Who qualifies
To be considered for the R370 SRD grant you must:
- Be a South African citizen, permanent resident or a recognised refugee registered on Home Affairs' system.
- Be between 18 and 59 years old.
- Be currently unemployed.
- Not receive any other social grant for yourself (you can still receive a child support grant on behalf of a child).
- Not receive a stipend from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) or an unemployment insurance (UIF) payout.
- Have a household or personal income below the monthly threshold — currently R624 per month.
- Not be housed by the state (for example, in prison).
The monthly means test
Unlike the older persons or disability grant, the SRD is not approved once and paid every month automatically. SASSA does a fresh check every single month by matching your ID to bank statements, UIF records, SARS tax records and Home Affairs. If any deposit takes you above R624 in a month, the grant is declined for that month — but you stay in the queue for the next month.
Windfalls count. Even a once-off payment from a friend, a refund or a stokvel payout can push a specific month over the threshold. That is why your status can flip between "approved" and "declined" month to month.
How to apply
- Open srd.sassa.gov.za and choose Apply.
- Enter your ID and mobile number. Verify with the OTP.
- Answer the declarations honestly. Providing incorrect information is fraud.
- Choose a payment channel: bank deposit, Post Office collection or partner retailer (Boxer, Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers, Usave).
- Save the reference number that appears at the end.
Every SRD status message and what it means
| Status | Meaning | Recommended action |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | Application submitted but the monthly check is not finished. | Wait 5–10 working days. |
| Approved | Passed the means test for the month. | Check the payment date and payment method. |
| Declined — Alternative Income Source Identified | A deposit above R624 was seen in your bank account. | Request bank verification and, if wrong, appeal within 90 days. |
| Declined — UIF Registered | You are on the UIF payment register. | Wait for the UIF benefit to end; SASSA re-tests each month. |
| Declined — NSFAS Registered | You appear on NSFAS records. | Contact NSFAS to update your status if you are no longer studying. |
| Declined — Existing SASSA Grant | You already receive another grant on your own ID. | You cannot receive two grants at once. |
| Declined — Age | You are outside the 18–59 age range. | Apply for the older persons grant if you are 60+. |
| Referred | Manual review by SASSA staff. | No action — wait for a decision. |
| Reapplication Pending | You reapplied for a new period; verification is running. | Wait. |
| Paid | The payment has been released. | Collect at your chosen channel. |
| Bank Details Pending | You have not confirmed your payment method. | Complete the banking details form on the portal. |
Adding or changing banking details
Payments are only released once your banking information is on file. On the SRD portal choose How do you want to be paid? and either enter a South African bank account in your own name, or select Post Office / retailer collection.
The bank account name must exactly match the name on your ID. SASSA uses a live check with the bank; a mismatch will fail immediately.
If you were declined
You can lodge a reconsideration within 90 days of the decline. Go to the SRD portal and choose Application for Reconsideration. You do not need to reapply — you're asking SASSA to re-run the check for that specific month, usually after you have proof that the flagged income no longer exists.
Read the full appeals process on the Appeals and Reconsiderations page.
Ready to check? Go back to the home page and use the status check tool — it will drop you on the correct SRD portal URL.