1. The initial allocation for the special relief grant of R350 per month from May to October 2020 was R3 457 696 700. Motivation was done to National treasury to indicate that this would not be sufficient. In the special adjustment budget of 24 June 2020, an additional amount of approximately R6 billion was provided for this relief grant.
(a)(i) An additional amount of approximately R6 billion was made available in the special adjustment budget for this grant. However, this is intended to cater for all who qualify, not only the asylum seekers and special permit holders.
(ii) No additional resources other than the current internal resources being used to implement the special relief grant have been made available.
(b) A total of R949 537 750 has been paid out to approved beneficiaries as at 30 June 2020
2. The Department of Social Development has amended the Directions to accommodate asylum seekers and special permit holders from Angola, Lesotho and Zimbabwe, as directed by the court, and the revised Directions were published on 2 July 2020.
3. Yes, SASSA maintains statistics on all applications received, approved and declined.
4. Statistics are not maintained on racial demographics. The table below indicates the approved applications according to citizenship and age.
Age |
SA Citizens |
Permanent Residents |
Refugees |
Total |
18 |
182 193 |
3 438 |
38 |
185 669 |
19 |
220 690 |
4 443 |
90 |
225 223 |
20 |
210 845 |
4 521 |
94 |
215 460 |
21 |
218 868 |
5 450 |
76 |
224 394 |
22 |
197 327 |
5 490 |
80 |
202 897 |
23 |
173 240 |
5 334 |
78 |
178 652 |
24 |
145 010 |
4 758 |
66 |
149 834 |
25 |
120 722 |
3 728 |
55 |
124 505 |
26 |
104 268 |
3 225 |
40 |
107 533 |
27 |
89 123 |
2 595 |
54 |
91 772 |
28 |
84 157 |
2 268 |
40 |
86 465 |
29 |
78 136 |
2 097 |
44 |
80 277 |
30 |
74 184 |
1 988 |
59 |
76 231 |
31 |
68 719 |
1 710 |
57 |
70 486 |
32 |
66 001 |
1 630 |
63 |
67 694 |
33 |
63 756 |
1 500 |
54 |
65 310 |
34 |
62 572 |
1 518 |
60 |
64 150 |
35 |
60 163 |
1 456 |
62 |
61 681 |
36 |
57 831 |
1 388 |
67 |
59 286 |
37 |
57 910 |
1 424 |
69 |
59 403 |
38 |
53 068 |
1 420 |
60 |
54 548 |
39 |
49 799 |
1 259 |
74 |
51 132 |
40 |
50 840 |
1 240 |
88 |
52 168 |
41 |
46 036 |
1 228 |
64 |
47 328 |
42 |
45 052 |
1 181 |
67 |
46 300 |
43 |
45 651 |
1 299 |
68 |
47 018 |
44 |
48 094 |
1 312 |
56 |
49 462 |
45 |
47 682 |
1 360 |
53 |
49 095 |
46 |
45 889 |
1 365 |
47 |
47 301 |
47 |
47 956 |
1 460 |
51 |
49 467 |
48 |
46 402 |
1 377 |
32 |
47 811 |
49 |
43 844 |
1 361 |
25 |
45 230 |
50 |
50 692 |
1 466 |
30 |
52 188 |
51 |
49 167 |
1 437 |
24 |
50 628 |
52 |
48 707 |
1 528 |
25 |
50 260 |
53 |
46 515 |
1 465 |
15 |
47 995 |
54 |
50 230 |
1 534 |
15 |
51 779 |
55 |
51 778 |
1 611 |
17 |
53 406 |
56 |
53 629 |
1 547 |
9 |
55 185 |
57 |
54 309 |
1 646 |
14 |
55 969 |
58 |
49 561 |
1 492 |
8 |
51 061 |
59 |
44 576 |
1 364 |
5 |
45 945 |
60 |
2 958 |
86 |
|
3 044 |
Grand Total |
3 408 150 |
90 999 |
2 093 |
3 501 242 |
5. The qualification criteria for applicants to qualify for the Special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant is applied to all applicants. The gazetted criteria, including the recent amendment on 2 July 2020 is as follows:
A special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress of R350 per month may be provided for the period indicated herein to distressed individuals who are:
Applicants are declined if they do not meet any of the above criteria.