Government must extend the Covid-19 SRD Grant!

The Black Sash, #PayTheGrants, Katekani Community Project, Barona Child Care and Support Centre and REHECAPRO will on Thursday 22 April 2021, picket and handover an Open Letter to the Department of Social Development and SASSA to request an urgent meeting. This Open Letter is endorsed by 86 civil society organisations. A further 180 organisations and individuals have endorsed the #PayTheGrants campaign.

We want to discuss our demand for the COVID-19 SRD grant to be extended until a legislative and policy framework, with a secured budget, is in place for the implementation of a Basic Income Grant. The grant remains a lifeline for almost seven million recipients and their dependents. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, the high rate of unemployment and inequality as well as food insecurity and escalating food prices we call for the:

  • Extension of the COVID-19 SRD Grant until government provides permanent social assistance for those between 18 and 59 years with no to little income
  • Eligibility of recipients of the Child Support Grant (CSG), 95% of whom are women, to receive the COVID-19 SRD Grant
  • Increase of the COVID-19 SRD Grant to at least the Food Poverty Line, currently R585
  • Expansion of the eligibility criteria and addressing administrative inefficiencies including the appeals process and the use of outdated verification databases
  • A more effective communication strategy with applicants and recipients
  • Urgent implementation of the long overdue Basic Income Guarantee for those aged 18 to 59 years with no to little income, which must be progressively increased to match at the very least the Upper-Bound Poverty Line, currently R1,268.

Picket and handover details:

National Department of Social Development

ADDRESS: HSRC Building, 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria

TIME: 10h00

SASSA Head Office

ADDRESS: 501 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, Pretoria

TIME: 11h00

As part of this campaign, Amandla.mobi has launched a petition calling for the extension and increase of the COVID-19 SRD grant. We encourage all to sign and share this petition in support of the millions of people who stand to lose this grant if terminated.

FOR FURTHER COMMENTS AND MEDIA INQUIRIES

Black Sash: media@blacksash.org.za m