Latest news with #AlexandraAbrahams
The South African
18 hours ago
- Business
- The South African
Back to drawing board for 2026 revised SASSA SRD grant
Parliament sent back the revised SASSA SRD grant to the Department of Social Development this week. It's touted to become a Basic Income Grant for the unemployed in 2026. However, the working group wants to see urgent changes before it is approved. As such, a draft policy for the revised SASSA SRD grant was initiated with the committee for Social Protection, Community and Human Development back in November 2024. However, the committee sent it back to the DSD on Wednesday this week, citing 'affordability and economic opportunities for beneficiaries.' The none-permanent COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant has been extended every year since 2020. Image: File Before the new-look stipend is approved, it must survive various engagements. Like with the Office of the Presidency, National Treasury and Department of Employment and Labour. The South African Social Security Agency believes this will be concluded within a few months. From there a draft will be published for public comment. Policymakers from the DSD were told to 'better integrate pathways from income support to employment.' Currently, the grant pays out R370 each month to roughly 9-million beneficiaries living below the poverty line. However, the committee wants to see it become better 'aligned with broader economic objectives,' like jobs … South Africa's unemployment rate has only been increasing in the last decade, forcing many to exist in the informal sector. Image: File Essentially, the 2026 Basic Income Grant will be for those without jobs, but not to the point of creating long-term dependency on the grant. Therefore, the DSD and SASSA have to improve their data systems and align government programmes to make it work efficiently. Government is concerned that if and when they make the grant permanent, it must be budgeted for every year to remain viable (unlike the current R370 SRD which isn't permanent). While the department sets to work 'tightening' the revised SASSA SRD grant, it has requested that the National Treasury extend SRD for two more years. However, the Treasury has only approved the continuation of the current SRD grant until March 2026. There's simply not enough taxpayer money to ensure everyone who applies for a SASSA grant will be approved for one. Image: File In response to yet another delay to the revised SASSA SRD grant, many MPs were scathing of the DSD's work. The EFF's Noluvuyo Tafeni noted the policy has been in development for over two decades and was still not ready. Likewise, the DA's Alexandra Abrahams questioned whether the revised SASSA SRD grant policy would ever see the light of day. Finally, the MK's Nhlanhla Gcwabaza argued that SASSA should work to help people exit the grant system, not make them dependent on it … Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
24-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
SARB must explain chaotic Postbank/SASSA card switch process to Parliament
The DA will request that SARB appear before the parliamentary portfolio committee on social development to explain its perspective on the chaos of switching the gold cards to Postbank black cards. While the DA welcomes the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) 's instruction to Postbank that the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) gold cards remain active, we will request that SARB appear before the parliamentary portfolio committee on social development to explain its perspective on the chaos of switching the gold cards to Postbank black cards. We believe that the instruction that Postbank must honour transactions made with SASSA gold cards will be a source of comfort for SASSA grant beneficiaries who have been unable to switch, but the constant change of deadlines, the general chaos that have marked the process, and now the suspension of issuing Postbank black cards remain a source of worry for beneficiaries and the DA. Beneficiaries have spent many hours and limited funds trying to switch their SASSA gold cards to Postbank black cards, often going home empty-handed, especially during the early days of the switch. To now have to contend with yet another change in process is unreasonable. While the DA does not hold SARB responsible for the chaos, we believe that South Africans will benefit from the Reserve Bank's view on the situation. A briefing by SARB will also further empower Parliament to hold Postbank and SASSA to account. The DA also commends our local councillors for supporting SASSA grant beneficiaries by availing community halls, inviting banks, and empowering residents to choose their service provider. We encourage SASSA grant recipients to open accounts with reputable banks in which to receive their monthly grants. Alexandra Abrahams MP I DA Deputy Spokesperson on Social Development
