A Western Cape woman receiving the SASSA Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant says the R370 monthly payment barely covers groceries, let alone the rest of her needs, as she continues searching for work in one of the country’s toughest job markets.
The woman, in her late twenties, has received the SRD grant for less than a year. She said the money goes straight towards food and groceries, and while it helps, it is not enough to cover her basic needs each month. By the time the next payment cycle begins, she has nothing left over.
She lives in a shared family home where one or two people depend on her limited income. Her experience reflects that of many of the roughly 18 million South Africans who rely on SASSA support, with the Western Cape among the provinces with the highest concentration of recipients.
Job hunting in admin with few openings in sight
Unemployment is her biggest financial concern right now. She has experience in admin and office work and is willing to travel up to 20 kilometres for the right position. Still, suitable roles have been difficult to find in an economy where the unemployment rate is above 32 per cent. She has not applied for any additional government support, saying she did not qualify for other programmes, leaving the SRD grant as her only source of state assistance while she job hunts.
Her application process has not been smooth either. She has previously dealt with a declined or lapsed application, an issue she says is common among grant recipients navigating the system. Even so, she rated SASSA’s communication with recipients as adequate.
What she wants changed about SASSA
Asked what single change she would make, she said she would like the grant amount increased, adding in her own words that the SRD grant is “not enough for daily living.” The R370 payment has remained unchanged even as food, electricity and transport costs continue to rise, leaving many recipients stretched thinner each month.
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