STATEMENT SRD appeal hearing set for 25 August, social assistance for millions at stake

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and #PayTheGrants are challenging the South African government's appeal against a High Court ruling that found the SRD grant system unconstitutionally exclusionary. The High Court previously ruled that the online-only application and bank verification processes were illegal and that the government must increase the grant's value and means-test threshold. The IEJ argues that the current grant of R370 and a frozen means-test of R624 are insufficient given that the food poverty line is R855 per month. The document highlights a worsening socio-economic crisis, including 43.7% unemployment in Q1 2026 and rising inflation, warning that the government's failure to provide adequate social assistance could lead to social unrest.

• A North Gauteng High Court judgment on 23 January 2025 ruled that the SRD grant is not a temporary measure and that the government's online-only application system, bank verification, and database checks are irrational, illegal, and designed to exclude eligible people.
• The current SRD grant value of R370 and the frozen means-test threshold of R624 are insufficient to address poverty, as the government's own data places the food poverty line at R855 per month.
• South Africa is experiencing severe economic instability, with unemployment (including discouraged workers) reaching 43.7% in Q1 2026 and youth unemployment (ages 15–24) hitting 60.9%.
• The National Treasury has allegedly used the SRD grant as a bargaining chip and has pressured the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to apply the same exclusionary verification checks to grants for children, older persons, and persons with disabilities.

APA

Institute for Economic Justice (2026). STATEMENT SRD appeal hearing set for 25 August, social assistance for millions at stake. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/STATEMENT-_-SRD-appeal-hearing-set-for-25-August-social-assistance-for-millions-at-stake-18-June-2026.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Economic Justice. STATEMENT SRD appeal hearing set for 25 August, social assistance for millions at stake. 2026. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/STATEMENT-_-SRD-appeal-hearing-set-for-25-August-social-assistance-for-millions-at-stake-18-June-2026.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Institute for Economic Justice |title=STATEMENT SRD appeal hearing set for 25 August, social assistance for millions at stake |date=18 June 2026 |url=https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/STATEMENT-_-SRD-appeal-hearing-set-for-25-August-social-assistance-for-millions-at-stake-18-June-2026.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{instituteforeconomicjustice2026statement, author = {{Institute for Economic Justice}}, title = {{STATEMENT SRD appeal hearing set for 25 August, social assistance for millions at stake}}, publisher = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/STATEMENT-_-SRD-appeal-hearing-set-for-25-August-social-assistance-for-millions-at-stake-18-June-2026.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }