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Eligibility & Requirements

How to Work While Receiving the R370 SRD Grant (Legal Rules & the R624 Income Check)

You can work and still qualify for the SRD R370 grant — as long as your total monthly deposits stay below R624. Learn how SASSA's income check works, which earnings count, and how to appeal if you are declined.

Person selling vegetables at a roadside stall in South Africa
ZA
Lucky Cungwa

SASSA Help Hub — Independent Unofficial Resource

Updated: 7/27/2026
12 minutes
Written by Lucky Cungwa
Fact-checked & last verified: 2026-07-27

Guide Contents

The R624 Rule: How SASSA's Income Check WorksCash-Based Micro-Businesses That Work Alongside SRDUsing the Moya App for SASSA Tasks and Small EarningsWhat Happens If You Deposit Cash into Your Bank AccountOnline and App Earnings: What Counts and What You Must DeclareHow to Appeal If Your SRD Was Declined

Step-by-Step Instructions

1

The R624 Rule: How SASSA's Income Check Works

SASSA does not say you cannot work. The R370 SRD is for people aged 18 to 59 who are unemployed or earn income below R624 per month. When SASSA checks your eligibility, it uses bank account data to look at the total deposited into accounts linked to your ID number in a month. If that total reaches R625 or more, your SRD status can change to 'Declined' for that month. The R624 check is a total-deposits check, not just a salary check. A R300 deposit from a customer plus R400 from a once-off sale equals R700 — over the limit. Small amounts from a family member, a stokvel payout, or an eWallet transfer can also count, so keep a record of every deposit.

Pro Tip

  • Open a separate bank account for your grant payments only — never let business money go into that account.
  • If your total deposits for a month stay below R624, your deposits should not affect your eligibility.
2

Cash-Based Micro-Businesses That Work Alongside SRD

A cash-in-hand business is a common way to earn extra income while keeping your monthly deposits below R624. The moment cash earnings are deposited into a bank account, they become deposits that count toward the R624 total. Options that often work on a cash basis include selling vegetables or cooked food at a taxi rank, offering domestic work paid in cash, braiding hair or doing nails from home, buying and selling second-hand clothing, offering tutoring or homework help, and doing small handyman jobs. If a customer wants to pay via eWallet or bank transfer, remember that transfer will land in a bank account and count toward your deposits for that month.

Pro Tip

  • Keeping earnings in cash means no new bank deposit is created — but you must still answer SASSA honestly when you apply or appeal.
  • Keep your business small and cash-based — opening a business bank account means every deposit will count toward the R624 total.
3

Using the Moya App for SASSA Tasks and Small Earnings

The Moya App is a free, data-free messaging platform that offers SASSA SRD services such as status checks, banking detail updates, and appeals. Moya also lets you earn airtime, data, or MoyaPoints by completing small tasks and surveys. Because these earnings are paid out as airtime, data, or app credits rather than a bank deposit, they do not create a deposit that counts toward the R624 total. Always download the Moya App from the official Google Play or Apple App Store. Note that Moya's SASSA services do not cover biometric uploads — you need your own data for that.

Pro Tip

  • MoyaPoints and airtime earnings are not bank deposits, so they do not count toward the R624 deposit total.
  • Use Moya for SASSA status checks and banking updates — it is free of data charges for those services.
4

What Happens If You Deposit Cash into Your Bank Account

Once you deposit cash into a bank account linked to your ID number, that amount counts toward your monthly deposit total. A cash deposit of R500 plus a grant payment of R370 equals R870 in deposits — well over the R624 limit. The eligibility check is done per month, so a month where your total deposits stay below R624 may still qualify. If you need to save cash earnings, keeping them outside the bank means no deposit is created, but you must still be honest about your income in your application.

Pro Tip

  • If your monthly deposits including your grant stay below R624, your deposits should not affect your eligibility for that month.
  • R370 grant + R250 deposit = R620 — under the limit. R370 + R300 = R670 — over the limit.
5

Online and App Earnings: What Counts and What You Must Declare

Some online platforms pay out in airtime, vouchers, or app credits that never enter a South African bank account. Because the R624 check is based on bank deposits, those credits do not appear in the deposit check. However, they are still income: you must answer SASSA honestly when you apply or appeal, and SASSA may cross-check other records such as payroll, UIF, SARS, or Home Affairs data. If you are paid into PayPal or a crypto wallet, that money only counts toward the R624 deposit check when it is transferred into a bank account linked to your ID number.

Pro Tip

  • Income paid into PayPal or a crypto wallet only becomes a deposit when you move it into a South African bank account linked to your ID.
  • Keep total monthly deposits below R624 and keep proof of your income to support an appeal.
6

How to Appeal If Your SRD Was Declined

If SASSA declined your grant because your deposits exceeded R624, you can appeal. Go to srd-appeals.dsd.gov.za and select the declined month. Choose the reason that matches your situation (such as 'Income Source Detected'), and in your explanation describe your circumstances honestly, for example: 'I run a small informal business selling vegetables. The deposit of RXXX was from a once-off sale, not a salary. My income for the month was still below R624.' Write truthfully — a false appeal is more likely to be rejected. If your total deposits genuinely exceeded R624, the appeal may not succeed. If you were close to the limit or the decline was due to a misunderstanding, the Independent Tribunal may rule in your favour. Submit your appeal within 90 days of the decline.

Pro Tip

  • Every declined month must be appealed separately within 90 days.
  • Keep bank statements and proof of income so you can support your appeal with evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it legal to work while receiving the SRD grant?

Yes. The R370 SRD is for people aged 18 to 59 who are unemployed or earn income below R624 per month. You may work and still qualify, as long as your monthly income stays under the threshold. The rule controls income, not whether you work at all.

What counts toward the R624 limit?

Any money deposited into a bank account linked to your ID number — salaries, business earnings, cash you deposit yourself, eWallet transfers, and other deposits. If your total deposits in a month reach R625 or more, you may lose that month's payment.

Can I run a spaza shop and still get SRD?

Yes, if you keep your total monthly bank deposits under R624. If you deposit spaza shop earnings into a bank account, those deposits count as income and may cause a decline for that month.

Does SASSA check Moya App earnings?

Moya pays out in airtime, data, or MoyaPoints rather than a bank deposit, so those credits do not create a deposit that SASSA counts toward the R624 total. They are still income, so answer SASSA honestly and keep your total income within the allowed limits.

Can I use PayPal for freelance work while on SRD?

Money kept in a PayPal account is not a deposit into a South African bank account, so it does not appear in the R624 deposit check — but it is still income. If you transfer it into a bank account linked to your ID, it counts as a deposit. Always answer SASSA honestly.

Sources & References

This guide was researched and verified against the following official sources:

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