The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 put enormous pressure on SASSA to expand its services rapidly. The introduction of the R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant was a lifeline for millions who lost their income due to lockdowns.

Over 10 million people applied for the grant, pushing SASSA to adopt new digital systems for application processing and distribution. While the grant was initially temporary, its overwhelming demand has led to multiple extensions. The SRD grant has now become a critical part of South Africa’s social safety net.