The institute warned that current amounts fall well below the national poverty line and fail to meet even the most basic nutritional needs of recipients.

Statistics SA estimates that a person requires at least R800 ($44) per month to afford basic daily nutrition. Yet, SA’s most widely distributed grants fall significantly short of this threshold.

Siyanda Baduza, Basic Income Researcher at the IEJ, notes that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, currently R370 ($20), has declined in real value since it was introduced at R350 ($19) in 2020. “R370 is actually worth less in real terms today than it was five years ago,” said Baduza. The Child Support Grant, now at R560 ($30), is also far below the monthly cost of feeding a child, which is estimated by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group at around R968 (about $52).

The call from the IEJ comes as the cost of living continues to climb in SA, with inflation eating into household incomes and pushing many deeper into poverty. The institute argues that failing to raise grants undermines the constitutional right to social assistance and leaves millions without access to basic necessities like food and shelter.

The IEJ has also pointed out that raising grant values is not only a moral imperative, but an economic one, stimulating local economies and protecting the most vulnerable from further hardship.

--ChannelAfrica--