Can Asylum Seekers Get SASSA Grants? What the SRD Rules Say

• SASSA CEO Themba Matlou confirmed that eligibility rules for the COVID-19 SRD grant have not changed, pushing back against claims circulating on social media
• The Department of Home Affairs condemned a coordinated disinformation campaign around a July 2026 Constitutional Court ruling on asylum applications
• Both agencies urged South Africans to verify information through official government channels before sharing content online

Two government agencies have stepped in to correct a wave of false information spreading across social media platforms about who qualifies for social grants and what a recent court ruling actually means for foreign nationals in South Africa.

SASSA sets the record straight on SRD grant rules

The South African Social Security Agency issued an official statement to address misleading claims about the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant. SASSA CEO Themba Matlou confirmed that the eligibility criteria have not been altered. Neither the Department of Social Development nor National Treasury announced any policy changes during their recent budget statements.

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Under the 2022 SRD Regulations, applicants must meet a strict set of conditions to qualify. They must be a South African citizen, permanent resident, recognised refugee, holder of a valid special permit under the Angolan, Lesotho, or Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Dispensations, or an asylum seeker with a valid Section 22 permit. Applicants must also be registered on the Department of Home Affairs database, be between 18 and 59 years old, reside within South Africa, and not be living in a state-funded institution.

As of January 2026, SASSA had received 14,135 applications from permanent residents, refugees, and special permit holders. Of those, 8,368 were approved after verification checks, and 2,690 payments were eventually disbursed following bank verification. The agency reminded the public that any legitimate changes to social assistance rules must be announced by the Minister of Social Development and formally published.

Home Affairs calls out disinformation over court ruling

Separately, the Department of Home Affairs pushed back against a coordinated campaign of false claims tied to a Constitutional Court judgment handed down on 7 July 2026. The ruling, in the matter of the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town, relates to the processing of asylum applications and specifically the suspension of so-called "good cause" interviews.

The department was clear: it opposed the ruling in court but is legally obligated to comply with it. What it firmly rejected were claims that the judgment grants automatic citizenship or blanket legal status to foreign nationals. Officials described such statements as false and inflammatory.

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The DHA announced it would refer the disinformation campaign to the Independent Electoral Commission for enforcement under the newly published Code of Conduct on Countering Disinformation. Both agencies warned that spreading unverified content online risks inciting public tension and, in some cases, endangering Home Affairs staff.

South Africans were urged to check only verified government channels before sharing information related to immigration or social grants.

More on SASSA grants and asylum seekers

• Briefly News recently reported on whether money in your bank account can cancel your SASSA grant, a worry shared by many beneficiaries.
• Thousands of foreign nationals receive SASSA grants, and the latest figures have South Africans divided over one grant in particular.
• The legal difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee in South Africa affects rights, permits and how long it takes to apply for permanent residence.

Source: Briefly News