Will the SASSA R350 grant be extended further than it’s end in October? Well, this is a question many have been asking and something that many others have been asking for. Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, has spoken it.
Zulu seemed to be optimistic but careful to not say much before it’s finalised on this. There now is a chance that the SRD grant will be turned into a Basic Income Grant and continue making payments to vulnerable South Africans.
All those who applied for the grant and who sent in appeals and had it approved will receive all their payments before the end of October, said the Minister.
This R350 grant has been sought out by many in the country due to the effects of lockdown and the demand grows. Surely, as we still observe somewhat of a lockdown and people’s lives are still not back to normal, this money will still be needed.
It seems that the grant will be extended as Minister Zulu said, “People on the R350 grant will still receive their money, even though the grant is ending. Those owed payments will still be paid, that’s what we have budgeted for. We won’t accept new applications, but we will extend this scheme for those who have already received payment”.
“We will extend on the basis of payment on those that have applied so nobody must apply now and think that they’re going to be paid thereafter,” explained the Minister.
Zulu says they have budgeted to pay all those who apply and are approved before the grant comes to an end.
On the SRD grant switching to a Basic Income Grant, Zulu has said that it could be very expensive and that they are, ” looking at more sustainable support in the future. The ANC has formed a team of experts to look at this. South Africa has the capacity to ensure more can be done. There is strong support for a basic income grant to replace the R350 grant, but the policy has to be accepted and implemented through the proper channels.”
Should the Basic Income Grant be introduced, it would be for individuals between the ages of 18 and 59 who as Zulu says, “tend to fall between social grants”.
“I’m excited about this, but we also have financial constraints. We’re all agreed upon it, but we must consider the financial difficulties too,” said the Minister.
The more you understand yourself, the more silence there is, the healthier you are. —Maxime Lagacé
