How to apply for SASSA grants - Online or In Person A Complete Guide

The SASSA provides different social grants to help South African citizens financially. If you are eligible for any of the grants, then you will receive the help in the form of money. The benefits received from each grant are different and the eligibility criteria are also different. You may not know how to apply for SASSA grants. This guide helps you in that process.

The South African Social Security Agency has given two ways to apply for SASSA grants. You can apply either online or in person by visiting the SASSA office. I will explain both methods in this article, So you can choose which is the best for you.

I like the online application method. It is more convenient and takes less time. You can do it from your home. You just need a smartphone or computer with an active internet connection to apply for SASSA grants online. If you don’t have access to these services then you can visit your nearest SASSA office and apply for grants in person.

Social Grants Offered by SASSA That You Can Apply

The SASSA offers a total of eight social grants for various groups of people. Like separate grants for disabled persons, old persons, etc. The basic application procedure is the same for all grants, the only difference is in the requirements, eligible criteria, or documents required for that grant to prove your eligibility. These are the eight grants offered by SASSA. Click on them to know more.

SRD R350 Grant
Care Dependency Grant
War Veterans Grant
Older Persons Grant

Foster Child Grant
Child Support Grant
Disability Grant
Grant-In-Aid

SASSA Grants Online Application – Points To Remember

We aim to make your SASSA application process easier. That’s why we have created a list of points that you can check before you start your application process. It will make the application process easier.

Firstly, you must be eligible for the grant you are applying for. So before you apply, go through the eligibility requirements of the concern grant.
You must have a valid South African Identity card.
You must have a cell phone and an active mobile number. It will be used for your account verification.
You should have a valid email address. This will be used by SASSA to send the updates and notifications to you.
You must have all the documents proving your grant eligibility. The proof of your financial condition.
If you are unable to visit the SASSA office yourself (due to sickness, or old age), then you need a procurator. A procurator is someone who will collect the grant on behalf of you. You can appoint any trusted person or a family member as your grant procurator.
If you are appointed as a procurator by numerous people, you need only 1 SASSA Services account to manage all the grant applications.

How To Apply for SASSA Grants Online?

If you have gone through the above points and are ready with the all required things, you can proceed to the online application process. Follow the given below steps to complete your application form –

Visit the SASSA Services website on your smartphone or laptop.
Click on the Yellow ‘Register’ button in the “Register a New Account” tab to register yourself as a new user on the SASSA service website.
A new application form will appear. You will be required to provide the below personal information.
Your citizenship (Select from the option – South African citizen, Permanent Resident or Refugee)
Your ID number
Your ID document type (Choose from identity document or Temporary ID)
Confirm your ID number twice
Choose your name title (Mr/ Mrs/ Miss)
Your Surname
Your Full Name
Your Email Address
Choose your password. (The password must be at least 8 characters, containing at least 1 of the following: uppercase or lowercase letters, numbers, symbols or special characters. Don’t use a common word or name, or a close variation as your password)
Confirm your password again.
Your cell phone number (Your 10 digit South African mobile number registered in your name)
Once you provide all the personal information, click on the ‘Register Me’ button to submit the form. You will receive the OTP code (one-time pin) on your provided mobile number. Now enter that OTP code to confirm your registration. Your account is now created.
Log in to the SASSA services website using your username and password.
Click on the “Apply for a grant” button, and select the type of grant you want to apply for.
Now fill out the grant application form by providing all the required information.
Take out the print of SASSA generated affidavit and get it certified by a commissioner of oaths. Along with your affidavit, print, sign, and submit your bank payment form too.
The final step is to upload all the certified supporting documents in PDF format. The documents should be either original or certified copies.
A copy of the applicant ID document
A copy of the spouse’s ID document (if applicable)
Proof of marital status: Marriage certificate (if applicable)
Banking details proof
Applicant’s income proof
SASSA generated affidavit

How To Apply for SASSA Grants In Person?

If you want to apply for an SASSA grant in person then you have to visit your nearest SASSA office. There you will need to fill application form to complete the application process.

If you are too old, sick or disabled and unable to visit the SASSA office then you can appoint your nearest family member or friend as your procurator and ask them to apply on your behalf. But as proof of your sickness, your procurator will need a letter from you authorizing the application.

When you or the procurator visit the SASSA office, there you will get an application form for applying for the social grant. It is recommended to fill out the application form in the presence of a SASSA officer at the office itself. So if you or the procurator needs any assistance in form filling, the officer will be able to help you. The SASSA officer may also ask you or the procurator some questions regarding your eligibility proof.

After you complete the application form and submit it to the SASSA officials. You will receive a dated stamped receipt from the SASSA office with the name of the SASSA officer who assisted you in the application process. You must keep this receipt as proof of your application. Please remember that the application process is completely free.

Eligibility Criteria and Required Documents to Apply for SASSA Grants

The SASSA offers various social grants for various groups of people. Each grant has its specific eligibility criteria and document requirements. If you want to know the detailed application process for each grant then click on the below link for relevant grants –

SRD R350 Grant
Care Dependency Grant
War Veterans Grant
Older Persons Grant

Foster Child Grant
Child Support Grant
Disability Grant
Grant-In-Aid

How Long SASSA Takes To Process Your Grant Application

Once you have submitted your application online or in person, It is sent to SASSA for verification. Generally, the application processing time is not fixed. But it may take up to 3 months to process your application. It will depend on the number of applications received by SASSA.

If your application is verified and the grant is approved by SASSA then it will be notified to you via email or SMS. You can also keep checking your application status meanwhile. When you log in to your account you can see the application status there. If your grant is approved, you can also see your grant payment date.

SASSA Application Status and Their Meanings

While the SASSA is reviewing your application, the SASSA has provided the facility to track your application. You can log in to your account and check the application status. Given below are the statuses and what they mean –

Application Submitted: It indicates that your application has been submitted successfully and is sent to SASSA for review.
Application Assessed: This status indicates that your application has been captured by SASSA officials and is being processed.
Application Documents Outstanding: It indicates that your application is processed by SASSA and they find it incomplete because of some missing information or documents. So kindly check and update the same.
Application Pending: This indicates that your application is processed and final approval is pending.
Incomplete Application Saved: It means that you have not filled application form completely. So kindly fill it.

What Should I do, if My SASSA Grant Application is Rejected

If your application is declined then SASSA will also share the reason behind the rejection. If you think the given reason is not right and you are eligible for the grant, you can appeal against the decision to the Ministry of Social Development. You get 30-90 days to submit an appeal.

The committee will review your appeal and share the decision on it. If they find that you are eligible for the grant, then they will overturn the SASSA’s decision and you will start receiving the grant. If your appeal is also declined then the last option is to get help from the High Court.

Tips For Successful SASSA Application

To receive the grant money, your application must be approved. So to increase the chances of approval you can follow the below tips.

Before you apply for any grant, check the complete eligibility criteria and requirements. If you fulfil those, then only apply for SASSA grants.
Compile all the necessary documents before you fill out the application form.
Provide your correct details, as they are verified against the Ministry of Home Affairs database. If details don’t match your application may get rejected.
Before you submit your application, double-check your information and verify it.
If you apply in person then remember to take the acknowledgement receipt from SASSA officials for future reference.
If there is any change in your information like a change in a mobile number or a change in bank account number then inform SASSA as soon as possible.
To stay updated with your application progress, keep checking the status regularly

FAQs

You can apply for SASSA grants either online or in person by visiting the SASSA office.

If you want to apply for an SASSA grant in person, but you are unable to visit the SASSA office then you can appoint your family member or friend as a procurator to apply on your behalf.

You can track your SASSA application through the official website or any SASSA status check tool.

To stay updated with the SASSA you can follow their official media channels or you can also check out our blog page.

Conclusion

The social grants offered by SASSA have been life-saving for South African citizens. The financial support offered by these grants has been very helpful for them. Because of these grants, people can fulfil their family’s basic needs and live a better life.

So if you find yourself eligible for any social grant then apply for it today. Gather all the required documents and start filling out the application form. You can fill it out online or you can visit the SASSA office in person. Choose whichever is the best for you.