Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu has proposed that those who earn R624 per month or less must receive the R350 social relief of distress grant.
The minister expressed this in a government gazette published on Monday.
The sum of R624 per month has been set as the national poverty line by Stats SA.
Zulu’s latest move follows criticism against the government for revising the qualification criteria after it ended the national state of disaster in April.
Before the government revised the criteria to qualify for the R350 social relief of distress grant, those who earned R595,00 or less were eligible to receive the grant.
Regulations implemented in April reduced this figure to R350, resulting in less people qualifying.
Civil society organizations including the Social Policy Initiative and the Black Sash criticized the government for this, saying it excluded millions of people living under the poverty line.
The public has been invited to make written submissions on Zulu’s proposal to the social development until 29 July 2022.
-EWN
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