Applicants without identity documents to receive social grants - 22 May 08

Other info, including court case on this issue

Issued by: Department of Social Development, South Africa

Date issued: 22 May 2008

It is official - the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) will from International Children’s Day, 1st of June 2008, accept social grant applications from eligible applicants who are experiencing difficulties in obtaining official identity documents (IDs) and birth certificates.

This was announced today, 22 May 2008, by the Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya at the meeting of Ministers and MECs of Social Development (MINMEC) in the North West province.

Government will now accept social grant applications from eligible applicants, even if they are experiencing difficulties in obtaining official identity documents and birth certificates.

As stipulated in the regulations of 2005, SASSA will accept sworn affidavits deposed to before a commissioner of oaths testifying to, amongst other details, the names, age, parentage of the child and any other applicant. Although this policy shift was initially designed to accommodate applicants for the Child Support Grant, the Department of Social Development has made a policy decision to extend its implementation to all grant types.

The IT systems of SASSA will be ready to accept applications from the 1st of June. People who apply before the 1st of June will be able to receive social relief of distress (SRD), while waiting for the 1st of June starting date.

The value of the social relief of distress would be the same as the value of the benefit for which an applicant may apply, and leave him/her in the same position he/she would have been had they applied for the grant with a valid ID document. The social relief of distress will be in the form of cash amount.

The benefit will be for people who apply for the child support, care dependency and foster care grants, provided they meet the eligibility and means test criteria. The relief envisaged will be given to people awaiting an ID document or birth certificate and those pleading that poverty prevents them from applying for such identification documents and as a consequence prevents them from accessing social security, while they may qualify for such.

“If applicants apply today, they will get social relief of distress, but within a month, we will be able to covert it to a full application and register the application as such and continue providing the benefit for as long as the eligibility criteria are met. We will however work with the applicant and the Department of Home Affairs to expedite the processing of applications for identity documents,” explained Fezile Makiwane, CEO of SASSA.

“Government will review the means test for the Child Support Grant.”

“As we intensify further our efforts of pushing back the frontiers of poverty government will review the means test for the Child Support Grant and we will no longer distinguish the means test threshold between rural or urban beneficiaries. This will gradually be applied to other grant types. Details of the commencement of this will be elaborated on in my budget vote speech on the 30 May 2008”, the Minister announced

“This year we commemorate Child Protection Week from the May 26 to 1st June   under the theme: “Getting South Africans ready to implement the Children’s Act”, I trust that all South Africans will honour the objectives of this legislation and care for the nations children in a manner that will ensure a better life”, said Minister Skweyiya.

For further enquiries contact the spokesperson

Lakela Kaunda on 082 782 2575

ISSUED BY

THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

PRETORIA