What To Do If Your R350 SASSA Grant Has Been Pending For More Than Two Months

If the case is that your R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is still waiting for payment to be completed for longer than two months, it’s understandable that the lack of action or communication is quite irritating. SASSA issues the R350 grant as temporary support for people who lost income due to the COVID pandemic. While the application process can be painstakingly slow, in some cases, there are always ways to deal with a payment that has been pending for ages.

If your application is pending more than 2 months, take note of the following:

1. The first step is to verify that your application has not received an update.

You can take the following steps to check the status of your application:

Head over to helenchers com’s official site or navigate over to the SASSA SRD site at srd.sassa.gov.za.

You can log in by inputting the ID number or the application reference number.

Visit the status portion of your application and check whether any changes have been made or concerns have been raised.

An application status of “pending” indicates that SASSA is yet to finalize processing it on their end. This could be due to pending verification, mistakes, or documentation difficulties.

2. Check Your Personal Information

Incomplete or inaccurate personal information is one of the most common reasons of delays. Take a moment to verify these details on your application:

ID Number – Check for errors in the number provided.

Bank details – Check that the correct bank account details were given.

Contact details – Ensure that the phone number and email provided are current so communications can be received.

Any detailed that by corrected can be changed via the SASSA website or through their channels at the contact center.

3. Confirm Eligibility Checks

SASSA performs an eligibility check for each application to ensure that the applicant meets the requirements which include:

Proof of South African citizenship or permanent resident permit.

Proof of age: Application must be within 18 and 59 years.

Not in receipt of any other social grants or unemployment pay.

Having a monthly income below the cited limit (currently set at R595).

Discrepancies in eligibility can often result in delayed or denied payments. In this event, it is important to verify that you thoroughly checked and met all prerequisites for eligibility. In case you think you are eligible but have not received any payment, please follow the next steps.

4. Contact SASSA

If your R350 grant has been pending for over two months, and you’ve checked your details, eligibility, and application status without finding a resolution, it’s now time to contact SASSA. You can contact them in the following ways:

To call SASSA: Their number is toll-free: 0800 60 10 11. This line is open for inquiries and assistance with grants.

Email SASSA: By sending an email to grantqueries@sassa.gov.za, stating your ID number, application reference number, and giving a succinct description of your issue, they should be able to assist you.

Visit SASSA Office: In some instances, attending a SASSA office may be the best avenue to gather more information relating to your application.

5. Think About Your Banking Information

In some instances, the delay could be because of the banking information you provided in your application. If you have selected payment through your bank account and there is a problem, such as incorrect banking details, your payment will be delayed. Remember:

That you provided the bank details is correct.

That your bank account suffices and can accept the payment.

That your bank is in fact integrated with SASSA.

If the bank details need to be updated or were entered incorrectly, you can change them on the SASSA site or reach out to SASSA’s call center for help.

6. Remain Calm – They Might Take Longer…

The delays in the processing of requests might be because of the numerous amounts of applications that have to be verified and processed. Though it might be really irritating, try to remain calm while SASSA does all the work in processing the applications. Most of the time payments are done in huge batches, so it is possible that they would have scheduled the payment for you.

7. Address Higher Authorities

If you have checked your status and updated your details, reached out to SASSA, and followed all the steps mentioned above, yet still haven’t received any resolution, it may be time to escalate the matter. You may:

Make a formal complaint at the Office of the Public Protector. The Public Protector is available to assist you investigate your ordeal if you feel that SASSA has not been responding or is mishandling your concern.

Eliminate your concerns to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) if you deem the violation of your rights brought forth or there is one concern which is affecting a large number of applicants.

8. Keep Checking For New Information

It is good to keep checking because SASSA updates the application status periodically. Moreover look out for all formal communications as they may provide new instructions, timelines for disbursement of payment, or elaborate on the payment delays.

Finish

Now if your application for R350 SASSA grant has been pending for over two months, relax. Yes, the long wait can appear annoying but you can do something about it such as checking application status and details that could increase the chances of resolving the issue contacting SASSA. Keep in mind that there are eligibility criteria, processes undertaken for verification, and potential delays in payments all contributing towards the delay but being active and patient is important.

With the preceding steps, you will be more prepared to manage the waiting period and sort out any complications hindering your payment.