SASSA announces COVID-19 SRD payment dates for January 2026
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed that payments for the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant will be made between January 23 and 28, 2026.
According to SASSA, the COVID-19 SRD grant is available to those in need of temporary assistance who have insufficient means.
“A person with insufficient means must be a South African citizen; or a permanent resident; or a refugee; or a holder of a special permit under the Special Angolan Dispensation, the Lesotho Exemption Permit Dispensation or the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Dispensation; or an asylum seeker, whose section 22 permit or visa is valid,” SASSA stated.
Applicants must also meet several eligibility requirements, including being between 18 and 60 years of age, currently residing within South Africa, and not living in a government-funded or subsidised institution.
SASSA emphasised that applicants must not “unreasonably refuse to accept employment or educational opportunities.”
Additionally, those applying must be registered either on the Department of Home Affairs database or on SASSA’s social grant database with a unique system-generated identifying number for people without identity documents.
The agency urged eligible applicants to check their status and ensure all documentation is current to avoid delays in receiving the grant.
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