Special SASSA relief of distress grant for those left destitute by the KZN floods

Once-off government assistance is available for those affected by the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal and unable to meet their family’s most basic needs.

More than 400 people have lost their lives, hundreds of homes have been destroyed and thousands displaced in the disaster. Widespread power and water outages have resulted from damaged infrastructure, sparking the urgent need for humanitarian relief.

The temporary help offered by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)

includes food vouchers, cash for those with deceased relatives, and money to replace lost or destroyed school uniforms.

The Social Relief of Distress Grant for Disasters provision offers:

• R1 200 food voucher per family
• R1 980 x2 (total of R3 960 per family) food vouchers or cash to those who have lost family member/s in the disaster
• R2 700 school uniform cover for girls, and R2 500 for boys

To apply for this relief, an applicant’s contact details need to be submitted to their ward councillor (https://www.elections.org.za/pw/Voter/Who-Is-My-Ward-Councillor) at the closest municipality, or a social worker. Applications are processed immediately after an assessment is done, and once approved, assistance is provided.

Beneficiaries of the R350 Covid grant, extended to March next year, will still be able to receive this specific grant. However no new applications for the Covid grant will be processed until government amends the regulations to move this grant from the Disaster Management Act to the Social Assistance Act.

For more information on SASSA assistance, contact the agency on toll free number 0800601011 or the regional call centre 0338463400.