Court set to hear application challenging SRD grant regulations

JOHANNESBURG - The Pretoria High Court is expected to hear an application challenging the regulations of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grants on Tuesday morning.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) has brought the application against the Social Development Minister, the SA Social Security Agency and the Minister of Finance.

The group claims the government has adopted regulations that are exclusionary and violate constitutional rights.

The SRD grant was introduced by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic at R350 per month for unemployed adults and people with no income.

The Department of Social Development later bumped the amount up to R370 for people with an income of less than R624 per month.

The IEJ is challenging the eligibility criteria introduced by the government, saying they make the grant inaccessible to millions of South Africans.

Meanwhile, The Social Development Department says applicants had failed to appreciate the purpose of the grant, which is a temporary measure provided for by the state.

Both sides are expected to make their arguments in court on Tuesday morning.