South Africans have voiced their concerns about the looming deadline of the Sassa SRD grant in March next year. They say want it to be extended as some of them have no other source of income for their bare necessities. Advertisement
South Africans who rely on the Sassa Social Relief of Grant have grown concerned that the government did not announce the extension of the SRD grant beyond March next year.
During his mid-term budget statement on Thursday last week, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said that he cannot confirm the extension of the Social Relief of Distress grant.
He also pointed out that 9.5 million people from the grant benefited, totalling more recipients than other existing social security grants.
Among these SRD grant beneficiaries is Mitchells Plain resident Coliene Adams, who says that she wants to quit her life of selling drugs. She adds that as a single parent, the grant has been resourceful for purchasing essential food products.
58-year-old Gloria Bikitsha says that her R350 only affords the most basic items such as samp, rice and other small items but not enough for meat. Rushda Shwartz from Michelle Splain also says that she has no other source of income.
We had a small shop that we were surviving on, but when you have no other source of income-you start using the shop’s money until it runs down.
Although R350 may not seem like much to some people, those who rely on it for their daily necessities are pleading with the government to extend it beyond March 2022.
As it stands, more than 27 million South Africans are dependent on Sassa social grants and the minister has said that it will take high levels of economic growth to overcome its current economic challenges.
The Finance Minister also stated that any further details relating to the government’s social security interventions will be provided in the February 2022 budget.