The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has asked recipients who have not received their R350 Covid-19 relief grant payment for May to wait a little longer.

This comes after frustrated recipients questioned why the agency issued a payment schedule for its other grants in June, instead of first addressing the burning issue of payments for this month.

The R350 social relief grant is meant for unemployed citizens and qualifying foreign citizens during the lockdown.

Addressing the issue, Sassa told those who have not received payments that they may have to wait a little longer.

This week Sassa apologised after only 10 people were paid the R350 relief grant.

Sassa spokesperson Paseka Letsatsi said Sassa CEO Totsie Memela extended an "unreserved apology to those inconvenienced by the slower than expected process". Letsatsi said that the 10 people were used "to test the efficacy of the payment mechanism".

"These delays proved to be worth it, given the number of applicants that could be excluded during the process as they are either in receipt of social grants or UIF, two factors which expressly disqualify applicants from receiving this grant," he said.