"Alternative income source identified" - what it really means

Updated on 30 April 2026

If your SASSA SRD status shows "Alternative income source identified" (sometimes shortened to "Income detected" or "Alternative income source"), SASSA's automated check found a deposit of more than R624 on your bank records for the month they were assessing. The R624 figure is the SRD income threshold, derived from the food poverty line.

The biggest source of frustration with this decline reason is that SASSA does not distinguish between actual income and other deposits. Any of the following can trigger it:

• Your salary or wages, even if you only earned for part of the month.
• Freelance, contract, or piece-work payments.
• Money your family or friends transferred into your account, even as a once-off.
• A refund, insurance payout, or stokvel payout.
• Money belonging to someone else that you held briefly (e.g. you received it and forwarded it the same day).
• Reversed transactions or amounts that came in and went out.

What is the SRD income threshold?

The current SRD eligibility threshold is R624 per month. If any single bank deposit or the total of deposits exceeds R624 in the month being assessed, SASSA's system will flag you as having an alternative income source for that month. The threshold is reassessed each month - so being declined for one month does not mean you are declined for the next.

How to appeal "alternative income source"

You have 90 days from the decline to appeal. The appeal goes to the Independent Tribunal for Social Assistance Appeals (ITSAA), not SASSA itself.

1. Open srd.sassa.gov.za/appeals.
2. Enter your 13-digit ID number and your registered cellphone number, then verify with the OTP.
3. Select the specific declined month you want to appeal. You can appeal multiple months separately.
4. State a clear, specific reason. For example:

   "I was declined for [Month] for 'alternative income source'. The R900 deposit on the [date] is not my income - it is money my brother sent for groceries which I withdrew the same day. I am unemployed and have no other income for that month. Bank statements attached."

5. Upload bank statements covering the assessed month. Highlight the disputed deposit and add a short note explaining what it was.
6. Submit and save your appeal reference number.

What proof works for the appeal

• Bank statements showing the disputed deposit and the matching outflow (if you forwarded the money).
• Short letter or affidavit from the person who sent you money stating it was not income (helpful for family transfers).
• Proof of refund or reversal if the deposit was a returned payment.
• Stokvel or burial society letter for stokvel payouts that are not earned income.
• Affidavit confirming unemployment for that month, signed at any SAPS station or commissioner of oaths.

What does not work

• "I'm broke" without proof - you need bank statements and a specific explanation per deposit.
• Old bank statements - SASSA wants the statement covering the exact month of the decline.
• Unsigned letters - any supporting letter must be signed and dated.
• Deposits over R624 that were actually income - if you genuinely had income above the threshold, the decline was correct. You can qualify again the next month if your income drops.

How to avoid this in future months

• If family or friends help you, ask them to give cash or buy items directly rather than transferring into your account.
• If you do receive a transfer, withdraw the same amount the same day and keep the bank statement showing the matched in-and-out.
• Keep clean bank statements - one bank account in your own name, used only for SRD-related activity, makes appeals much easier.
• Do not deposit cash unnecessarily into your account. If a deposit shows up that you cannot easily explain, SASSA will treat it as income.

Timeline

• Day 1: Submit appeal, get reference.
• Days 1-30: ITSAA queues the case.
• Days 30-90: Detailed review.
• If successful: Back-payment within 1-2 payment cycles.

For all SASSA timelines (banking change, phone change, reapplication, etc.), see how long does each SASSA step take?

FAQ

What does "alternative income source identified" mean?

SASSA's automated check found a deposit of more than R624 on your bank records for the month being assessed. They treat that as income and decline that month.

What is the SRD income threshold?

R624 per month. The grant is for people earning at or below this amount.

Can I appeal even if the deposit was not income?

Yes. Submit bank statements with a clear explanation. Family transfers, refunds, money you held briefly for someone else - all of these are appealable. ITSAA reviews and overturns the decline if the evidence supports it.

How long does the appeal take?

Typically 60 to 90 days. Successful appeals lead to back-payment within 1-2 payment cycles.

What if I genuinely earned over R624?

Then the decline was correct for that month. You do not have to do anything - you can qualify again the next month if your income drops below the threshold.

Related SASSA pages

• All SRD declined reasons
• SRD declined - main guide
• SRD appeals - step by step
• How long does each SASSA step take?
• Check your SRD status