Social grant applicants can now skip the long queues and eliminate the risk of being infected with Covid-19 as there will be no need to gather at public spaces thanks to the new South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) online portal launched on Monday, 14 September. The portal is a remote self-service tool accessible on both a computer and a mobile phone and will at this stage caters for:
- Applications for child support, older persons and foster child grants
- Online submission of required certified supporting documentation linked to the application
- Change of circumstances i.e. payment method, banking details, address etc.
- Updates on the status of the application
To access this service, applicants need to have an email address to sign up and be able to log in for further services.
According to SASSA, the turnaround time is 10 days, provided the candidate supplies all the stipulated documents linked to the application such as identity documents of applicant and spouse’s as well as banking details – among others.
The agency is currently testing the system which will run from 14 until 25 September where after other grants will be added to the portal.
Applications can be lodged on https://services.sassa.gov.za.