In Government Facility (in_gov_facility) — What It Means, How to Fix It and How to Appeal (not_in_gov_facility)
At a Glance: What To Do First
Confirm the exact month showing in_gov_facility on your SRD status portal. Check whether you were admitted to a government facility during that specific month and whether you were still there on the day the assessment ran. If you were in a government facility throughout the assessed month, the decline may be correct for that period. If you were not admitted, were discharged before the assessed month, or the record is incorrectly linked to your ID, you have grounds to appeal using not_in_gov_facility. Admission and discharge dates are the central evidence for this appeal reason and must be clearly visible in any documents you submit.
What In Government Facility Means on the SRD Portal
When your SRD application shows In Government Facility, the automated SRD check detected a record suggesting you were resident in a government facility during the assessed month. People who are housed, detained, or accommodated in a government facility are considered to have their basic needs covered by the state during that period and are therefore not eligible for SRD for those months.
The wording appears differently depending on which portal you are using:
SRD status portal (srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/status): In Government Facility
SRD appeals portal (srd.sassa.gov.za/appeals/appeal): in_gov_facility
Your appeal reason on the appeals portal: not_in_gov_facility
Because SRD is assessed per month, the critical question is whether the facility record applied to the specific assessed month. A brief admission that overlaps even partially with the assessed month can trigger the decline for that entire month depending on how the record is interpreted in the automated check. A discharge that occurred before the assessed month began is strong evidence that the decline is incorrect.
If you were genuinely in a government facility for the full assessed month, an appeal for that period is unlikely to succeed. If your discharge date falls before the assessed month, if you were never admitted, or if the record belongs to someone else, you have a valid basis to appeal.
Which Government Facilities Can Trigger This Decline
The SRD system cross-references applicant ID numbers against admission records held across various government facility databases. The facility types that can trigger this decline include:
Correctional facilities and prisons. Administered by the Department of Correctional Services. Includes prisons, remand detention facilities, and correctional centres. Sentenced and awaiting-trial prisoners are both recorded as in a government facility. People who have completed their sentence or were released without conviction should no longer show as in a facility once the record is updated.
State psychiatric hospitals. Administered by provincial Departments of Health. Long-term psychiatric care facilities where patients are admitted under the Mental Health Care Act. Short-term admissions to psychiatric wards in state hospitals can also generate a facility record.
State hospitals and public health facilities for long-term admission. While a brief hospital visit does not typically generate a long-term facility record, extended admissions to state hospitals, step-down facilities, or chronic care wards may be captured in provincial health department databases.
State rehabilitation centres. Government-operated drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities. Admissions are recorded in the Department of Social Development’s systems.
Government children’s homes and places of safety. Administered by the Department of Social Development. Relevant primarily for people under 18 but older residents may also be affected.
State old age homes and government care facilities for the elderly. Administered by the Department of Social Development and provincial social development departments. Residents receiving full government-subsidised care may be recorded as in a government facility.
Military hospitals and SANDF medical facilities. Administered through the South African National Defence Force for military personnel and their dependants.
If you are unsure which type of facility record triggered the decline, contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 and ask which facility record was detected for the assessed month. This helps you identify the correct administrator to approach for a discharge confirmation or correction.
Common Causes Behind This SRD Decline
Admitted and resident during the assessed month. A facility admission record correctly reflects that you were in a government facility during the month in question. The decline may be correct.
Discharged before the assessed month but record not updated. The facility should update admission records when a patient or resident is discharged. This does not always happen promptly. Former residents can continue to appear as active in the facility database for weeks or months after their actual discharge date.
Short admission that overlaps the assessed month. A brief admission that begins or ends within the assessed month may still trigger the decline for that entire month depending on how the automated check handles partial-month overlaps.
Released from correctional services but record not updated. When a person is released from prison, the Department of Correctional Services should update their release status in the system. Delays in this update can cause former detainees to continue showing as in a facility after their release date.
Incorrect ID linkage. A facility record belonging to another person has been linked to your ID due to a data capture error during admission processing.
Awaiting-trial detention followed by release. If you were held in a remand detention facility while awaiting trial and were subsequently released, acquitted, or had charges withdrawn, the record should reflect your release. If it was not updated, it may still appear as an active facility admission.
Historic record from a previous period. An older admission record from a previous period was not properly closed in the system and continues to appear as active in database cross-checks.
How To Get Facility Confirmation: Contact the Right Administrator
Before appealing, contact the relevant facility and request written confirmation of your admission and discharge dates covering the assessed month. The admission date, discharge date, and your ID number must all be clearly visible in the document.
Correctional Services
If the decline relates to a prison or correctional facility record, contact the Department of Correctional Services.
Department of Correctional Services website: dcs.gov.za
DCS contact centre: 0860 112 300
Request a written letter on DCS letterhead confirming your release date and current status. If you are currently in custody and applying through a representative, see the section below on applying on behalf of someone else.
State Hospitals and Psychiatric Facilities
Contact the specific hospital or facility directly and ask for the admissions or patient records office. Request a discharge summary or admissions confirmation letter showing your admission date, discharge date, and current status. Ensure the letter is on official letterhead, dated, and signed by an authorised official.
For provincial health department contact details:
Department of Health national office: 012 395 8000
State Rehabilitation Centres
Contact the Department of Social Development for records relating to government rehabilitation centres.
Department of Social Development website: dsd.gov.za
DSD toll-free: 0800 220 250
Government Old Age Homes and Care Facilities
Contact your provincial Department of Social Development. Their contact details vary by province. Ask for the social services or residential care unit.
Copy and Paste Email Template
Subject: Request for Facility Admission and Discharge Confirmation — [Your ID Number] — SRD Decline: in_gov_facility
Message:
Dear [Facility or Department Name],
I am writing to request official written confirmation of my admission and discharge status at your facility for [Month Year]. My SRD R370 grant application was declined for this month with the reason In Government Facility (in_gov_facility). I believe this may be an error and require official confirmation to support my appeal to ITSAA.
Full name: [Your full name as on your ID] ID number: [Your 13-digit ID number] Month in question: [Month and Year]
Please confirm in writing my admission date and discharge date at your facility, and whether I was resident at the facility during [Month Year]. If no admission record exists under my ID for this period, please confirm this in writing so I can submit it as evidence with my SRD appeal.
I require this confirmation on official letterhead with a date and the contact details of the official who prepared it.
Thank you.
Fast Checks and Fixes Before You Appeal
Confirm the exact month showing in_gov_facility on your SRD status portal. Write down the month before doing anything else.
Think through any admission to a government facility during or before the assessed month. This includes hospital admissions, correctional facility stays, rehabilitation centre admissions, and any other government-operated residential facility.
If you were admitted and discharged before the assessed month began, your discharge letter or summary is your primary evidence. Ensure the discharge date is clearly visible and falls before the assessed month.
If you were admitted briefly during the assessed month and then discharged, contact the facility and ask them to confirm both your admission and discharge dates in a single letter. ITSAA will determine whether the overlap is sufficient to sustain the decline.
If you were never admitted to any government facility, contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 to identify which record triggered the decline and then contact the relevant facility or department for written confirmation that no admission record should exist under your ID.
If you were released from a correctional facility and the record has not been updated, contact the Department of Correctional Services at 0860 112 300 and request written confirmation of your release date.
Portal Appeal Option for This Status: not_in_gov_facility
Select not_in_gov_facility on the SRD appeals portal only when your evidence clearly shows that you were not in a government facility during the assessed month or that the record is incorrectly linked to your ID.
Evidence Checklist for not_in_gov_facility
All evidence must show clearly whether the assessed month falls inside or outside your admission period. Dates are the deciding factor for this appeal reason.
Official facility letter on letterhead showing your admission date, discharge date, and confirmation that you were not resident during the assessed month. This is your most important document. Both the admission date and the discharge date must be visible. A letter showing only an admission date without a discharge date does not demonstrate that you had left before the assessed month.
Discharge summary from a hospital or health facility where applicable, showing your discharge date clearly.
Department of Correctional Services release confirmation if the record relates to a correctional facility, showing your official release date.
Certified copy of your South African ID document for written appeal submissions.
Portal screenshot showing the exact month and in_gov_facility wording.
Written explanation of one paragraph stating whether you were never admitted, were discharged before the assessed month, or the record is incorrectly linked to your ID.
Make the dates easy to verify. Appeals for this reason are often decided by whether the discharge date clearly falls before the start of the assessed month. Cropped letters where dates are not fully visible are a common reason these appeals fail.
Applying on Behalf of Someone Currently in a Facility
If you are applying for SRD on behalf of a family member or if a family member is managing your SRD application while you are in a facility, note the following.
A person who is currently resident in a government facility is not eligible for SRD for the months they are in the facility. The decline is correct for those months.
However, if a person was released during the month being assessed, the portion of the month after release may be relevant. Contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 to discuss the specific circumstances.
If a family member’s ID was incorrectly captured as the admitted person rather than the actual patient or resident, contact the relevant facility to request a correction and obtain written confirmation. Include this in the appeal with the correct ID documentation for both individuals.
How To Submit Your SRD Appeal: not_in_gov_facility
Go to the official SRD appeals portal.
Enter your ID number and the phone number registered to your SRD application. Request the OTP and enter it to verify your identity. Select the specific month you are appealing. Each declined month must be appealed separately. Select not_in_gov_facility as your appeal reason. Upload your supporting documents ensuring all dates are clearly visible. Accept the declaration and submit. You will receive an SMS confirming your appeal has been received.
Written Appeal for Cases Older Than 90 Days
If the 90-day online window has passed, the appeals portal will block the month you want to appeal. You can still submit a written appeal.
Download the official SASSA appeal form from sassa.gov.za. Complete the form for the specific declined month. Attach certified copies of your supporting documents with admission and discharge dates clearly visible. Submit in person at your nearest SASSA office or send by registered post to your provincial SASSA office. Keep your proof of submission. Include a covering letter explaining which month you are appealing, why the facility record does not apply to you for that month, and why the online deadline was missed.
Written appeals are reviewed by the same ITSAA process and carry the same weight as online submissions.
If Your SRD Appeal Is Declined
If ITSAA declines your appeal the outcome for that specific month is final through the internal process.
Before accepting the outcome, check the following:
Confirm you appealed the correct declined month. Check whether your facility letter showed both an admission date and a discharge date clearly. Check whether the discharge date you provided fell unambiguously before the assessed month. If your letter showed only one date or if the dates were partially cut off or unclear, this is likely why the appeal failed.
If you still disagree after the final internal decision:
Judicial review through the High Court. You have 180 days from the final ITSAA decision to apply for judicial review under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA). This is a formal legal process and requires legal assistance to pursue effectively.
Free legal assistance. Legal Aid South Africa and Black Sash both provide free advice to grant applicants. Contact either organisation to understand whether your case has merit before deciding on a court process.
Correcting the record at source. If the facility record is incorrect, contact the relevant facility or department and request that the incorrect record be corrected in their system. Once corrected, future monthly SRD assessments should no longer be affected.
Tips and Scam Awareness for In Government Facility Declines
Practical Tips That Improve Outcomes
Get both admission and discharge dates on the same letter. A single admission date with no discharge date does not prove you left before the assessed month. Ask the facility explicitly to include both dates, even if the discharge is well before the assessed month.
Make sure stamps, signatures, and dates are fully visible and not cropped in your scan or photograph of the document. ITSAA reviewers need to verify that the document is official and that the dates are legible. A blurred or partially cut-off date is one of the most common reasons these appeals are delayed or rejected.
If your discharge date falls just before the start of the assessed month, include your bank statement for that month as additional supporting evidence showing you were living independently and incurring personal expenses during that period.
If the facility is slow to respond, submit your appeal before the 90-day deadline and note in your submission that facility confirmation is being obtained. Follow up with ITSAA once the letter arrives. Submitting complete evidence from the start gives your appeal the best chance.
Scam and Fraud Red Flags
Fake discharge letters. Do not purchase or accept unofficial discharge letters from anyone. ITSAA reviewers are experienced at identifying fraudulent facility documentation. Submitting a fake letter is a criminal offence and will result in a permanent ban from the SRD grant.
OTP and PIN theft. Scammers may contact you or a family member claiming to help with an appeal while you are in or recently out of a facility. Never share your SRD PIN or OTP with anyone.
Paid appeal services. SRD appeals are completely free. Anyone charging a fee to submit your appeal or to obtain facility documentation is a scam.
Unofficial portals. Use only srd.sassa.gov.za for your appeal. Any other website offering to process SRD appeals or fix facility records is unofficial.
Summary: What To Do If You Are Declined for In Government Facility
- Confirm the exact month showing in_gov_facility on your SRD status portal.
- Contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 to identify which facility type triggered the record if you are unsure.
- Contact the relevant facility using the email template above and request written confirmation of your admission and discharge dates covering the assessed month.
- Ensure the letter shows both dates clearly and falls on official letterhead with a date and signature.
- Gather your supporting documents specific to the assessed month.
- Submit your appeal at the SRD appeals portal selecting not_in_gov_facility within 90 days.
- If beyond 90 days, submit a written appeal with your documents at your nearest SASSA office.
- If your appeal is declined and you believe the decision is wrong, contact Legal Aid South Africa or Black Sash for free advice.
In Government Facility FAQs
Which government facilities trigger this decline? Any admission record held in a government facility database can trigger this decline. This includes correctional facilities and prisons, state psychiatric hospitals, state hospitals for extended admissions, government rehabilitation centres, state old age homes, and places of safety. Contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 to confirm which type of facility record was detected for the assessed month.
I was admitted briefly for a few days. Can this affect a full month? Yes. SRD is assessed monthly and even a partial admission that overlaps with the assessed month can trigger the decline for that entire month depending on how the automated check treats the record. A facility letter showing both your admission and discharge dates is the clearest way to demonstrate the length of your stay and whether it genuinely covers the assessed month.
I was discharged before the assessed month. Why am I still declined? The facility may not have updated your discharge status in their records system in time for the SRD assessment. Contact the facility and request written confirmation of your discharge date on official letterhead. Include this in your appeal.
I was released from prison. Why is my SRD still being declined? The Department of Correctional Services must update release records in their system after a person is released. If this update has not yet been processed, you may continue to appear as in a facility. Contact DCS on 0860 112 300 and request a written release confirmation showing your official release date. Include this in your appeal.
I was held awaiting trial and then released. Does this affect my SRD? If you were held in a remand detention facility while awaiting trial and were subsequently released, acquitted, or had charges withdrawn, the period in detention would affect SRD eligibility for those months. Months after your release date should be assessed without this decline provided the record was updated. If the record was not updated after your release, contact DCS and obtain written confirmation of your release date.
I was never in any government facility. Why is this showing on my SRD? The record is likely incorrectly linked to your ID by mistake. Contact SASSA to identify which facility record was detected and then contact the relevant facility or department for written confirmation that no admission record should exist under your ID. Include a certified copy of your ID document and a dispute statement in your appeal.
A family member’s SRD is being declined for this reason while they are still in hospital. Can they appeal? If the person is genuinely resident in a government facility during the assessed month, the decline is correct for that period and an appeal is unlikely to succeed for those months. Once they are discharged, future months should assess without this decline provided the discharge record is updated promptly. Contact SASSA after discharge to confirm the record has been updated.
Can someone else submit an SRD appeal on my behalf? The SRD appeals portal requires the PIN or OTP sent to the phone number registered on the applicant’s SRD profile. If the applicant cannot access their registered phone number, they will need to update their SRD phone number first before an appeal can be submitted. Contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 for guidance on updating the phone number for someone who is unable to do so themselves.
What if the online portal blocks an older month? Submit a written appeal at your nearest SASSA office with your facility confirmation letter showing both admission and discharge dates for the assessed month. The written process follows the same ITSAA review.
Official References
- SRD status portal
- SRD appeals portal
- SRD appeals guidance
- SASSA website
- SASSA helpline: 0800 60 10 11 (free, Monday to Friday)
- SASSA WhatsApp: 082 046 8553
- Department of Correctional Services
- DCS contact centre: 0860 112 300
- Department of Health
- Department of Health: 012 395 8000
- Department of Social Development
- DSD toll-free: 0800 220 250
- Legal Aid South Africa
- Black Sash
Information on this page is sourced from official SASSA announcements and verified against www.sassa.gov.za. For official queries contact SASSA directly at www.sassa.gov.za or call 0800 60 10 11.
