Existing SASSA Grant (existing_sassa_grant) — What It Means, How to Fix It and How to Appeal (not_existing_sassa_grant)
At a Glance: What To Do First
Confirm the exact month showing existing_sassa_grant on your SRD status portal. Check whether another SASSA grant is genuinely active under your ID for that specific month. If it is, the decline is correct and you do not qualify for SRD for that period. If the grant is not yours, has ended, or the record is incorrectly linked to your ID, you have grounds to appeal using not_existing_sassa_grant. Each declined month must be treated as a separate case with month-specific evidence.
What Existing SASSA Grant Means on the SRD Portal
When your SRD application shows Existing SASSA Grant, the automated SRD check detected an active SASSA social grant record linked to your ID for the assessed month. SRD eligibility requires that you are not receiving any other SASSA grant. If the system finds an active grant record on your ID, it declines the SRD application for that month automatically.
The wording appears differently depending on which portal you are using:
SRD status portal (srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/status): Existing SASSA Grant
SRD appeals portal (srd.sassa.gov.za/appeals/appeal): existing_sassa_grant
Your appeal reason on the appeals portal: not_existing_sassa_grant
If you genuinely receive another SASSA grant during the assessed month, the decline is correct and an appeal is unlikely to succeed for that period. Where the problem is an incorrect record, a grant that ended before the assessed month, or a grant linked to your ID by mistake, you have a valid basis to appeal.
Which SASSA Grants Can Trigger Existing SASSA Grant?
Any active social grant record on your ID can trigger this decline. The grants that most commonly cause it are:
Older Persons Grant. Disability Grant. Child Support Grant. Foster Child Grant. Care Dependency Grant. Grant-in-Aid. War Veteran’s Grant.
If you receive any of these grants and applied for SRD, the decline is expected. SRD is designed for people who have no other form of government income support. If you are unsure whether a grant is currently active under your ID, contact SASSA directly to verify before appealing.
Common Causes Behind This SRD Decline
You receive another active SASSA grant. The decline is correct. You are not eligible for SRD while receiving any other SASSA grant.
A grant ended but the record was not closed. When a grant is cancelled or lapses, the SASSA system should reflect this immediately. In some cases the record remains active in the database after the grant has ended, causing ongoing declines even though you are no longer receiving payments.
A grant belonging to someone else is linked to your ID. This can happen due to an administrative error during grant application processing where an incorrect ID number was captured. The grant is not yours but it appears on your record.
A legacy or duplicate record. An older grant application or record from a previous period is still being detected by the automated checks even though it should no longer be active.
A caregiver grant registered in your name for a child you no longer care for. If your circumstances changed and you are no longer the primary caregiver, the Child Support Grant may still be registered in your name if the update was not processed.
Delayed system update. If a grant was recently cancelled or the beneficiary recently passed away, the record may not yet have been updated in the system at the time of assessment.
SASSA Follow-Up: Confirm What Grant Record Is Linked to Your ID
Before appealing, verify exactly which grant is showing as active on your ID and for which period. This saves you from appealing with the wrong evidence and wasting your 90-day window.
Contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 (free, Monday to Friday) and ask them to confirm which grant is currently active under your ID number and for which period it is recorded as active. Record the name of the agent you speak to and request a reference number for the call.
Alternatively log in to the SASSA services portal at services.sassa.gov.za using your ID number and phone number to check your grant status.
Copy and Paste Email Template for SASSA Grant Record Inquiry
Subject: Request for Grant Record Confirmation — [Your ID Number] — SRD Decline: existing_sassa_grant
Dear SASSA,
I am writing to request confirmation of which social grants are currently recorded as active under my ID number. My SRD R370 grant application was declined for [Month Year] with the reason Existing SASSA Grant (existing_sassa_grant). 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 which SASSA grant or grants are recorded as active under my ID for [Month Year] and whether any of these records are incorrect or should have been closed before this date. I require this confirmation in writing for submission as supporting evidence with my SRD appeal.
Thank you.
Send this email to: grantsenquiries@sassa.gov.za
Fast Checks and Fixes Before You Appeal
Confirm the exact month showing existing_sassa_grant on your SRD status portal. Write down the month precisely.
Contact SASSA using the email template above or call 0800 60 10 11 to confirm which grant is showing as active on your ID for that month.
Once you know which grant is involved, determine whether it is genuinely yours and genuinely active for the assessed month. There are three possible situations:
The grant is yours and was active that month. The decline is correct. You do not qualify for SRD for that period.
The grant is yours but ended before the assessed month. You need proof showing the grant was not active during the month in question. Contact SASSA to request confirmation of the grant end date and obtain it in writing.
The grant is not yours. You need proof that the record is incorrectly linked to your ID. Contact SASSA to report the incorrect linkage and obtain written confirmation of the error.
Prepare your evidence before appealing. Uploading unclear or undated documents is the most common reason not_existing_sassa_grant appeals fail.
Portal Appeal Option for This Status: not_existing_sassa_grant
Select not_existing_sassa_grant on the SRD appeals portal only when your evidence clearly shows that the existing grant record does not apply to you for the assessed month.
Evidence Checklist for not_existing_sassa_grant
All evidence must be specific to the assessed month. Documents covering a different period or missing dates will weaken your appeal significantly.
Official SASSA confirmation that the grant in question was not active under your ID during the assessed month, or that the record is incorrectly linked to you. This is your strongest document and should be obtained before submitting.
SASSA correspondence showing the grant ended before the assessed month. Letters, SMS notifications, or written confirmation from SASSA showing the cancellation or lapse date of the grant in question.
Proof that the grant belongs to someone else if the record is not yours. Include your ID document and any SASSA response confirming the incorrect linkage.
Certified copy of your South African ID document for written appeal submissions.
Portal screenshot showing the exact month and existing_sassa_grant wording.
SASSA call centre reference number if you reported the issue by phone.
Keep it month-specific. If you are challenging March 2026, every document must clearly support your position for March 2026. Documents relating to other months do not strengthen your case for the month being reviewed.
How To Submit Your SRD Appeal: not_existing_sassa_grant
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 even if the reason is the same across multiple months. Select not_existing_sassa_grant as your appeal reason. Upload your supporting documents with dates 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 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 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, do these checks:
Confirm you appealed the correct declined month. Confirm the month still shows existing_sassa_grant or an equivalent wording. Check whether the evidence you submitted clearly showed the grant was not active or not yours for that specific month. If your proof was unclear or did not reference the correct month, 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.
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 pursuing a court process.
Tips and Scam Awareness for Existing SASSA Grant Declines
Practical Tips That Improve Outcomes
Verify before you appeal. Confirm which grant is showing as active on your ID before submitting anything. Appealing without knowing which grant is triggering the decline makes it very difficult to gather the right evidence.
Be specific about the month. One short paragraph clearly stating which grant is wrongly linked, why it does not apply to the assessed month, and what your evidence shows is more effective than a long general explanation.
If a grant that is genuinely yours ended recently, check when the cancellation was processed in SASSA’s system. There can be a lag between when SASSA stops paying and when the record is officially closed. This lag can cause one or two months of incorrect declines after the grant has actually ended.
Keep readable screenshots. If you attach SMS notifications or letters from SASSA, ensure the dates and your ID number are clearly visible in the image.
Scam and Fraud Red Flags
Grant unlinking scams. Do not pay anyone claiming they can remove a grant link from your ID. No private person or service can access or modify SASSA grant records. This is a common scam targeting people who have received this decline reason.
OTP and PIN theft. Scammers may contact you claiming to help with your appeal and ask for your SRD PIN or OTP to verify your identity. Never share these with anyone.
Fake SASSA correspondence. Do not accept unofficial letters or documents as proof for your appeal. SASSA confirmation must come directly from official SASSA channels.
Unofficial WhatsApp numbers. Use only the official SASSA WhatsApp number 082 046 8553 for grant queries. Any other number claiming to be SASSA is unofficial.
SRD appeals are completely free. Any service charging a fee to submit your appeal is a scam.
Summary: What To Do If You Are Declined for Existing SASSA Grant
- Confirm the exact month showing existing_sassa_grant on your SRD status portal.
- Contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 or use the email template above to confirm which grant is recorded as active on your ID for that month.
- Determine whether the grant is yours and active, yours but ended, or not yours at all.
- Gather your supporting documents with dates clearly visible and specific to the assessed month.
- Submit your appeal at the SRD appeals portal selecting not_existing_sassa_grant 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.
Existing SASSA Grant FAQs
Does this mean I can never get SRD? No. It means another grant record was detected for the assessed month. Outcomes are assessed per month. If the other grant ends or the incorrect record is corrected, future months can be approved.
What if the other grant is not mine? This is a valid basis to appeal. Contact SASSA to report the incorrect linkage, obtain written confirmation, and submit your appeal using not_existing_sassa_grant with the confirmation as evidence.
What if the grant ended months ago but I am still being declined? There can be a lag between when a grant ends and when the record is updated in the system. Obtain written confirmation from SASSA of the grant end date and include it as evidence for the months that were incorrectly declined.
My mother receives the Child Support Grant for my child. Can this affect my SRD? If the Child Support Grant is registered in your name rather than your mother’s name, it will trigger this decline. Contact SASSA to confirm whose ID the grant is registered under and request a correction if it is incorrectly attributed to you.
I used to receive a Disability Grant but it was cancelled. Why am I still declined? The Disability Grant record may still show as active in the SASSA system. Contact SASSA to obtain written confirmation of the cancellation date and include this in your appeal for the months affected.
Can I receive the SRD grant and the Child Support Grant at the same time? No. The SRD grant cannot be received simultaneously with any other SASSA grant. If you are the registered recipient of a Child Support Grant you are not eligible for SRD.
What if an older month is blocked on the online portal? Submit a written appeal at your nearest SASSA office with evidence specific to the month you are challenging. The written process follows the same ITSAA review.
How do I avoid grant unlinking scams? Only use official SASSA channels. Never pay anyone to remove a grant record. Report any suspicious contact to SASSA on 0800 60 10 11.
Official References
- SRD status portal
- SRD appeals portal
- SRD appeals guidance
- SASSA services portal
- SASSA website
- SASSA helpline: 0800 60 10 11 (free, Monday to Friday)
- SASSA WhatsApp: 082 046 8553
- 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.
