/* SASSA Status Check — independent editorial theme v2
   Warm & friendly: teal + coral/amber. Deliberately NON-governmental. */
:root{
  --paper:#FBF7F0;
  --paper-2:#F4ECE0;
  --card:#FFFFFF;
  --ink:#22201C;
  --ink-soft:#5A554C;
  --teal:#1F7A86;
  --teal-dark:#155E68;
  --teal-tint:#E4F1F2;
  --coral:#EF6C55;
  --coral-dark:#D8523B;
  --coral-tint:#FCE9E4;
  --amber:#F2A63B;
  --amber-bg:#FCEFD6;
  --line:#E8DFD1;
  --rule:#DED4C4;
  --max:780px;
  --shadow:0 1px 2px rgba(34,32,28,.04),0 6px 18px rgba(34,32,28,.06);
  --shadow-lg:0 2px 4px rgba(34,32,28,.05),0 14px 40px rgba(31,122,134,.10);
}
*{box-sizing:border-box}
html{scroll-behavior:smooth}
body{
  margin:0;background:var(--paper);color:var(--ink);
  font-family:Inter,system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,sans-serif;
  font-size:18px;line-height:1.72;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;
}
a{color:var(--teal-dark);text-decoration:underline;text-underline-offset:2px;text-decoration-thickness:1.5px}
a:hover{color:var(--coral-dark)}
h1,h2,h3{font-family:Fraunces,Georgia,serif;line-height:1.18;letter-spacing:-.015em;color:var(--ink)}
h1{font-size:2.4rem;font-weight:600;margin:.1em 0 .35em}
h2{font-size:1.62rem;font-weight:600;margin:2em 0 .55em;position:relative;padding-left:.75rem}
h2::before{content:"";position:absolute;left:0;top:.18em;bottom:.18em;width:4px;
  border-radius:4px;background:linear-gradient(var(--coral),var(--amber))}
h3{font-size:1.2rem;font-weight:600;margin:1.5em 0 .4em;color:var(--teal-dark)}
p,ul,ol,table{margin:0 0 1.05em}
ul,ol{padding-left:1.3em}
li{margin:.32em 0}

/* Independence masthead — signature element */
.gov-strip{
  background:var(--ink);color:var(--paper);
  font-size:.82rem;letter-spacing:.015em;text-align:center;
  padding:.55rem 1rem;
}
.gov-strip strong{color:var(--amber)}
.gov-strip a{color:#fff;text-decoration:underline;font-weight:600}

header.site{
  background:rgba(251,247,240,.86);backdrop-filter:saturate(1.4) blur(8px);
  border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);position:sticky;top:0;z-index:20;
}
.wrap{max-width:var(--max);margin:0 auto;padding:0 24px}
.brand{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:.55rem;padding:1rem 0 .35rem}
.brand .mark{width:30px;height:30px;border-radius:9px;flex:none;
  background:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--teal),var(--teal-dark));
  display:grid;place-items:center;color:#fff;font-family:Fraunces,serif;
  font-weight:600;font-size:1rem;box-shadow:var(--shadow)}
.brand .logo{font-family:Fraunces,serif;font-weight:600;font-size:1.3rem;
  color:var(--ink);text-decoration:none;letter-spacing:-.02em}
.brand .tag{font-size:.76rem;color:var(--ink-soft);font-style:italic}
nav.main{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:.15rem;padding:.15rem 0 .85rem}
nav.main a{font-size:.86rem;color:var(--ink-soft);text-decoration:none;
  padding:.35rem .68rem;border-radius:8px;font-weight:500;transition:.15s}
nav.main a:hover{background:var(--teal-tint);color:var(--teal-dark)}
nav.main a[aria-current="page"]{background:var(--teal);color:#fff}

main{padding:1.5rem 0 2rem}
.eyebrow{font-size:.74rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.13em;
  color:var(--coral-dark);font-weight:700;margin-bottom:.35rem}
.lede{font-size:1.16rem;color:var(--ink-soft);line-height:1.62}

/* HERO — homepage */
.hero{
  background:
    radial-gradient(120% 120% at 100% 0%, var(--coral-tint) 0%, transparent 45%),
    radial-gradient(120% 120% at 0% 10%, var(--teal-tint) 0%, transparent 50%),
    var(--card);
  border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:22px;padding:2.1rem 2rem 1.9rem;
  margin:.4rem 0 1.6rem;box-shadow:var(--shadow-lg);position:relative;overflow:hidden;
}
.hero h1{margin-top:.15em}
.hero .lede{max-width:34rem}
.hero-cta{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:.7rem;margin-top:1.3rem}
.btn-primary{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:.4rem;
  background:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--teal),var(--teal-dark));color:#fff;
  text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;padding:.8rem 1.4rem;border-radius:12px;
  font-size:.98rem;box-shadow:var(--shadow);transition:.18s}
.btn-primary:hover{transform:translateY(-1px);color:#fff;box-shadow:var(--shadow-lg)}
.btn-ghost{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:.4rem;
  background:var(--card);color:var(--teal-dark);text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;
  padding:.8rem 1.3rem;border-radius:12px;font-size:.98rem;border:1.5px solid var(--line);transition:.15s}
.btn-ghost:hover{border-color:var(--teal);color:var(--teal-dark);background:var(--teal-tint)}

/* official portal callout — text link, NOT a form */
.official{
  border:1px solid var(--line);
  background:linear-gradient(180deg,var(--card),var(--paper-2));
  border-radius:16px;padding:1.2rem 1.35rem;margin:1.5rem 0;box-shadow:var(--shadow);
}
.official .lbl{display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:.4rem;
  font-size:.7rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.11em;
  color:var(--teal-dark);font-weight:700}
.official .lbl::before{content:"↗";font-size:.9rem}
.official .btn{display:inline-block;margin-top:.65rem;
  background:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--teal),var(--teal-dark));color:#fff;
  text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;padding:.72rem 1.25rem;border-radius:11px;
  font-size:.96rem;box-shadow:var(--shadow);transition:.18s}
.official .btn:hover{transform:translateY(-1px);color:#fff}
.official small{display:block;margin-top:.7rem;color:var(--ink-soft);font-size:.8rem}

.note{background:var(--amber-bg);border-left:4px solid var(--amber);
  padding:.85rem 1.1rem;border-radius:0 12px 12px 0;margin:1.3rem 0;font-size:.95rem}

table{width:100%;border-collapse:separate;border-spacing:0;font-size:.93rem;
  border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:14px;overflow:hidden;box-shadow:var(--shadow)}
th,td{border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);padding:.7rem .85rem;text-align:left;vertical-align:top}
tr:last-child td{border-bottom:0}
th{background:var(--teal-tint);font-family:Inter;font-weight:700;color:var(--teal-dark);
  border-bottom:1px solid var(--line)}
td+td,th+th{border-left:1px solid var(--line)}

/* TOC as a card */
.toc{background:var(--card);border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:16px;
  padding:1.1rem 1.35rem;margin:1.5rem 0;box-shadow:var(--shadow)}
.toc strong{font-size:.72rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.1em;color:var(--coral-dark);font-weight:700}
.toc ul{margin:.55rem 0 0;padding-left:1.1em;columns:2;font-size:.9rem}
.toc a{text-decoration:none}
.toc a:hover{text-decoration:underline}

.byline{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:.65rem;font-size:.85rem;
  color:var(--ink-soft);margin:.5rem 0 1.3rem;padding-bottom:1rem;border-bottom:1px solid var(--rule)}
.byline .av{width:36px;height:36px;border-radius:50%;flex:none;
  background:linear-gradient(135deg,var(--coral),var(--amber));
  color:#fff;display:grid;place-items:center;font-family:Fraunces,serif;font-weight:600;font-size:.85rem}

.faq h3{font-size:1.06rem;margin-top:1.15em;color:var(--ink)}

/* related / card grids */
.related{margin-top:2.2rem;padding-top:1.4rem;border-top:1px solid var(--line)}
.related h2{border:0;padding-left:.75rem;margin:.2em 0 .7em}
.cards{display:grid;grid-template-columns:repeat(auto-fill,minmax(210px,1fr));gap:.75rem}
.cards a{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:.55rem;padding:.9rem 1rem;
  background:var(--card);border-radius:13px;text-decoration:none;color:var(--ink);
  font-weight:600;font-size:.93rem;border:1px solid var(--line);box-shadow:var(--shadow);transition:.16s}
.cards a::before{content:"→";color:var(--coral);font-weight:700;transition:transform .16s}
.cards a:hover{border-color:var(--teal);color:var(--teal-dark);transform:translateY(-2px);box-shadow:var(--shadow-lg)}
.cards a:hover::before{transform:translateX(3px)}

footer.site{border-top:1px solid var(--line);
  background:linear-gradient(180deg,var(--paper-2),var(--paper));
  margin-top:2.6rem;padding:2rem 0;font-size:.86rem;color:var(--ink-soft)}
footer.site a{color:var(--ink-soft)}
footer.site a:hover{color:var(--coral-dark)}
footer .flinks{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:.4rem 1.1rem;margin:.7rem 0}
footer .disc{margin-top:.95rem;font-size:.8rem;line-height:1.62}

@media(max-width:600px){
  body{font-size:17px}
  h1{font-size:1.85rem}
  .hero{padding:1.5rem 1.3rem;border-radius:18px}
  .toc ul{columns:1}
  header.site{position:static}
}
@media(prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){html{scroll-behavior:auto}
  .btn-primary:hover,.cards a:hover{transform:none}}