SASSA R350 Grant Starts
Published: 10th June [year]
After millions of individuals who depend on the handout went without compensation for two months, the government will start paying it again.
According to the Johannesburg-based Institute for Economic Justice, the government modified the requirements for the payments in April and prevented payment of the so-called Social Relief of Distress grant, or SASSA SRD grant, in April and May.
According to a statement released last week, the stipend's more than 10 million recipients have been impacted.
President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters at a meeting on Friday in Cape Town that "the grants will begin next week and the beneficiaries will get backpay for the months they were not paid out."
As a temporary solution to help those impacted by the coronavirus pandemic's aftereffects, the SASSA R350 grant was first disbursed in 2020.
It was reinstated in July of last year in the aftermath of violent rioting, looting, and arson, and it has since been extended until March 2023.
The ANC has praised its social security program as one of its biggest achievements in tackling poverty in one of the most unequal countries in the world.
More over 18 million individuals, or about a third of the population, received state assistance prior to the Covid-19 stipend.
According to the Black Sash, a Johannesburg-based advocacy group, one of the challenges to payments has been the South African Post Office's challenges in providing services to grant applicants.
Cash problems, personnel not being paid, and post office closures were among the issues the SAPO faced.
The Black Sash said that "safety and security at many SAPO branches have deteriorated drastically, posing a threat to grant beneficiaries, notably women, the elderly, and people with disabilities."
Due to SAPO's faltering funds, the security measures at the locations are insufficient.
The South African Social Security Agency's Paseka Letsatsi, Department of Social Development spokesperson Lumka Oliphant, and SAPO's Johan Kruger did not return calls or emails for comment.
In the current fiscal year, South Africa will spend 3.9 percent of its gross domestic product on welfare, mostly in the form of child support and pensions.
That comes to 248 billion rand, which is more than most nations.
