Follow

Keep Up to Date with the Most Important News

By pressing the Subscribe button, you confirm that you have read and are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

The Social Relief of Distress Grant: Not Much of a relief after all

Bearing in mind the fact that the food poverty line is R561 per person per month, the temporary CORONA GRANT is far below the amount of money needed by each South African citizen, when it comes to food alone, according to Statistics South Africa (STATS SA). However the question still remains, “Is the corona grant not a necessity that could be provided for the unemployed?”

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that unemployed South Africans who have never been employed will receive a monthly grant of  R350 for the next six months – the first benefit of its kind in the country, also stating that some ten million South Africans could be entitled to the grant effectively starting early in May. However arguments still fly across societies as well as on social platforms concerning the amount not being enough to the prevention of hunger in the country.

Calculations of the distress grant are simplified as a tenth of the national minimum wage which, in the 1st of January 2019, came into effect being R3,500.

Similar to many other countries, South Africa has already introduced a supportive dynamism to fortify the economy through the lockdown and the economic paralysis instigated by the corona virus, the country having launched various tax breaks, as well as a special Covid-19 payout via the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). This, regardless of the R350 Corona grant, is catered for unemployment benefit recipients.

South Africa has joined along with the flock that practice a cash payout, but at a lower level. Over the period of six months, in total, unemployed recipients will receive R2,100.

 

Keep Up to Date with the Most Important News

By pressing the Subscribe button, you confirm that you have read and are agreeing to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use