The Shoprite Group has stepped up to provide more accessibility to the COVID-19 R350 social relief of distress (SRD) grant at its 1,286 Shoprite, Checkers and Usave stores across South Africa.
The retail group announced the new payment option in a statement on Thursday (17 March).
SRD grant now available at Shoprite, Checkers, Usave
“Following the extension of the grant for another 12 months, customers can now access it at the till point in any Shoprite, Checkers, Usave and selected OK Foods supermarkets nationally. This enables customers to receive their grant, buy essential groceries and pay their bills in a single location,” the group said.
Previously, the grant’s beneficiaries received it via bank accounts or the Post Office. The South Africa Social Security Agency (SASSA) has often advised beneficiaries that the bank account option is the easiest.
However, it is subject to bank verification, which has caused delays for some recipients. The Post Office option is also restricted to certain payment dates depending on the last three digits of one’s ID number.
The most problematic option has been the cash send, which has experienced considerable delays reportedly caused by stringent procurement regulations.
How to collect your SRD grant
“To collect their grant in any Shoprite, Checkers, Usave or selected OK Foods, customers simply need to provide their ID and cell phone number,” Shoprite advised beneficiaries.
“It must be the same cell phone number with which they registered on the SASSA database, as a confirmation OTP will be sent to this number to prevent fraud.
“Grants are available from this month for all customers who have already registered online or at the Post Office. In-store registrations are not available.”
While the retail group has made the announcement, neither SASSA nor the Post Office has confirmed it. Their confirmations will be added to this article as soon as they are made.
The news is likely to provide a welcome relief for the more than 10 million recipients of the grant, as many of them have experienced long delays before accessing their payments.
In addition, Shoprite stores are likely to be nearer to their places of residence compared to Post Office branches. This is in addition to Pick n’ Pay and Boxer stores which already provide access to the grant.