Black Sash, a human rights organisation, is unsatisfied with what Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, announced Wednesday afternoon during his budget speech. "The minister spoke to none of the demands," was the organisation's response.
Prior to the speech being made, Black Sash demanded the following:
- All Sassa grants should be increased according to the inflation rate
- The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant should be increased and made permanent for the unemployed aged 18-59
- The Child Support Grant should be increased to according to the Food Poverty Line of R663
- A well administered and transparent grant payment system by Post Bank
So what did the Minister announce? First, Godongwana announced that the SRD grant would run until March 2024 with R36 billion funding it for this period.
He also announced that the following Sassa grant increases would be made:
- Old Age grant will increase from R1,985 to R2,085
- Old Age grant (above 75 years old) and War Veterans grant will increase from R2,005 to R2,105
- Disability Grant will increase from R1,990 to R2,085
- Care Dependency grant will increase form R1,985 to R2,085,
- Foster Care grant will increase from R1,070 to R1,125
- Child Support Grant will increase from from R480 to R505
To this, Black Sash reacted:
The minimal increases to The Child Support Grant and Foster Care Grant are shocking and fail to address the lived reality and struggles faced by caregivers for children.
No increases were announced for the SRD grant, with Black Sash saying, "The Food Poverty Line is currently at R663, how then are unemployed people receiving The SRD Grant meant to live on a monthly R350. It is not even enough to buy a loaf of bread a day."
The organisation also noted that the funding allocation for the R350 grant has been decreased by 25% for 2023, "meaning less people accessing the grant".
Basic Income Grant
Another question many are asking, along with Black Sash, is when will the basic income grant be finalised and alternatively, when is the R350 grant going to be made permanent?
Godongwana mentioned this in this year's budget speech saying that government is still considering alternative options that can replace or complement the current R350 grant.
Black Sash responded, "The President referred to a targeted basic income grant in SONA, but the Minister of Finance failed to speak on how and when mechanisms for this kind of support will be implemented. Does this mean that the President was making empty promises?"
The organisation highlighted the inaccessibility to the SRD grant, due to the online application process and budgetary constraints and expressed disappointment as they say, many are being left out.
