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A widely shared TikTok video claims the R370 Social Relief of Distress grant is ending due to budget constraints, quoting a statement attributed to the Minister of Social Development.
- A widely shared TikTok video claims the R370 Social Relief of Distress grant is ending due to budget constraints, quoting a statement attributed to the minister of social development.
- Sassa has publicly denied the claim, warning that the message does not come from the agency.
- Budget documents and official announcements show the grant has been extended to 2027 and is not facing immediate termination.
A TikTok video, also circulating widely on WhatsApp, claims South Africa’s R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is “about to stop”, warning beneficiaries that it was temporary and that “no permanent funding is guaranteed”.
Although plausible at some stage, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has issued a direct denial on its official X account.
“Please note that the below information is false and does NOT come from Sassa,” the agency said on its official pages.
There has been no official announcement that the SRD grant is ending, nor has Social Development Minister Nokuzola Tolashe, pictured in the static video, issued the quoted statement shown alongside her photo.
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Instead, the grant has officially been extended until 2027, which immediately debunks the TikTok video’s claim that it is “about to stop”.’
A thread of truth
Like much fake news, the claim distorts a real but more nuanced policy debate.
According to GroundUp, the future of the SRD grant beyond March 2027 is indeed uncertain, but this uncertainty relates to long-term policy decisions, not an immediate shutdown.
National Treasury has confirmed that there are no fixed timelines for finalising proposals to replace the grant after the current extension.
In the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement tabled in November, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said the grant would be extended while proposals are finalised to link the working-age population to skills development and employment programmes.
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Treasury has stressed that policy refinement is still under way and that any approved changes would be shared publicly once Cabinet decisions are taken.
The Department of Social Development (DSD) has similarly stated that the SRD grant was always intended as a temporary measure and is expected to be replaced by a permanent form of basic income support, but that no final timeline has been set.
A questionable TikTok account
News24 has established that the latest false grant claim originated from a TikTok account called African Truth Enforcers, which presents itself as offering “raw news” and political commentary.
While some of its content draws on genuine political debates and facts, it is not an official or reliable news source.
This episode also reflects a broader problem facing the Department of Social Development and Sassa, arguably the most targeted institutions in South Africa regarding misinformation and disinformation.
READ | Social grants unpaid as beneficiaries struggle with Sassa’s online verification system
The already-stretched Sassa has to deal with repeated false claims circulating that grants have been stopped, doubled, or suddenly changed.
These posts often exaggerate real uncertainty to provoke panic among the millions of people who rely on social assistance, often simply to gain likes and followers.
The only credible sources for official information about grants are the DSD website and social media channels.
*At News24, facts matter. This article was produced by the News24 Fact Check Desk and supported by Truth First. If there is something you’d like us to check out, debunk or uncover, send an email to our desk at debunk@news24.com.
