🔔 Latest Update — 18 June 2026
Parliamentary Briefing on the BIS grant South Africa 2026: Chikunga Confirms July Treasury Deadline & SASSA Crackdown

Acting Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga — who replaced the fired Sisisi Tolashe — appeared before Parliament’s Select Committee on Social Services on 18 June 2026 and delivered three significant updates directly affecting the BIS grant South Africa 2026 and current SASSA beneficiaries:

  • Treasury verdict expected by July 2026 — Chikunga confirmed National Treasury will deliver its funding decision on the BIS grant South Africa 2026 policy within weeks, keeping the approval roadmap on track despite the ministerial change.
  • 70,000 grant payments suspended — SASSA’s data-matching programme — cross-referencing beneficiary records against SARS tax data and credit bureau databases — identified approximately 70,000 ineligible recipients. Those payments have been suspended with immediate effect. If your payment stopped unexpectedly, visit your nearest SASSA office with your ID document.
  • SRD R370 likely to extend beyond March 2027 — Because the BIS legislation cannot be completed before March 2027, Chikunga signalled that the SRD grant will almost certainly be extended to ensure no gap in support while Parliament processes the necessary amendments to the Social Assistance Act.
👉 Read: Tolashe fired — full story & what it means for your grant

🇿🇦 Breaking Update · June 2026

New Social Grant for South Africa: The BIS Grant Is Coming

South Africa is replacing the R370 SRD grant with a permanent Basic Income Support (BIS) grant. Here is what every South African needs to know right now.

⚠️

Important Update — June 2026

The Department of Social Development (DSD) expects a National Treasury decision on the BIS grant South Africa 2026 policy by July 2026. The SRD R370 grant continues until 31 March 2027 — and may be extended further. No payments will stop in the meantime.

What Is the New South Africa Social Grant (BIS Grant South Africa 2026)?

BIS grant South Africa 2026

South Africa’s government is replacing the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant with a brand-new Basic Income Support (BIS) grant. As the BIS grant South Africa 2026 South Africa 2026 approaches, here is everything you need to know. This new social grant is designed to do more than put money in people’s pockets — it actively links recipients with jobs, skills training, and economic opportunities.

The Department of Social Development (DSD), backed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, confirmed the transition at Parliament in June 2026. If you currently receive the R370 SRD grant, payments continue until 31 March 2027. Treasury’s verdict on the final funding model is expected by July 2026, with the full legislative process beginning in 2027.

8.5M+
Current SRD beneficiaries depending on the grant
R370
Current monthly SRD payment until March 2027
R760
Proposed monthly BIS amount — more than double SRD
2027
Target year for BIS grant legislation and launch

Background: Why Is South Africa Getting a New Grant?

The SRD grant launched in May 2020 as a temporary six-month pandemic lifeline paying R350 per month. Nobody expected it to last this long — but over 8 million people became dependent on it almost immediately.

It was raised to R370 in April 2024 and has been renewed every year, costing the government between R35 billion and R40 billion annually. As confirmed in the SRD grant extension announcement, the budget for 2026/27 stands at R36.4 billion. President Ramaphosa acknowledged its success in his 2026 SONA but made clear it needed a complete redesign.

Independent research confirmed the SRD reduced hunger, poverty, and inequality while enabling beneficiaries to search for work. That success is precisely what is driving the push to make it permanent — but smarter and more targeted.

What Is the Basic Income Support (BIS) Grant?

The Basic Income Support grant is the government’s planned permanent replacement for the SRD grant. The BIS grant South Africa 2026 represents a major shift in policy. While it builds on the financial relief the SRD provided, it goes much further by tying income support to active participation in employment programmes, skills development, and enterprise opportunities.

At the News24 On the Record Summit in March 2026, President Ramaphosa confirmed the BIS will function as a jobseeker’s grant — ensuring recipients have access to support to search for work and sustain a livelihood.

💰 How Much Will the BIS Grant Pay?

The proposed BIS grant amount is R760 per month — more than double the current SRD R370. This figure has been put forward by the Department of Social Development as the amount needed to provide meaningful income support above the food poverty line.

At R760/month for approximately 8.5 million working-age unemployed South Africans, the estimated total annual cost to the state is R97.6 billion — roughly 1.3% of South Africa’s GDP. This is the central figure National Treasury is evaluating as part of its July 2026 funding decision.

R760
Proposed monthly amount
R97.6bn
Estimated annual cost
~1.3%
Share of GDP

How Will the BIS Grant Be Different From the SRD?

❌ Old SRD Grant

  • •Temporary, renewed year-to-year
  • •R370/month flat payment
  • •No links to employment programmes
  • •Designed as a pandemic emergency measure
  • •No skills or training component

✅ New BIS Grant

  • •Permanent, legislated income support
  • •Proposed at R760/month (vs R370 SRD)
  • •Linked to job-search and training programmes
  • •Designed for long-term poverty reduction
  • •Connects recipients to enterprise support

Who Will Qualify for the BIS Grant?

While the exact eligibility criteria are still being finalised, the DSD has provided a clear picture of the target group — working-age South Africans who are unemployed and actively seeking economic opportunities. This is similar to the current SASSA SRD application criteria.

Likely BIS Grant Eligibility Requirements

  • ✅Be between 18 and 59 years old (working-age population)
  • ✅Be a South African citizen, permanent resident, or recognised refugee
  • ✅Be unemployed with no other income source
  • ✅Not receiving any other social grant, UIF payment, or NSFAS bursary
  • ✅Actively engage with employment, skills training, or enterprise support programmes
  • ✅Earn below the income threshold set by SASSA (currently R624/month for SRD)
ℹ️

Note on Current SRD Recipients

If you currently receive the R370 SRD grant, you do not need to do anything right now. Payments continue until 31 March 2027. SASSA will communicate the full transition process in due course. You can check your SRD status here.

BIS Grant Timeline: What Happens and When?

The DSD has mapped out a clear roadmap for the transition from the SRD grant to the BIS grant South Africa 2026. Acting Minister Chikunga provided the most detailed breakdown yet at the 18 June 2026 parliamentary briefing:

February 2026
Research & Policy Update Completed
The DSD completed all commissioned research and updated the BIS draft policy, including the institutional design for the employment linkage strategy.
March 2026
National Treasury Presentation
The DSD and the Presidency presented the updated BIS grant South Africa 2026 policy to National Treasury. Inter-departmental workshops were held to align on implementation across all relevant government departments.
May 2026
Inter-Departmental Workshops Completed
Final workshops concluded across multiple departments to integrate the employment linkage strategy into the final BIS draft policy.

🔴 June / July 2026 — HAPPENING NOW
Treasury Finalises BIS Funding Decision
National Treasury is completing its assessment of the BIS funding model — including whether the proposed R760/month amount and R97.6 billion annual cost are fiscally sustainable. Acting Minister Chikunga confirmed a verdict is expected by July 2026.

⏳ July 2026 — Upcoming
Draft Updated & Impact Assessment Submitted to Presidency
Once Treasury delivers its verdict, the DSD will update the BIS draft policy to incorporate Treasury’s conditions and submit a full socioeconomic impact assessment to the Presidency for sign-off before Cabinet submission.

⏳ August 2026 — Upcoming
Cabinet Submission & Public Comment Period Opens
The revised BIS grant South Africa 2026 policy is submitted to Cabinet for approval to gazette. If Cabinet agrees, the policy is published in the Government Gazette and a formal public comment period opens — ordinary South Africans will be able to submit their views on the proposed BIS grant directly to the DSD.
2027
Legislative Process Begins
Parliament will begin the process of amending the Social Assistance Act to formally create and fund the BIS grant South Africa 2026. The SRD grant will be extended beyond March 2027 to bridge any gap in support while legislation is being processed.
2027 / 2028
BIS Grant Goes Live
The BIS grant is expected to be fully operational in the 2027/28 financial year, replacing the SRD as South Africa’s primary income support for unemployed working-age adults at the proposed rate of R760 per month.

How Will the BIS Grant Be Funded?

Funding is the single biggest hurdle the BIS grant South Africa 2026 faces. The 2026 Budget allocated R292.8 billion (3.6% of GDP) for social grants in 2026/27. National Treasury has made clear it cannot support the BIS grant South Africa 2026 policy without a credible, sustainable financing framework — which is exactly what the current June/July 2026 engagements aim to resolve.

The proposed R760/month BIS amount, at an estimated cost of R97.6 billion per year, represents a significant fiscal commitment — approximately four times the current annual SRD spend. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has acknowledged the tension, noting that fiscal space remains constrained by slow economic growth and increasing demands on government revenue.

In the interim, R36.4 billion was allocated to extend SRD payments at R370/month until 31 March 2027. You can read the full breakdown in our guide on the SRD grant extension to 2027.

What Did President Ramaphosa Promise at SONA 2026?

At his 2026 State of the Nation Address on 12 February, President Ramaphosa made three concrete commitments about the future of income support in South Africa:

  • ✅The SRD grant will be extended indefinitely — no beneficiary will be left without support
  • ✅The grant will be completely redesigned in 2026, linked to employment-seeking and livelihoods criteria
  • ✅The redesigned grant will function as a jobseeker’s grant, connecting recipients to skills development and real work opportunities

Frequently Asked Questions About the New BIS Grant

❓ Will my R370 SRD grant stop in 2026?
No. The SRD grant is fully funded at R370 per month until 31 March 2027. The government has allocated R36.4 billion to ensure no interruptions. You do not need to reapply or do anything different right now. Check your current payment status on our SRD status check page.
❓ How much will the BIS grant South Africa 2026 pay per month?
The proposed amount is R760 per month — more than double the current SRD R370. This is the figure the DSD has put to National Treasury as part of the July 2026 funding decision. Treasury’s approval is still required before this amount is confirmed. The estimated annual cost of the R760 BIS grant is R97.6 billion, which is why Treasury’s fiscal assessment is the critical gating step.
❓ Will I need to look for a job to get the BIS grant South Africa 2026?
Yes, this is a core feature of the BIS grant South Africa 2026. Recipients are expected to actively engage with employment programmes, skills training, or enterprise development support as a condition of receiving the grant. The DSD wants to transform the grant from a survival tool into a tool of genuine empowerment.
❓ When exactly will the BIS grant South Africa 2026 start?
The DSD is targeting implementation in the 2027/28 financial year (from April 2027), provided the legislative process starts on schedule in 2027. If there are delays, the SRD grant will be extended beyond March 2027 to avoid any gap in support.
❓ Do I need to apply separately for the BIS grant South Africa 2026?
The application process for the BIS grant South Africa 2026 has not yet been announced. Current SRD recipients will be informed by SASSA when the transition process begins. It is expected to be digital, similar to the current SASSA online application process at srd.sassa.gov.za.
❓ What happens if Treasury rejects the BIS grant South Africa 2026 policy?
If National Treasury does not approve the funding model by July 2026, the DSD will revise its costing approach before returning to Cabinet. The SRD grant will continue to be extended to fill the gap — the government has committed that no beneficiary will be left without support.

❓ Tolashe was fired and replaced by Chikunga — does this delay the BIS grant South Africa 2026?

This is one of the most-searched questions since Sisisi Tolashe’s dismissal on 14 May 2026, and it deserves a direct answer.

The short answer is: not necessarily, but it adds risk. The BIS grant South Africa 2026 policy process had already been advancing through the departmental and Treasury engagement pipeline before Tolashe’s removal. Acting Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga appeared before Parliament on 18 June 2026 and confirmed the Treasury engagement is continuing on schedule, with a decision still expected in July 2026.

The Treasury process is primarily a departmental and technical exercise — it can proceed under an acting minister. The bigger risk is what happens after July: if a permanent minister is not appointed before August 2026, the Cabinet submission could slip, pushing the public comment period into late 2026 and compressing the time available to complete legislation before March 2027.

Critics also argue that Tolashe’s tenure was actually slowing the BIS process down through poor governance and an uncooperative stance toward Treasury. Chikunga may, in practice, move things faster. Watch the July 2026 Treasury announcement — that will be the real signal of whether the BIS is on track. Full story: Tolashe fired — what it means for your grant.

🔗 Related SASSA Guides You May Need

Stay Updated on the BIS Grant

The situation is developing fast. Bookmark this page and check back for Treasury’s July 2026 decision, the Cabinet approval process, and the official BIS grant launch date.

Check Your SRD Status at SASSA →

📚 Sources & References

  • Department of Social Development — Parliamentary Select Committee Briefing, 18 June 2026
  • GroundUp — Treasury to decide on basic income policy by July, MPs told (June 2026)
  • BusinessTech — New social grant for South Africa: BIS timeline and approval roadmap (June 2026)
  • BusinessTech — Ramaphosa outlines new social grant for South Africa (March 2026)
  • National Treasury — 2026 Budget Review
  • President Cyril Ramaphosa — 2026 State of the Nation Address, 12 February 2026
  • GroundUp — Basic income grant policy will take another year at least (February 2026)
Naledi Dlamini
Naledi Dlamini
SASSA Benefits & Social Grants Writer

Naledi Dlamini is a Johannesburg-based social grants writer with over 5 years of experience helping South Africans navigate SASSA applications, SRD appeals, and payment queries. She is passionate about making government benefits accessible and understandable for every South African.