SASSA receives over five million applications for R350 grant
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) says it has received over five million applications for the R350 Covid-19 grant by 11 August.
This is despite a difficult start due to technical glitches.
In his latest address, President Cyril Ramaphosa re-introduced the R350 income grant for poor citizens between the ages of 18 and 59.
Applications opened on Friday 6 August.
SASSA says the highest number of applications were of unemployed youth in the 20-24 age group followed by 25-29.
On the first day of applications, SASSA CEO Busisiwe Memela-Khambula said excessive numbers of applications was an indication of the serious need for food.
“This is a clear indication of the huge need for food aid among others, from distressed inhabitants of the country, and therefore the President couldn’t have reinstated this grant at a better time,”
Initially, applications were accepted only through its website, but SASSA has now added two new online channels for application in order to ease the pressure.
“Early next week, another channel called Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) will be added to the existing ones. The construction of this channel is at an advanced stage, and it will help people without smartphones to also be able to apply effortlessly,” Memela-Khambula said.
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