In South Africa, the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, now faces a critical legal challenge as calls grow for fairer and more inclusive social assistance.

The Social Relief of Distress grant (SRD) was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic and remained in place afterwards due to the ongoing distress caused by poverty, unemployment and hunger.

Currently R370 (approx. £16) per month, the SRD grant, whilst small, could be a lifeline for many. However, there are significant injustices in the way the grant is currently administered.

In 2023 the Institute for Economic Justice and #PayTheGrants initiated legal action against the South African government, challenging the exclusionary regulations surrounding the SRD grant. On Tuesday 29 October 2024, the hearing took place.

The legal challenge highlights several critical issues that undermine the grant's effectiveness and fairness. These include:

Applications only being available online, excluding those without digital access and literacy;Means assessments that classify small personal loans, gifts and ad hoc payments, and payments received on behalf of others as income;Verification processes using outdated and incorrect databases;An appeals process that does not allow any new evidence;Payment delays to approved beneficiaries due to overly complex ID verification processes;Cancellation of pending payments after 90 days;Failure to adjust the grant value and means-test threshold for inflation;An inadequate budget cap that...