The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) says it has completed testing its WhatsApp registration system to payout the six-month coronavirus grant known as COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant.
Under the grant, jobless South Africans will each receive R350 monthly for six months.
Sassa says on its Twitter page: “The WhatsApp application system for #COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant opened only for testing over the weekend and it’s closed now. We’ll announce the official opening date”.
The WhatsApp application system for #COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant opened only for testing over the weekend and it’s closed now. We’ll announce official opening date #day32oflockdown #coronavirusInSouthAfrica #FreedomDay @GovernmentZA @HealthZA @The_DSD @PostofficeSa pic.twitter.com/dRi9laXbkx
— SASSA (@OfficialSASSA) April 27, 2020
The registration process used the government’s existing COVID-19 WhatsApp line, on 060 012 3456.
See screenshot below:
However, on Thursday last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a five-level plan to ease lockdowns and a R500 billion stimulus package.
The stimulus plan included special grants as part of a temporary 6-month Coronavirus grant.
Within six months, unemployed South Africans would receive R2,100 each.
The special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant will be paid to unemployed individuals that do not receive any other form of a social grant or UIF payment.
Last week, Busisiwe Memela, the CEO Sassa, said the organisation will screen COVID-19 special grants applicants against other grant payments databases.
These databases include the SA Revenue Service (Sars), the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
“The system will automatically say whether you qualify or don’t qualify… Then we’ll put you to the back-end and process the payment,” said Memela.
She told Cape Talk radio that unemployed South Africans are going to be
For more read: Coronavirus: This is How Sassa Plans to Pay COVID-19 Special Grants of R350
Some of TechFinancials readers have expressed their frustration at the slow pace of the Sassa registration process for the COVID-19 special grants.
“We are eagerly waiting to know the process of registration as most of our people are unable to read and understand,” said one reader.
Another stated: “It’s the 27 April 2020…and we have not received proper directives as to how to apply for the unemployment grant.
“Thanks for everything that you are doing for us. It seems there is a lot of false info out there since it was never mentioned when the application should start. We’ll wait patiently for application details.”
11 Comments
UNISA NSFAS benefituries are different from other full time universities
They denied us the living allowance and told us that we are distance learning students so we don’t qualify, so I guess it will be made a point that we qualify
Thank you
Unisa students don’t receive R1500 like other universities
i therefore think they should reconsider giving us those R350 as additional
Unemployed citizen
Anyone who can help with the covid 19 R359 application please just full example
Application for unemployment grant
https://techfinancials.co.za/2020/04/29/coronavirus-how-to-apply-for-coronavirus-special-grant/
How to apply for unemployed grand; I have using this WhatsApp no 0600 123 456 but it shows something alse
I’m working as fixed term my boss told me that he doesn’t owe me anything please 😣
How to apply for R350
I have checked many times I don’t see any thing even on WhatsApp
I’m struggling to apply for R350 sassa grand for unemployed
None of these websites are working. A person have no idea whether they have your application or not. I would like to speak to some body that actually got R350.00 paid!!!