The SRD grant legal battle

Slide 1: Access Faces Court Test

The Social Relief of Distress grant faces a major legal showdown at the Supreme Court of Appeal following a landmark High Court decision. At stake is the vast gap between the 18.3 million eligible beneficiaries identified nationwide and the 10.5 million currently funded by National Treasury.

The bone of contention is whether or not the High Court erred in its findings that SRD grant wasnot a tremporary measure but a permanent featire.

Slide 2: What the High Court Said

The High Court ruled against key administration policies, declaring the online-only application process unconstitutional and calling bank-verification checks unlawful. Judges emphasized that the R624 income threshold sits well below the poverty line, concluding that the SRD grant is no longer a temporary measure but a structural necessity.

Slide 3: The Grant Gap

A stark financial divide remains between the current R370 grant payout and the R855 per month required just to meet basic food needs. Advocacy groups point out that if the grant had kept pace with inflation, monthly payments would sit at over R470 today.

Slide 4: Rejected in Numbers

Out of 18 million applications received by SASSA, over 10 million have been turned down under current rules. This leaves the overall approval rate at just 43.5%, leaving millions of applicant households without basic financial support. Just a reminder that governemnt introduced this grant in May 2020.

For more news, visit sabcnews.com and #SABCNews on all Social Media platforms.