Godongwana SRD Grant Extension: The South African government has made a big move of reinstating Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to a year to offer much-needed support to the millions of vulnerable South Africans. This was announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on November 12, 2025, in the 2025 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), and the R370 SRD grant is now available until March 2027. This is an economic lifeline to a majority of the unemployed and poor citizens who still experience the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy, which was first caused by the pandemic many years back.
Overview of SRD Grant Extension
SRD grant was first launched in 2020 in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic to provide temporary financial assistance to unemployed adults between 18 and 59 years without receiving any other social grants. The purpose of the grant was a short-term initiative that would assist citizens in managing the economic crises, caused by the health crisis, in the form of lost jobs as well as financial instability.
This has been extended several times over the years since the same socio-economic conditions that led to the introduction of the grant have not completely been addressed. Although the amount of unemployment decrease in the country, a lot of South Africans lack permanent jobs and the SRD grant becomes an essential source of help.
Godongwana SRD Grant Extension Until March 2027
The last extension was confirmed by Finance Minister Godongwana in his budget speech in November 2025. SRD grant is valued at R370 per month and it will be further prolonged to 14 months, until March 2027. This is an extension of a previous announcement in May 2025, in which the grant had been extended until March 2026 only.
Godongwana said that this extension will take place as the government works on proposals that will seek to bind the recipient of the grant to skills development and employment programs. One of the solutions addressed by the government is the idea of a job-seeker allowance and other strategies that will incorporate the grant into an overall Active Labour Market Programme. This is being used as an attempt to shift toward long-term remedies of temporary relief into long-term jobs.
Government Commitment and Challenges
The government asserts its resilience in its desire to assist low-income and vulnerable homes despite the existing fiscal pressure. Non-interest expenditure on social welfare budget will be consolidated with an estimate of 61% of all the expenditure being spent in the following three years to fund the social grants and the basic services the people of South Africa require to alleviate the cost of living.
The government however also recognizes the need to enhance the efforts to curb fraud and setting up of mechanisms to make sure the grant gets to individuals who are actual beneficiaries. The Social Security Agency (SASSA) of South Africa will increase too in its fight against corruption such as checking their income, and reviewing their beneficiaries stricter. These are to enhance sustainability of the grant system.
Social Impact of SRD Grant
The SRD grant has been acclaimed to play a crucial role in the reduction of hunger, severe poverty and offering an emergency net to millions of households. In different reports, over nine million South Africans are dependent on the grant as either primary or supplementary income.
The grant has enabled people and families not only to survive economically but also in the local economies as they have been enabled to spend on consumer spending. Although these advantages have been realized, there have been some advocacy groups concerned about the successive temporality of the grant. They propose that a more enduring income support policy, e.g. basic income grant, should be introduced.
Financial Overview and Social Welfare Spending
DSD has also been allocated more than R800 billion during the medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF) period to facilitate social development such as the social grants.
A table with major figures regarding the social welfare expenditure and SRD grant is presented below:
| Item | Amount (in Rand) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly SRD grant amount | R370 | Per beneficiary |
| Number of SRD grant beneficiaries | Approx. 9 million | Nationwide |
| Department of Social Development budget | Over R800 billion (MTEF) | Covers social grants and welfare services |
| Percentage of consolidated spending on social grants | 61% | Over next three years |
Outlook and Future Plans of SRD Grant
In perspective, South Africa government is still considering the future of social assistance program in the long run. The social development department is undertaking consultations on the basic income support policy which is to be added in place of the SRD grant in the future.
The existing agenda is to switch to a non-temporary type of relief to programs which combine financial support with job-seeking and skills improvement programs. This is supposed to be used to empower the recipients as well as minimize dependency on grants in the long term.
Important Information for Applicants and Recipients
SASSA has also given both new and existing recipients the recommendation of giving their correct personal details, however, such as cell phone numbers and bank details, failing which it may delay in disbursement of grants or cause problems. The intense verification measures will also persist as there will be a desire to curb fraud by safeguarding the needy beneficiaries.
FAQ’s on Godongwana SRD Grant Extension
How much SRD grant will there be upon the time of the extension?
The SRD grant to beneficiaries of R370 will be retained every month.
How long is the SRD grant prolonged?
The extension of the grant is till March 2027.
Who is eligible to the SRD grant?
South Africans aged 18-59 Unemployed adults without any other social grants.
What is the reason behind the extension of SRD grant once again?
It will last until the vulnerable families have been helped as the government organizes how to connect grant-wise beneficiaries to work and training programs.
What are the steps that are taken to eliminate fraud in the SRD grant?
SASSA will conduct more rigorous income checks, beneficiary checks and cross-check with tax, UIF, and population to minimize fraud.
Does income support have a temporary or permanent answer to the extension of the SRD grant?
There is a basic income support policy discussed by the government, and this policy can potentially replace the SRD grant.