take 60 to 90 days to respond to your appeal.
Note: Your appeal application can also be declined if you do not qualify for the SRD grant. So make sure you only submit the appeal when you are truly eligible for the SRD R370 grant.
SASSA Reconsideration Request vs Appeal: What’s the Difference?
Many applicants think SASSA reconsideration and appeal are two names for the same process. However, they are different. SRD reconsideration is an internal review by SASSA after an application receives a declined status. An appeal is a separate review handled by an external body, such as the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA). The main difference is who reviews the declined decision. SASSA handles the reconsideration, while ITSAA handles the appeal.
SASSA Declined: Should You Reapply or Appeal?
You need to appeal if your status is declined. The reapplication is for those who need to apply each month to get the SRD payments. However, if the status is declined for any reason, you have only one option, and that is to appeal to ITSAA.
Key Entities Involved in SASSA Appeal
Let’s find out what the key entities are that are involved in this SASSA appeal application process. This information will help you to understand the complete process better.
South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)
- Manages social assistance programs in South Africa.
- Processes COVID-19 SRD grant applications.
- Evaluates applicants against eligibility requirements.
- Provides approval, rejection, and payment decisions.
Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA)
- ITSAA is an independent body responsible for reviewing social assistance appeals.
- Reassesses SASSA decisions using available information and verification databases.
- Operates under the authority of the Department of Social Development (DSD).
- Provides final appeal decisions.
Department of Social Development (DSD)
- Oversees social development programs and policies.
- Appoints members of civil society to serve on ITSAA.
- Provides administrative support for appeal processes.
ITSAA Appeal Status: How the Tribunal Process Works
The Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA) reviews eligible appeals against declined SRD grant decisions. The tribunal checks the information linked to the applicant and the reason for the declined status. The review process can take time because ITSAA must assess the available information before making a decision.
1) Appeal Is Submitted
The applicant submits an appeal through the official SRD appeal portal. The appeal is linked to the declined SRD application and the relevant application period.
2) ITSAA Reviews the Appeal
ITSAA reviews the applicant’s information and the reason for the declined decision. The tribunal can use information from government verification databases during the assessment.
3) Appeal Remains Pending
The appeal status will remain pending while ITSAA completes the review. Applicants should check the appeal status regularly for any updates.
4) ITSAA Makes a Decision
After reviewing the available information, ITSAA makes a decision on the appeal. The result can be approved or declined.
5) Payment Processing After Approval
An approved appeal does not mean the R370 payment is made immediately. SASSA still needs to complete the payment process for the relevant month. The applicant should check the SRD status and payment information for further updates.
What to do when SASSA Appeal is also Declined?
If ITSAA rejects the appeal, the ITSAA decision becomes the final internal decision regarding the SRD grant application. No further internal appeal process is available after this stage.
However, applicants who disagree with the ITSAA decision may apply for a judicial review through the High Court under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act, 2000.
The judicial review application must be submitted within 180 days from the date of the ITSAA decision.
SASSA SRD Appeal Contact Details
Department of Social Development & Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA)
Address: Private Bag X901, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Phone: 012 312 7727
Email: Grantappeals@dsd.gov.za
Fax: 086 534 3124 | 086 216 371
