Payments delayed by means testing processes By Marecia Damons Payments for the new cycle of the Covid R350-a-month grant will be made from mid-June, according to deputy director-general of the Department of Social Development Brenda Sibeko. The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, introduced in May 2020, was due to come to an end in March 2022 but was extended in February this year to...

Social protection provides a lifeline but it’s not enough, say researchers By Marecia Damons The Black Sash has called on the government to set up a task team to work out how to increase the R350-a-month Covid Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to the food poverty line of R624. Speaking at the launch of a research report on social protection, Black Sash national director...

The agency says it’s waiting for Department of Social Development to finalise amended regulations By Marecia Damons SASSA will not be processing new R350 Covid Grant applications until the relevant regulations have been amended. The grant was introduced and distributed under the Disaster Management Act to provide relief to poor people and those left vulnerable due to the Covid pandemic. It...

The short answer "Voluntary donations" at no-fee schools are encouraged but not compulsory. The whole question Dear Athalie My child's school is charging R300 per learner for the security of the school. This is a no-fee school. Are they allowed to charge us for this? The long answer The South African Schools Act states that no public school in any quintile may charge any registration,...

Legal Resources Centre says municipality has failed to comply with September court order on waste management By Loyiso Dyongman The Legal Resources Centre (LRC) in Makhanda has given the Makana Municipality until Friday 18 February to comply with a high court order of September last year to clean up all unofficial dumpsites in Makhanda - or face more court action. Makhanda residents (represented...

Protesters march on National Treasury after budget last week By Mosima Rafapa About 80 people marched to the offices of the National Treasury in Pretoria on Thursday, protesting against the budget announcements last week and calling for a Basic Income Grant, an increase in the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress grant and its extension beyond March 2022. The march was led by activists...

Protesters speak of ignorance and bigotry from clinic staff By Mosima Rafapa The TAC convened a demonstration march to the Union Buildings on Monday against corruption in the health system and failing public health facilities. The TAC says most facilities “are in shambles”. Protesters also spoke about clinics failing women seeking abortions and contraception. More than 200 people marched from Loftus stadium...

SASSA says only 8 million of the 13 million people who applied for the R350 grant were approved By Masego Mafata About 20 activists picketed outside the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) offices in Pretoria on Thursday, demanding fixes to flaws that they have identified in the R350 Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant application system. Many of the activists, affiliated...

Minister Motshekga and eight provincial education MECs in contempt of court, says NGO By Tania Broughton Millions of children depend on the national school feeding scheme for a daily meal, but a significant number of them are not getting fed. Last year, the court ordered the education authorities to develop practical plans to rectify this situation and to report back to...

“It is untenable that the poorest and most vulnerable children should have to foot the bill for budget reallocations” says Katharine Hall By Liezl Human Children’s Institute is asking Parliament to increase the Child Support Grant by at least R10 in October. The organisation says the current grant amount of R460 is too little to cover the cost of minimum basic...