The Department of Social Department said it’ll appeal the judgment of the North Gauteng High Court which declared that aspects of the regulations governing the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD) unconstitutional and invalid.
The ruling, which was delivered two weeks ago, ordered the government to take steps to increase the value of the grant, ensure that no eligible applicants are excluded, and address systemic failures in the administration of the grant.
The matter was brought to court by the Institute of Economic Justice and #Paythegrants arguing that millions of South Africans who qualify to receive the grant are excluded by the system, and hundreds of thousands have challenges accessing the funds despite being approved to receive the (cSRD).
The court also found that there are multiple issues unconstitutional in the implementation of the SRD grant, lambasted the regular glitches and non-payment of recipients.
It declared that SASSA’s failure to pay successful applicants of the SRD grant, timeously or at all, was unconstitutional and unlawful.
Meanwhile, the acting Deputy Director General of Corporate Support Services at the department, Lumka Oliphant, said while the department respects the judiciary, it doesn’t agree with the court judgment and its implications for the administration of the SRD.
“After careful consideration and having sought legal counsel, the department has decided to pursue an appeal against the orders issued,” said Oliphant
The department has reaffirmed its commitment to serving vulnerable South Africans with integrity, fairness, and transparency.
“We remain steadfast in our efforts to balance the need for accountability with the practicalities of delivering critical support to millions of beneficiaries,” stressed Oliphant
Moreover, the department said that SASSA will continue to administer the SRD as per existing guidelines to ensure uninterrupted service delivery.
