The social relief of distress grant will increase by R20 or 5.7% from 1 April, the Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana announced in Parliament on Wednesday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa promised in his February State of the Nation speech that the government would “extend and improve” the grant, which has stood at R350 a month since it was introduced in May 2020. However, no increase was announced in the Budget in February.
The grant was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to cushion the blow of the lockdown for the poorest of the poor. Since then, it has been extended and the criteria for qualification tightened to include only those who have no income at all. About 9 million people now receive the grant at a cost to government of R33.6 billion.
The ANC government has committed to making provision for a permanent basic income grant at some point in the future.
About 26 million people in SA receive social grants at a total cost of R266 billion a year.
From 1 April, the old age grant will increase by R90 with another small increase in October of R10 to R2 185; the child support grant will increase by R25 to R530; and the disability grant by R100 to R2 815.
