More than 10 million SRD grant applications have been rejected

More than 10 million applications for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant were not approved during the 2025/26 financial year, with government citing income levels, alternative financial support and verification failures among the main reasons.

The figures come as the SRD grant remains one of the country’s biggest forms of temporary income support, with millions of unemployed South Africans relying on the monthly payment.

According to a parliamentary response from then Acting Social Development Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, 18,017,250 applications for the Covid-19 SRD grant were received during the period under review.

Of these, 7,842,041 applications were approved, representing 43.5% of all applications received.

The response was provided after Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Member of Parliament (MP) Busaphi Machi asked the department about the number of applications received, approval rates, reasons for rejected applications, appeals and measures taken to reduce delays.

Chikunga said the number of unsuccessful applications needed to be viewed in context, saying it reflected continued demand for temporary financial assistance rather than proof that people were being prevented from accessing the relief.

“It is important to put context to these numbers,” Chikunga said, adding that the volume of applications reflected “sustained demand for temporary income support by persons who meet, or seek to meet, the prescribed eligibility criteria”.

She said the SRD was not a permanent social grant, but a temporary relief measure for people in need of immediate assistance under the Social Assistance Act.

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Updated: August 2026

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