The SRD May 2022 payment dates will start on the 9th – but this applies to those who receive their R350 grants from the South African Post Office (SAPO).
SAPO has reserved 2nd to 6th May for recipients of normal grants, while 7 and 8 May fall on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
SRD dates for May 2022
According to the schedule published on SAPO’s website, the SRD dates for May 2022 are as follows:
| Date | Last 3 digits of ID |
|---|---|
| 9 | 080 and 085 |
| 10 | 081 and 086 |
| 11 | 082 and 087 |
| 12 | 083 and 088 |
| 13 | 084 and 089 |
| 16 | 080 and 085 |
| 17 | 081 and 086 |
| 18 | 082 and 087 |
| 19 | 083 and 088 |
| 20 | 084 and 089 |
| 23 | 080 and 085 |
| 24 | 081 and 086 |
| 25 | 082 and 087 |
| 26 | 083 and 088 |
| 27 | 084 and 089 |
| 30 | 080 and 085 |
| 31 | 081 and 086 |
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) opened applications at the end of April for both new applications and reapplications for those who previously received the grant.
This was necessary because the government had shifted the grant from the Disaster Management Act to the Social Development Act. Applications have since closed.
“Each month, all clients will undergo the special COVID-19 SRD grant means test to ensure that the beneficiary still qualities for the gran. Initially, we did not have a means test but now we have and we will be using banks for that. The threshold will be R350,” SASSA said during a media briefing.
It added that if beneficiaries applied from May, they would only receive payment from May. This means that they had to apply before end of April to receive payment for April.
No need to apply every month
“There is no need for clients to apply each month. However, please check the website after every three months to answer a few questions and check if you still need the grant. If you do not need the grant, please do not apply,” the Agency advised.
“With regards to appeals, we have struggled a bit with the systems in line with legislative requirements such as the POPI Act (Protection of Personal Information Act). However soon those will be approved and resolved.”
Some political parties and civil society groups, including the Democratic Alliance (DA), slammed the government for making previous beneficiaries apply for the grant again.
Black Sash, Institute for Economic Justice and other groups also said using R350 as the means test threshold would lock out many deserving South Africans from receiving the grant.
“That is shocking, inhumane, regressive and leaves millions of people living below the food poverty line ineligible for government assistance,” the groups said.