There have calls from various quarters for the SASSA SRD R350 grant to be extended. This has become necessary looking at the general public outcry and the unemployment rate in the country.
One of the group leading this call is the Black Sash, a non-profit organization that seeks to promote basic human and social rights for the people.
Indeed, Black Sash and other groups met the president before the State of the Nation Address for 2022 and the president agreed and has now extended the SASSA SRD R350 relief grant for additional 12 months ending March 2023.
Although the group was asking extension and upward review and eventually making the relief grant as basic income grant (support) and become permanent, the only request that was met was the extension.
They are still fighting for the introduction of basic income grant for South Africans aged 19 to 59 who are unemployed or underemployed.
According to them, every South African deserves a decent life and the only to guarantee that is to offer those in the poverty bracket is to offer lifeline financial support.
Black Sash And Others have welcomed the extension alright but they say they will continue to engage with the government and even subsequent government to consider a proposal for the Basic Income Grant as a basic social right.
They are calling on all concerned citizens to add their voices to this important call as the introduction of the Basic Income Grant will help reduce abject poverty and reduce crime drastically.
Unemployment has been a major issue for civil strife and domestic violence by many research and looking at the current unemployment rate, it has become increasingly urgent for successive government to find better way to cope and address this menace.
Although it has to be acknowledged that the government of South Africa have over the years supporting the citizens with this social grants for extreme age groups (below 18 and above 60 years) and other groups such as disability.
But one age group that has suffered a lot is those in the 18-35 age group because they are usually beyond the age group employers are looking for.
According to a report filed by the Bloomberg, the President advisors on basic income grant says it is currently not feasible referring to it as “error”