Applying for the Child Support Grant

Can you answer yes to all these questions?

• Are you 16 years or older?
• Are you the primary caregiver of the child?
• Does the child live with you?
• Is the child’s birth registered with the Department of Home Affairs?
• Are you a South African citizen or hold permanent residence status or refugee status?
• Do you and the child live in South Africa?
• Do you earn under R4000/m as a single parent, or under R8000 as a married couple?
• Do you have 5 or less children already receiving this grant?

If you said yes to all of these questions, you are eligible for a Child Support Grant.

Remember to take all the following documents with you:

• Your ID book
• Your child’s birth certificate
• The ID of your spouse (if married)
• Proof of income and assets such as bank statements

If you do not have an ID or your child’s birth certificate, you can still make an application. You will need to produce a sworn statement or affidavit. SASSA will help you with the forms you need to complete these.

• SASSA offices are open Monday to Friday between 07:30 and 16:00. The offices are closed on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays.

• Find your nearest SASSA office from the list provided below and arrange to go in to complete your application, taking all your documentation with you.

Cape Town

Physical Address: 48 Queen Victoria Street, 8000

Telephone: (021) 481 9700

Eerste River

Physical Address: 42 Main Road, Eerste River, 7100

Telephone: (021) 904 1021

George

Physical Address: Rentzburghof, 42 Courtney Street, George, 7100

Telephone: (044) 801 4300

Gugulethu

Physical Address: C/O Bishops Court and Fezeka, Gugulethu, 7760

Telephone: (021) 638 5151/2/3/4

Khayelitsha

Physical Address: Julius Tsolo Street, Khayelitsha (near station)

Telephone: (021) 364 1330

Mitchell’s Plain

Physical Address: 45 Alpha Street, Wespoort Park, Mitchell Plain

Telephone: (021) 370 4800

Caledon

Physical Address: Melofin Building C/O Birfwood Street and Klipfontein, Athlone, 7760

Telephone: (028) 214 3000

Wynberg

Address: William Herbert Sports Ground, Rosmead Ave, Wynberg, Cape Town, 7800

Phone: 021 710 9800

Paarl

Address: 7 New St, Esterville, Paarl, 7646

Phone: 072 205 0685

Belville

Address: Belgravia, Cape Town, 7530

Phone: 021 944 7700

• At the SASSA office, an official will assist you to complete the required forms, You will also be interviewed and have your fingerprints taken.
• If you cannot go to the offices yourself, you can send a friend or family member on your behalf, with a letter from you and your doctor explaining why you cannot personally come in. A SASSA official will then arrange a home visit.
• TIP! When you make your application, you will select how you would like the money to be paid - have a think about what you would prefer, prior to going to apply. You can choose to collect cash on a specific day each month, or have it paid into a bank account. You can always change this preference at any time, by completing a form at a SASSA office.
• TIP! You will receive a receipt from SASSA at the end of your application process. It is very important to keep this receipt as it is proof of your application.

• SASSA has up to 90 days to process your application. You might hear right away whether your application was successful, or you might need to wait. You will receive a letter sent to the address you completed on the form, informing you of the outcome of your application.
• TIP! If you move during the time from when you applied to when you expect to receive notification of the outcome, it is very important that you let SASSA know your new address. It is always important to keep all your contact details up to date with SASSA.
• You will be informed if your application was successful or not. If it wasn’t successful, you can dispute that decision by talking to a SASSA official.
• If successful, your first payment will include any back-pay owing since the date of application.
• If you want to follow up on your application you can contact SASSA on their free helpline on 0800 601 011.

• You will receive a monthly grant paid out in your preferred manner. If you selected to be paid into a bank account, this should happen automatically. If you selected cash, you will need to go collect it at a SASSA paypoint or a Post Office, each month.
• You can visit any paypoint each month, you do not need to go to the same one. You can even collect in a different province, if you like, although it is advised to use the same one to prevent potential issues. It is also advised that if you will be travelling to a different province, to let SASSA know in advance. You can contact them for free on 0800 601 011.
• Your first payment will include back-pay since application date.
• If you selected to collect cash, it is important you collect it every month. If it has not collected for 3 consecutive months, the grant will elapse and you will need to reapply for it.
• There is no need to renew this grant - each year SASSA sends a registered letter asking for up to date information about your current financial circumstances.
• If your financial circumstances improve, you must let SASSA know - receiving a grant when one is not eligible is fraud!
• The grant payment will stop when the child reaches the age of 18, if the child is admitted to a state-funded institute for over 6 months, or if the child dies.
• TIP! Always remember to keep all your contact details up to date with SASSA and inform them immediately if your or the child’s circumstances change.