Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant – popularly known as the R350 grant – is expected to be raised to R370 from April this year.
The grant was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to cushion the blow of the lockdown for the poorest of the poor. About 9 million people now receive the grant at a cost to government of R33.6 billion.
This was announced by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
“I am pleased to say that we have found consensus that in between, subject to the finalisation of the comprehensive social security [programme], we’ll increase the R350 to R370 by the 1st of April this year. That is part of the progressive realisation of the basic rights of our people,” he said.
In the Budget Speech delivered in February, Godongwana had announced that social grants across the board are set to increase over the course of 2024.
The increases to be implemented during this year are as follows:
- An increase of R100 to the old age, war veterans, disability and care dependency grants. This amount will be divided into R90 effective from April, and R10 effective October;
- A R50 increase to the foster care grant; and
- A R20 increase to the child support grant.
“We are sensitive to the increase in the cost of living for the nearly 19 million South Africans who rely on these grants to make ends meet. In this regard, we have done as much as the fiscal envelope allows,” Godongwana said at the time.