UPDATE: SASSA Temporary Disability Grant deadline is looming | Western Cape Government

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UPDATE: SASSA Temporary Disability Grant deadline is looming

2 March 2021

On Monday 01 March 2021, the Western Cape Minister for Social Development, Sharna Fernandez, met with SASSA regarding the 53 000 Temporary Disability Grants (TDGs) and Care Dependency Grants that were suspended by the national agency, affecting residents across the Western Cape, at the end of December 2020.

“I am deeply concerned about the total number of Temporary Disability Grant (TDG) beneficiaries’ applications that have been processed to date, when compared to the number of beneficiaries still requiring assessment.

“Although thousands of vulnerable people still require their assessments to be conducted, SASSA re-iterated that all TDG grant recipients will be assessed before SASSA’s deadline of the 31st March 2021,” said Minister Fernandez.

The National Department of Social Development has made the following amendments to directions pertaining to TDGs which were published in the Government Gazette on 22 February 2021:

•          Temporary Disability Grants which lapsed on 31 December 2020 and in January 2021 or are due to lapse  in February 2021 or 31 March 2021 for beneficiaries who are aged 59 and will turn 60 on or before 31 December 2021, must be paid until the beneficiary attains the age of 60 years.

•          A TDG paid with a grant-in-aid which lapsed at the end of December 2020, and a temporary disability grant which is paid together with a grant-in-aid which lapsed in January 2021 or is due to lapse in February 2021 or in March 2021, must continue to be paid for a period of three months after SASSA has scheduled an appointment for reassessment or until 31 March 2022, whichever occurs first.

•          A TDG payable through procurators and administrators which lapsed at the end of December 2020, and a temporary disability grant which is paid through a procurator and administrator which lapsed in January 2021 or is due to lapse in February 2021 or in March 2021, must continue to be paid for a period of three months after SASSA has scheduled an appointment for reassessment or until 31 March 2022, whichever occurs first.

SASSA highlighted the following progress as of Wednesday, 24th February 2021:

A total of 16 569 Temporary Disability Grants have been assessed.

Therefore, 31 458 beneficiaries have not been assessed and have not received any form of payment.

“Temporary Disability Grants serves as a lifeline to thousands of vulnerable families needing this form of state support.

“For this reason, we will continue to meet with SASSA fortnightly to provide an update on the progress made to address their current challenges,” concluded Minister Fernandez.

Media Enquiries: 

Joshua Covenant Chigome

Spokesperson for the Minister of Social Development, Minister Sharna Fernandez

Tel: 021 483 9217

Cell: 083 661 4949

Email: Joshua.chigome@westerncape.gov.za­