Social Development Department Says Poverty Will Increase Without Covid 19 Grant, Mzansi Alarmed
- Poverty will rise in South Africa if the Covid-19 grant were to be discontinued, according to the Social Development Department
- The grant was introduced to help aid South Africans who are struggling with unemployment and it might be ended soon
- The South African government says that they do not have money to extend the grant and Mzansi reacted online
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Poverty rates in South Africa will spiral downwards if the Covid-19 grant comes to an end, according to the Social Development Department.
While many South Africans are in favour of the grant continuing until after the pandemic is over, government says they do not have the funds to extend the grant. Over four million people have received the grant since its inception and it has been helpful to some South Africans.
Source: Getty Images
The rollout process for the grant hasn't been smooth sailing and there are still two million people who are waiting for a response, according to a report by eNCA.
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Locals are still battling to make ends meet as they are still struggling to receive the grant. The Social Relief Department (SRD) stated last month that new applications will no longer be possible.
According to a report by GroundUp, there have been pleas for the grant to continue because the poverty rate is still very high. Take a look at the reactions from social media below:
@hshihlomule said:
"Nope, the grants are evidence that poverty exists, the grant doesn’t take away any poverty."
@Kylar99213669 commented:
"True, and crime will increase too."
@lydia_viljoen said:
"And no social distancing and masks, how will it end."
Briefly News previously reported that SASSA is reportedly working to resolve the delay in the R350 Covid-19 grant.
The Social Security Agency of South Africa (SASSA) has promised South Africans that the delay in the payment of temporary Covid-19 grants would be resolved before the end of April.
An average of six million South Africans did not receive their R350 temporary Covid-19 grant at the end of March. The R350 grant announced in 2020 sought to minimise the negative impact that the pandemic brought on unemployed people.
The grant was further extended to April after an announcement was made by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
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Source: Briefly News
