SRD Grant Appeals : The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant has seen a notable increase in appeals, prompting an intervention by the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA). As the backlog grows, concerns have been raised over delayed communications and payment notifications to grant beneficiaries.
Sassa, in response to the mounting appeals, acknowledged the need for improved efficiency. In a statement, the agency assured the public and relevant authorities that measures would be implemented to strengthen systems, prevent delays, and enhance communication strategies moving forward.
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Impact of Social Assistance Amendment Act
Following the enactment of the Social Assistance Amendment Act, the ITSAA experienced a surge in appeals, escalating from an average of 150 to 750 appeals per month by December 2022. Sassa’s status report on social grant payments revealed that, during April 2022, 19% of the appeals received were approved for payment.
A breakdown of results indicated specific trends:
- Pension Appeals: 1164 appeals for pensions for indigent seniors were denied.
- NSFAS and Pension Funds: All SRD applicants receiving government pension funds, NSFAS benefits, pension funds for individuals, inmates, or SARS tax benefits had their appeals denied.
- Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF): 7962 appeals were approved, while 1635 were declined by the UIF.
- Personnel and Salary System: 441 salaries were approved, with 9530 declined.
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The overall results showed that out of 868,104 appeals, 172,766 were approved, and 695,338 were declined.
SRD Grant Appeals : ITSAA Adjudications and Future Plans
As of the latest update, the ITSAA is actively working on adjudications for July 2022 and addressing outstanding matters from June 2022. Plans are underway to examine appeals from August to October 2022, with the aim of completing the process by the end of March 2023.
To ensure transparency and timely implementation, the Tribunal will communicate results to Sassa each month after completing the adjudication process. These efforts seek to streamline the appeals process, address concerns over delayed payments, and enhance overall efficiency in the administration of SRD grants.
For additional information on Sassa grant collections, concerns over expiring gold cards, and guidance on the SRD grant appeal process, refer to the related articles provided.
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