SASSA SRD Grant Declined After Family Support: Beneficiary Calls for Change

Thomas Masooa, who has been unemployed for more than three years despite holding a matric certificate, says ordinary e-wallet and cash-send transactions from people helping him financially have contributed to his SRD applications being declined.

Masooa believes receiving occasional financial assistance from relatives or friends should not automatically mean that an unemployed person no longer needs social support.

"It is just another help, maybe from a friend or family, meeting SASSA halfway in terms of helping the poor," he said.

A grant stretched across an entire household

Masooa lives in a shared family home where he says he helps support between three and five dependants.

The R370 monthly SRD grant is used towards necessities including food and transport, but he says the money often runs out before the end of the month.

He says there have also been times when he has gone without food.

When his application was declined, Masooa had to travel between 5km and 20km to a SASSA office to try to resolve the issue, adding transport costs to an already difficult financial situation.

Calling for more support and information

Masooa says unemployment remains his biggest financial concern and believes the SRD grant should be increased to provide greater assistance to people who have no income.

He also says he was not aware of other government support programmes that he might qualify for, highlighting the importance of beneficiaries having access to clear information about available assistance.

His experience reflects the difficult choices facing unemployed South Africans who rely on social assistance while continuing to look for work.

For people like Masooa, occasional financial help from family or friends can make the difference between having food and going without, but he believes this support should not necessarily be viewed as evidence that someone has a sustainable income.

The issue also raises broader questions about how social assistance systems distinguish between regular income and once-off financial help from family members or friends.

As unemployment continues to place pressure on households, beneficiaries say access to social assistance needs to be accompanied by clear information, accessible services and pathways into sustainable employment.