Thousands of people struggling to receive the R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant have taken the government to court, challenging regulations that “unlawfully and unconstitutionally” exclude the poor.
The joint lawsuit has been launched by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ), #PayTheGrants movement and Socio-Economic Rights Institute (SERI).
Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu and Sassa have been cited as respondents in the case.
The SRD grant was implemented in March 2020 as a measure to support poor mense during the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the time about 10.9 million people received the grant.
Executive director of IEJ, Gilad Isaacs, said: “Research estimates at least 16 million people should be eligible for the SRD grant. Yet, in May 2023, while 14.4 million applied for the grant, only 8.4 million were approved, with 7.1 million people actually being paid.”
Over 93% of recipients spend their grant on food.
In April 2022, the government passed regulations which disqualified many individuals as beneficiaries and kept the grant at R350.
The lawsuit sought to challenge the regulations, describing them as a deliberate method to “exclude millions” of people, and violating their right to social assistance and food as guaranteed by the Constitution.
The parties asked the court to direct the Department of Social Development (DSD) and Sassa to file a report with the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria on steps taken or planned to remedy the deficiencies.
The SRD grant is set to expire at the end of March 2024.