SASSA Online Application for R350 Grant – How to Submit Online

There are several ways that you can submit SASSA online application for R350 grant. You can submit an online application or send your application through a mail address. In both cases, you need to know how to do it right for your application to be successful. Lately, more South Africans prefer to submit SASSA application online because it is convenient.

The Social Services and Supports Act, also known as SASSA, is a South African law that provides for the right of every African citizen to access essential social services. The SASSA program started in 2013. It provides income grants, child support grants, disability grants, and old-age pensions. Its first phase had the name of National Expanded Public Works Program (EPWP). It had three objectives:

• Create jobs
• Generate economic growth
• Improve access to essential services like water, electricity, and sanitation.

The second phase, SASSA II, is currently underway. It will provide work opportunities for about 8.5 million beneficiary households by 2026. The program will include four components:

• A social cash transfer or grants.
• Food support
• Nutrition support for South Africa’s National School Nutrition Program (NSNP)
• A conditional cash transfer component that rewards low-income families with monthly payments if they promote their children’s health and education.

What Does SASSA Do?

SASSA provides money to anyone allowed to live in South African and cannot earn enough money through employment due to:

• Age
• Disability
• Unemployment etc

This earns it the name ‘Social Protection.’ It serves everyone from orphans to the elderly living in poverty.

Where Does SASSA Money Come From?

The money for these grants comes from contributions made by employers and workers into a National Insurance Fund (NIF). The money is also collected through taxes on income earned by individuals and the state through the national budget.

The total annual contribution from each person is 5.8% of earned income. Employers have to pay a more significant contribution of 13.3%. The state also contributes, but their exact portion depends on the national budget for that year.

Before the establishment of the NIF in 1962, the grant money had to be raised from taxes. This often resulted in lengthy delays before they paid out grants.

Today, most money comes into the fund through contributions. But some also come through returns on investments and interest payments on loans taken out to finance previous deficits. People debate whether they should include this investment under National Insurance Contributions (NICs) or not.

How to Submit SASSA Application Online

SASSA has made it easier to apply for children’s social grants and SRD grant by introducing the online application system. This is a step-by-step guide to how to submit an online application and what documents you need to apply successfully.

Step 1: Go to the srd.sassa.gov.za application website

Step 2: Register as a New User or login with your existing Account (If registered)

Step 3: Select “Apply for Child Grant” under the “Social help” section of the menu. This will take you to an Application page where you can complete all fields according to information in your Children’s Passport booklets then select ‘Submit Application’. From here, follow the easy step-by-step instruction for assembling your SASSA Child Grant application online. Ensure that they listed both parents in this form.

When applying online, SASSA will need you to complete a declaration of identity section. You can upload either your child’s ID document or yours if they list the child on your National Identity Document.

In addition, please have the following documents relevant to your child’s details with you when applying for a Child Grant Online:

• If a student – a letter from school stating full details of enrollment
• If unemployed – proof of unemployment
• All working children must provide proof of employment (a pay slip with employer name and contact number/email), along with their passport photo page, parents’ passports, and SASSA card.

Step 4: Once you submit the application online. SASSA will receive it for processing. You can track the progress of your application via the check application status.

Note: If you have a valid Identity Document and a Computer with Internet access, you can log in to your account and apply to the account section. Remember to upload any required documents per your child’s details or those of their parent(s).

Step 5: After submitting an online SASSA Child Grant Application form, applicants must print out the confirmation page that appears on the screen. The printed confirmation page 5 proves that one has applied for a SASSA Child Grant. You must submit it together online and with all the required documents.

Step 6: Email, fax, or post the following documents to SASSA’s head office in Centurion.

• A full copy of your child’s Identity Document OR Parents’ Identity Documents if the application is under their name.
• Proof of residence – Not older than three months (e.g. proof of rates payment, proof of utility bill payment over the past three months, proof of occupancy agreement). An IP address is not proof of residence.
• The printed confirmation page that, after submitting an online SASSA Child Grant Application form.
• Proof of school enrollment for children applying for a total grant or proof of no income if unemployed (e.g. Unemployment book/letter from SARS)
• If employed – proof of employment for all working-age child grant applicants, including self-employed. e.g. A pay slip with employer name and contact number/email or a letter from the employer stating salary details. Please note that an Income Tax Assessment is not proof of employment

Note: They advise Applicants to read SASSA’s Child Grant Policy. The policy explains the requirements, before submitting application forms and required documents at any SASSA branch nationwide

Tips and Tricks for Including Child’s Details

Here are some tricks for including all your children’s details on the application form.

1. Prepare a separate document with all of your children’s information before starting. The reason why it is essential to have all this information ready beforehand is that if there are any difficulties with their age or birth date. It can cause problems later down the line when trying to confirm their identity
2. Take advantage of free Wi-Fi Connecting to a public network to complete your registration

How Much Does the SASSA Online Application Cost?

The cost of using SASSA’s online application varies according to the type of grant you are applying for:

• R100 for a child support grant, R150 for a disability grant
• R1000 if you want your pension payments transferred into your bank account

SASSA offers an online application to apply for child support grants. The cost of using the online application is R100 per application.

Advantages of SASSA Online Application

There are many advantages to applying for SASSA online. They include:

• Not having to queue for long periods at SASSA offices can be inefficient, time-consuming, and tiring.
• Avoiding the possibility of corruption, since you don’t have to deal with any physical cash or gifts. You also save money on transport if you live far from the nearest SASSA office. 
•  The information is available immediately, so there is less chance of human error than applying by other means. You can also check your SASSA status online.
• There are fewer fees involved than with other applications, which can help lower-income groups that might not otherwise be able to afford it. Many people who boasted of previous illegal employment will now apply for grants without risking arrest because they do not need to present themselves at SASSA offices physically.
• People with disabilities can apply for grants faster and easier because the system is more accessible.
• The SASSA website allows people to print out completed applications to take them along to an SASSA office if they prefer not to apply online.
• Have the funds transferred straight to your account provided you give the correct banking details

Disadvantages of SASSA Online Application

It’s important to note that there are several disadvantages of applying for SASSA and social grants online. These include:

• You cannot apply if you don’t have access to a computer or credit card–this means you’ll have to use public facilities, which could put confidential information at risk, or incur fees associated with this.
• If they do not list your child on the system, you can’t apply for them. Suppose you have listed only one parent on the child’s birth certificate or identity number. In that case, it may be challenging to add a name even if both parents live together and will help with grant applications. This isn’t always possible since many women move back in with their parents after having a baby until they get on their feet again.
• The process does not allow applications from cellphones and tablets–while most cellphone contracts include internet access, adding social grant applications on top of regular data usage could increase phone bills significantly. Some tablet internet plans do not include free social media use, so plan holders will have to pay extra to add SASSA social grant apps.
• You cannot complete an online application offline and submit it later–either you complete the entire process at one time or don’t get approved. If your internet connection gets interrupted or a system error, you cannot re-access the application, and your work may get lost.
• The system does not automatically save applications–any time spent filling out forms must get typed over manually each time (which makes the process take even longer). If using a cellphone, typing can be tricky because of small keypads and stiff buttons.
• You will need to pay for each child that must get included in your household grant submission. They require even payments if the children are not living with you, a situation that undermines your claim of “dependency”.
• The child-headed households allowance does not allow children inclusion in the budget. This could make it even more difficult for those caring for an orphaned or vulnerable child to manage their household income.
• There is no mention of whether there is a maximum income level that can get applied for SASSA grants from home computers. If there’s a limit, those looking to sign up may find themselves excluded. This is because they’re overqualified or under qualified.

SASSA Online Contact Details

The application process for the SASSA is quite straightforward. But it’s vital to ensure you have all your information ready before starting. If you’re unsure about anything, use the contact details the official SASSA page or @OfficialSassa on Twitter. When you do, you can use this guide to submit your SASSA online application.

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