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SASSA Head Office
The North Gauteng High Court’s ruling ordering the government to remedy the defects in the regulations and change the design and administration of the SRD grant will go a long way to helping millions of households who depend on the grant for their livelihoods. That’s according to the Institute for Economic Justice and #PayTheGrants.
They say the court agreed that the measures that the government put in place sought to exclude many from accessing the grant.
The two organisations say beneficiaries will also benefit from an order that requires the government to put in place a plan to progressively improve the value of the grant.
The organisations that took government to court have appealed to the State not to contest the judgment.
The R350 SRD grant was introduced as a temporary provision of assistance for persons unable to meet their most basic needs during the COVID-19 period and has been renewed annually.
The current extension ends in two months unless government grants another extension. That’s amid calls for a Basic Income Grant by advocacy groups.
However, the Institute for Economic Justice and #PayTheGrants say this judgment has a far-reaching impact on many South Africans.
The two organisations say the ruling stands to directly benefit about 7.5 million people, who are currently receiving the grant, and about 11 million others who had been excluded.
Institute for Economic Justice’s Siyanda Baduza says, “It’s gonna make a big big difference to many South Africans. We have two groups basically – those who are already receiving the grant, which ranges at about 8 million, we know that as part of the ruling, the judge has instructed the government to develop a plan, for example, to deal with the value of the grant which hadn’t been adjusted and has been eroded by inflation. So, to them, an adjustment to this value would be a very positive thing. They will be able to buy more goods. But most importantly, there are millions of people who are excluded from the grant on the current basis. SASSA estimates that they provided a presentation to the portfolio committee and put the number at around 18 million people who could be eligible for this grant. It could mean that even more people are going to be able to access this support.”
#Pay TheGrants says the regulations put in place by SASSA sought to exclude many from the grant.
#Pay TheGrants’ Elizabeth Raiters says, “I think the ruling was very great, I think beneficiaries are very happy, but we can’t say for sure if the govt is going to implement these regulations, these new regulations that the court just found because of what SASSA did, the whole set up of the SRD was done to exclude beneficiaries instead of including, so they found all these regulations to exclude people from accessing those grants, but I think with this ruling from the judge if it does get implemented and the govt doesn’t appeal, I do think it will be very beneficial for the beneficiaries of as.”
The Social Development Department says it’s currently studying the judgment and will respond in due course.
