Amid questions of “what is happening with our R350 COVID-19 Grant?” Applicants remain disappointed as their concerns are posted on social media were once again ignored by the South African Social Services Agency (SASSA) and the Ministry of Social Development.
Despite weeks of cries of the unemployed on Twitter seeking answers about their applications for the jobless grant, SASSA and the Ministry of Social Development remained mum until today.
SASSA decided to respond to the tweets, stating on its official Twitter page that: “There is a high volume of applications, however, SASSA will respond to all applicants.”
There is a high volume of applications, however SASSA will respond to all applicants. All qualifying applicants who applied in May and are successfully verified will be paid the R350 for May 2020. Regardless of whether the payment is effected in early June 2020
— SASSA (@OfficialSASSA) June 8, 2020
SASSA did not say if the agency is still getting more applications for the promised grant relief.
Previously, on 29 June 2020 SASSA said, it had received 13 million applications for the R350 Social Relief Grant. The agency also stated that only 6.3 million applications had been properly completed and valid.
Today, SASSA further stated on its official Twitter page: “There is no fixed date for the COVID-19 special grant, the applicant will be paid for each month as long as they still meet the qualification criteria. Each month the application will be verified to ensure that the applicant still qualifies for that particular month.”
The agency seems to be saying it does not know when it will pay them.
“All qualifying applicants who applied in May and are successfully verified will be paid the R350 for May 2020. Regardless of whether the payment is effected in early June 2020,” SASSA repeatedly posts on its official page.
Last week on Thursday, SASSA said on its official Twitter page that some of its key electronic services were offline. For more: SASSA is Currently Offline For Key Electronic Services
“The agency apologised for the system downtime.”
It seems the SASSA official Twitter page is managed by a ‘bot’ because the messages posted are repeated.
Many applicants for the R350 COVID-19 Grant were frustrated by the message and voiced their anger on Twitter:
It is not working just say it. My brother’s message says payment date is the 30th of may and he didn’t receive anything even now
— 42KMSowetoMarathon (@Tsentsho1) June 8, 2020
well I’ve been approved for over a week now and still no payment? what’s happening with the payment?
— Cal | BLM (@iamcal10) June 8, 2020
I haven’t got a notification if my application is been approved or what and yet you talking about payments.
— Sebatane Richard (@RichardSebatane) June 8, 2020
Sassa we need some answers on this R350 which early June we will get feedback whether we approved or not, currently it’s still pending. June 2020 0r 2021 🙄😏🤔
— Jessica Esther (@b37820560fb642d) June 8, 2020
Also read: Jobless Are Begging for Answers. Is SASSA or Minister Zulu Listening?
28 Comments
This I fail to understand. Sassa pays elderly people, disabled ones,child grant and foster care all on same date. That is a lot of money but yet they claim its not easy to pay a mere R350?
Kudlaliwe ngathi,sithembiswe amanga, someone gave us high hopes for nothing. Well I know that money is very little but still it would help as I’m not working but hey our president and his people lied to us. Ba hleli ezindlini zabo bayadla bayasutha and maybe even throw away some left overs while some of us are hungry and sick.
I fear that the next time I visit the hospital I won’t get help because I owe them. I live on medication, how am I expected to survive a day without any?
There are no jobs, nothing nje.
Thank you for covering this worrisome stance taken by those who are supposed to care for the masses of our destitute people. It would’ve better, however, if you dug for the CEO of SASSA or minister of Social Development so to hear why the qualifying 6 million people had not been paid until now.
Still waiting. Application status shows pending….Sigh…
Comment: I’ve a bank account, but it has a debit balance. Now, my application for the R350 has been approved, but if Sassa pays it into the bank account, the bank will swallow it and that will NOT serve the intended purpose. I sent an e-mail to Sassa more than FOUR weeks ago but they ignored it. Their contact numbers seem to be NOT working.
I also wanted to give them my contact number (which is Rica’d in my name. Who can help me? President Ramaphosa must come to our rescue. Clearly, Sassa is in a crisis. They’re operating on excuses. I applied for a food parcel on Easter Monday (13 April), I’m still waiting as they constantly say I must be patient whenever I call them. Lindiwe Zulu must advise or teach me on how to tell my stomach to be patient.
0800601011 is non existent. How to contact them?
The Department of Labour has already paid more than R20b to date.
We’re the most destitute and vulnerable.
ok there are high volumes of applicants understandable . all that I want know is if I gonna get May months money because I register the first day that the lines was opened but my status still shows pending.is goverment messing with us or does they just don”t care about our people . and i also think that there are Sassa workers that don”t know what they are doing but they are working for goverment
Application status still pending can we get help please to at least get this ID application verified because it says pending and when we can we dnt get help it says buzy everyday
I applied via email on the 29th April till today no response from SASSA . My status just says pending. They need to give us answers . And worse is that our president is quiet not saying anything regarding this. How can they still depend on our votes yet playing with our emotions.
Just wanna know how long for applications to be pending and for those who uses ussd line when and how are they being replied???
I did apply for Covid grant in April. And only get R350 on Monday morning. Where is the other R350 for June????
Gud evning I applied for this grant early May status stil saying Pending I need help pls
I’ve given up updating about SASSA. The way they answer your questions, I could swear now, they just copy and paste and generalize the answer.
“Previously, on 29 June 2020 SASSA said, it had received 13 million applications for the R350 Social Relief Grant. The agency also stated that only 6.3 million applications had been properly completed and valid.”
Why does the article say 29 June 2020, when we are only at the 11th? The article lost me there. When it comes to the R350 grant, I no longer know what to believe anymore.
Still no feedback I applied in May 2020
Desperate citizens of South Africa are crying out for help and something with which to feed their families!!!! If they cannot cope with the volume and constant IT issues, why do they not ask for help!!!!
I get the massagers from sassa says i must go to the nearest post office to get 350 grant,but my problem is machine are offline
My application is still pending . Some people who apply the same time as me….got paid already for may…..how to I get help
What happen if I didnt received my message after it was approved.
Now it says approved but I dont know what will happen further
SASSA is paying according to Provinces meaning that by the time they pay Western Cape it will be on their terms and thst could be Sep or the last month Oct. Because questions asked on facebook and SASSA wanted to know which Province was the application done?
Still waiting
my application has been pending on 11th of May 2020 and for how long should i wait i don’t receive any income and i don’t get stipend.
I’m a 54year old male and have been unemployed for more than a year.I applied for the R350 grant in may and when i checked my status 2weeks ago it showed pending and when checked today it showed declined.I would like to know why because i’m unemployed and i don’t have a income.
I am sill waiting since my grant says approved until know what next step is approved but no money on my bank
I applied early in May approved after a week igave them my bank details thinking they will pay me b4 end of May coz I have debts
I have not got paid till if they send the money in my account is a problem coz it will be taken
They sent a link,that ‘m approved den I did send my banking details on the 31st of May, but until now money dololo🤪
I applied on behalf of someone.
They sent me a link where I should upload banking details, I did that. Then I checked status online it said approved for both May and June, so which step should we take now. Should we go to the post office or keep waiting?
My name sanjith gobardhan I been approved since May no money been paid out as yet pls may June July August I want my money I don’t have bank account sms pin to withdraw it from atm. Call me now urgently 0746944491
I applied for unemployment grant and opted for Absa cashsend. I received OTP but not the 10 digits. I used my cellphone number but the ATM ignores by saying, 10 digit numbers are invalid but I used this cellphone number to apply
Im still waiting for August and September payment is approved got payday but not paid yet for these 2 months