SRD Grant Court Case: SCA Hears the Appeal, Judgment Reserved

On 25 August 2026 the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein heard the government's appeal against the January 2025 Gauteng High Court judgment on the SRD R370 grant. Judgment was reserved. This page explains what the courts are deciding and what it means for your grant right now.

What the High Court Found (January 2025)

Judge Leonard Twala ruled that the SRD system was unlawfully designed and excluded millions of eligible applicants. The judgment found:

• the online-only application system was unconstitutional, and ordered that in-person applications be allowed
• the R624 income threshold was unconstitutional, and ordered it raised in line with the cost of living
• the R370 amount was unconstitutional, and ordered progressive increases
• once-off payments and gifts should not be counted as income

The government appealed against the judgment, which is why the case reached the SCA.

What Happened at the SCA (25 August 2026)

The state - SASSA, the Department of Social Development and the National Treasury - defended the existing system. The Treasury told the court that expanding the grant could cost between about R93.5 billion and R139 billion a year and that the extra spending was unaffordable.

The judges pressed the state on whether an online-only system unfairly excludes people who cannot afford a phone or data or lack digital skills. The state argued it had added free call centres, self-service kiosks, email assistance and community outreach. Advocate Jason Brickhill, representing the applicants, told the court there are about one million SRD appeals a month - around 12 million a year - and that 99% are refused, which he called a massive red flag.

The SCA reserved judgment and asked for additional affidavits. There is no set date for the written ruling.

What This Means for Your Grant Today

Nothing changes until the SCA rules and any order is implemented. The grant remains R370 for people who qualify, the income limit stays R624, and the online portal remains the application channel. Ignore any claim that the amount or threshold has already changed because of the case - that has not happened.

• Your amount today: R370. See how much the SRD grant is.
• Declined and want to challenge it now? Read how to appeal.
• The grant's history: amounts from 2020 to 2026.

Sources

• Daily Maverick - SRD grant battle reaches Supreme Court of Appeal as state challenges historic judgment
• GroundUp - Judges grill Treasury on SRD grant
• Bizcommunity - Sassa's R370-a-month grant has its day in the Supreme Court of Appeal
• SABC News - Govt appeals ruling on 'exclusionary' SRD grant rules at the SCA