Survey Says Over 23% of SA Households Depend on Grants for Income, Mzansi Says the Country Will Not Thrive

• A recent survey reveals that many South African households depend on social grants
• Provinces such as the Eastern Cape, Free State and Limpopo have households that are more reliant on grants than salaries
• South Africans believe the government wants to keep people poor by making them dependent on social grants

JOHANNESBURG - With South Africa's economy struggling and poverty still rife, a new survey shows many citizens are dependent on social grants.

South Africans depend on social grants for income

Stats SA released the latest General Household Survey for 2022, which shows that social grants are the second-highest source of income for 50.2% of households in South Africa.

The survey indicates that 23.5%, or roughly one-quarter of all households, rely on grants.

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The highest source of income for SA households is salaries, sitting at 59.7%, reports BusinessTech. The survey notes that the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and the Free State rely more on social grants than salaries.

More South Africans became beneficiaries of social grants with the introduction of the Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRD). The numbers went from 30.9% in 2019 to 37.0% in 2022.

South Africa's unemployment rate drops

On Tuesday, 15 August, Stats SA released the second Quarter Labour Force Survey, which shows that the unemployment rate slightly dropped by 0.3% to 32.6%.

The survey showed that 154 000 people were able to find jobs in the last quarter, reports EWN. While this might sound like good news, FNB senior economist Thanda Sithole says it is nothing to celebrate.

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Sithole says South Africa still needs to see more employment gains to handle the country's growing population entering the workforce.

Sithole also mentioned that the country has shown resilience in economic growth because the unemployment rate is almost at the pre-pandemic level, but more work needs to be done.

Mzansi weighs in on the Stats SA survey

Bafo Ngalo said:

"You can complain all you like about grants, but for me, they are 100% better than tenders. At least we know where that money is going. With tenders, it's just darkness. So if politicians eat, let the people eat too. No matter how small. That's my opinion!"

Simbongile James said:

"This is not the way to build a great nation, grants will not make this country great ever."

Ndibongo Njabulo said:

"Anything that gets more people more dependent on the government is a win for the government. I don't see the point of this post as such..."

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Carel Potgieter said:

"Out of 60 million citizens in South Africa, more than 20 million are receiving some form of a grant from taxpayers, but the corrupt ANC is spreading lies that they are paying it instead of the normal South African taxpayer!"

Zabo Bouza said:

"The one who feeds is the one who controls! This was the main plan from the beginning!"

Retshidisitsoe E. Sekabate said:

"Nothing new, that has been the main idea from the start, keep the masses poor and dependent on grants so they are easier to control."

DA vows to keep distributing social grants if elected

Briefly News previously reported that the Democratic Alliance has already started electioneering for the 2024 national elections and promises that social grants will be safe under its rule.

The main opposition party's acting policy head, Mathew Cuthbert, blames the widespread belief that the DA will do away with the social welfare system on the ANC.

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Cuthbert slams the notion as "absolute nonsense", reiterating that the party believes the social grant system is essential to protecting the poor from unemployment and economic instability.

Source: Briefly News