South African Child Support Grants, or SASSA grants, were introduced in 1998 to benefit South African children. The SASSA Child Support Grant has served as a social cushion for economically vulnerable children since its inception.
The SASSA Child Support Grant is administered by the Ministry of Social Development, Ms. Lindiwe Zulu. Every month, it reaches over 13 million children living in poverty.
The country’s social grant program has evolved into one of the world’s most comprehensive social protection systems over the last 14 years.
The Child Support Grant’s eligibility criteria have expanded over this same period, including an increase in the age limit from seven to eighteen. As well as adjustments to the income threshold to account for inflation and improve equity. more detail about Sassa Status Check for R350
How to Apply for the SASSA Child Support Grant?
The following steps can be followed if you are among the many economically disadvantaged South Africans who are parents of children under the age of 18 or who are children themselves. If you are interested in applying, please visit your nearest South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) office with the following documents:
A 13-digit barcoded identification document (ID) together with the birth certificate of the child you wish to cover under the SASSA Child Support Grant. In the absence of a SASSA-issued ID or a birth certificate for the child, you need to complete an affidavit using the SASSA format, under the supervision of a non-SASSA official.
Please provide documentation of any maintenance you receive for the care of the child. Proof of earnings. If you were married, a copy of your marriage certificate, and if you were divorced, a copy of the court order stating you had custody of the child.
Where applicable, a death certificate or missing persons report is required if one or both of the child’s parents are deceased or missing. A SASSA official must be present when completing the application form.
Upon completing the application form and submitting the required documents, a receipt will be provided for your records.
Who qualifies for a SASSA child support grant?
SASSA Child Support Grants follow a strict set of guidelines outlined by the Department of Social Development, as well as taking into account South Africa’s unique socioeconomic conditions.
The child’s primary caregiver must be the child’s parent, grandparent, or juvenile head of the family who is above 16 years of age to qualify for a social grant. If you do not fall into any of the categories above, but you remain the child’s primary caregiver, you may submit a police affidavit or a social worker’s report as proof of your claim.
If you are single or married, you cannot earn more than R52 800 per year or R105 600 per year if you are a South African citizen or permanent resident. A child under 18 years of age must not be in a state institution and must live permanently with the primary caregiver.
Both you and the child must reside permanently in South Africa.
How much is the SASSA child grant?
You will receive R450 for each child if you meet SASSA Child Grant eligibility criteria and are approved as a beneficiary through the means test. There are laws in place that limit the number of children who can benefit per beneficiary to six.
Poor South Africans who become caregivers to orphaned children after the COVID-19 pandemic have also been granted an increased threshold. A primary caregiver for a child orphaned by the pandemic may receive R720 per month under the latest social grant criteria.
How long does it take for child support grant to be approved?
SASSA Child Support Grants are usually approved within three months of the date of application. In the event that your grant is approved, you will be paid as of the date on which it was applied.
It is SASSA’s policy to inform you why your application was not approved in writing if it was not approved. The Minister of Social Development can be contacted at the department’s national office if you disagree with SASSA’s decision.
If your SASSA application has been declined, you must appeal within 90 days.
How much should a father pay for child support in South Africa?
The South African law doesn’t provide an exact amount of child support but provides a legal framework from which to estimate it.
In terms of child support, there is a means test that a father must meet to be held accountable. For the most part, the dad must be able to pay maintenance, and the amount claimed must be reasonable. A South African maintenance claim may cover the following expenses, among others:
Taking care of necessities such as food, clothing, and housing, and paying for a sound education. The father may also be ordered to contribute to the payment of laying-in expenses and maintenance until the maintenance order is granted.
If the father earns around 12% of one’s monthly income, child support payments will typically amount to about 12% of one’s monthly income.
