South Africa‘s President, Cyril Ramaphosa has announced plans to provide a special COVID-19 social relief or distressed grant to assist unemployed citizens affected by the pandemic for the next six months.
“Child support grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R300 in May and from June to October they will receive an additional R500 each month. All other grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R250 per month for the next six months.
“In addition, a special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant of R350 a month for the next six months will be paid to individuals who are currently unemployed and do not receive any other form of social grant or UIF payment.
“The Department of Social Development will issue the requirements needed to access and apply for this funding. We have recognised that the food distribution capacity of government is not adequate to meet the huge need that has arisen since the start of the epidemic.
“The South African Social Security Agency – SASSA – will within days implement a technology-based solution to roll out food assistance at scale through vouchers and cash transfers to ensure that help reaches those who need it faster and more efficiently.
“In addition, to fill the immediate need, the Department of Social Development has partnered with the Solidarity Fund, NGOs and community-based organisations to distribute 250,000 food parcels across the country over the next two weeks,” the president said.
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