‘No one got paid. People are stranded, people are still waiting, people keep asking each other, ‘When are we going to get paid?’ [The Moya app] says the status is still pending. People are stranded and complaining, they’re losing hope [that] they’re going to be paid,” said Tshabalira Lebakeng, a Soweto resident and member of the Homeless Writers’ Project.

Civil society organisations on Wednesday raised the alarm about the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) not paying Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grants to millions of poor South Africans for the months of April and May.

“This is a scandal and a national disgrace. While there had been problems prior to April, over 10 million beneficiaries were being paid on a monthly basis… now… the poorest South Africans have been thrown into a catastrophic situation,” reads a statement from the organisations.

President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Photo: Gallo Images / Jeffrey Abrahams)

In his State of the Nation Address (Sona) in February, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the SRD would be extended until March 2023. “It remains our ambition to establish a minimum level of support for those in greatest need,” Ramaphosa said.

Maverick Citizen sought comment from Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya. He replied: “I have sent your query directly to [the] Minister [of Social Development, Lindiwe] Zulu.” He added that the Presidency was busy with the Budget Vote and would only be able to comment on Monday.

Disaster Management Act regulations previously governed the SRD grant, but when the National State of Disaster ended on 5 April it was covered by the Social Assistance Act. On 22 April, the DSD released a statement announcing that beneficiaries would have to reapply for the grant.

The DSD said: “Given that the Covid-19 SRD will now be provided for under a new legislative framework, and that additional qualifying and assessment criteria will be added, those in need of assistance will have to apply for the Covid-19 SRD, or reapply if they were previously in receipt of this grant.”

This prompted civil society to warn of the potential fallout, which could result in millions of people going hungry. Civil society organisations say that:

• About 11 million of the poorest in South Africa, who had previously been paid the SRD grant, are no longer being paid the grant. This could affect half of the South African population.
• About R8-billion has been withheld from people who are confronting hunger and desperation, at a time when unemployment continues to rise.
• Because of the multiple obstacles placed in beneficiaries’ way, only about 10 million applied at the end of May 2022, compared with the more than 15 million who applied at the end of March (11 million successfully), according to Sassa figures.
• New conditions imposed unilaterally mean that a large number of people who previously qualified for the grant will no longer qualify.
• Administrative chaos and bureaucratic obstructionism – including a failure to put necessary systems in place – mean that, although the government has said people will be paid by mid-June, there is little confidence that the government will resolve all payments by then.
• The government has reneged on its commitment, made in Sona, and subsequently repeated on multiple occasions, to extend the SRD grant from April 2022 to at least the end of March 2023.
• There has been zero transparency about this crisis, or an apology to the millions plunged into destitution as a result of the reckless and irresponsible actions which led to this grave situation.

#PayTheGrants spokesperson Francina Nkosi said: “There are people who have borrowed money in order to survive because they thought they would pay it back with the grant and are now not able to do this.

“It’s now like the people who depend on the SRD Grant have had food taken out of their mouth. This will also add to suicide, depression and more violence and theft in communities. In my community, there have been instances of theft, but it was of food.”

Constitutional and Human Rights law expert and activist Professor Sandra Liebenberg. (Photo: Jan Theron)

Professor Sandra Liebenberg, an activist and a constitutional and human rights law expert, said: “The Social Relief of Distress Grant is a critical measure to give effect to the right of everyone to have access to social assistance as enshrined in section 27 of the Constitution.

“As I have previously argued, this grant also fulfils the principle laid down in the Grootboom case that government should put in place short-term programmes to cater for those whose needs are urgent and who are living in intolerable conditions. These programmes must also be implemented efficiently and reasonably.

“However, access to this vital grant is being frustrated by an over-restrictive means test and application procedures and is clearly not being administered efficiently. This means that millions of impoverished people are being denied their fundamental constitutional rights. It also unfairly discriminates against the poor and marginalised beneficiaries who are also overwhelmingly black people.

“This situation is in stark contrast to values like human dignity which lie at the heart of our Constitution – it cries out for an urgent remedy.”

Responding to a request for comment, Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi responded: “Kindly contact the Department of Social Development on this matter.” This was after DSD spokesperson Lumka Oliphant had referred Maverick Citizen to Letsatsi. DM/MC