About CitizenHelp
CitizenHelp is an independent South African information website. We write plain-English guides to help ordinary South Africans understand and access government services — from SASSA grants to NSFAS bursaries, Home Affairs documents, UIF claims, and SARS tax returns.
What We Do
Government processes in South Africa can be complicated, slow, and difficult to navigate — especially if you are not familiar with the paperwork, the requirements, or where to go. CitizenHelp exists to bridge that gap.
We research each process carefully and write step-by-step guides that explain exactly what you need to do, what documents to bring, what it costs, and what to expect. Our guides are updated regularly to reflect current requirements, amounts, and contact details.
We cover topics that affect millions of South Africans every year:
- SASSA grants — SRD R370 status, payment dates, appeals, Child Support, Old Age Pension, and Disability grants
- NSFAS and bursaries — how to apply for student funding, check your status, and find bursaries from government and corporate funders
- Learnerships — how to find and apply for paid work-based learning programmes
- UIF — how to claim Unemployment Insurance Fund benefits after losing your job
- Home Affairs — how to apply for a Smart ID card or South African passport
- SARS and tax — how to file your income tax return on eFiling
Our Approach
Every guide on CitizenHelp is written with one goal in mind: to be genuinely useful to an ordinary South African who has never done this before. That means:
- Plain English, not legal language. We avoid jargon. If a technical term is necessary, we explain it.
- Real, specific information. We include actual phone numbers, actual website URLs, actual amounts, and actual deadlines — not vague references.
- Step-by-step format. Most guides walk you through the process in numbered steps so you always know exactly where you are.
- Regularly updated. Grant amounts, deadlines, and procedures change. We update our guides to reflect current information.
- Free to use. CitizenHelp is free. You do not need to register, log in, or pay for any guide.
Important Disclaimer
CitizenHelp is not a government website. We are an independent information resource and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to SASSA, the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Higher Education and Training (NSFAS), the Department of Employment and Labour (UIF), or any other South African government department or entity.
All information on CitizenHelp is provided for general guidance only. While we take care to ensure accuracy, you should always verify important information directly with the relevant government department before acting. Grant amounts, payment dates, fees, and procedures can change — official government websites are the authoritative source.
CitizenHelp does not process grant applications, does not have access to your SASSA, NSFAS, or SARS records, and cannot intervene in government processes on your behalf. For application help, appeals, or account issues, you must contact the relevant government department directly.
How CitizenHelp Is Funded
CitizenHelp is funded through advertising, including display advertising served by Google AdSense. Advertising revenue allows us to maintain and update the site and keep all guides free for users. We do not charge for access and do not sell user data.
Corrections and Feedback
If you notice an error in any of our guides, or if a government process has changed and our guide is out of date, please let us know via our Contact page. We take accuracy seriously and will correct errors promptly.
If there is a government service or process that you would like us to write a guide for, we welcome suggestions. Use the contact form and select “Request a new guide” as the subject.
Contact Us
To get in touch with CitizenHelp, visit our Contact page. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 2 business days.