Question NW1496 to the Minister of Social Development
19 August 2020 - NW1496
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Social Development
(1)Whether, since the Minister of Finance, Mr T Mboweni, tabled the Special Adjustments Budget on 24 June 2020, she has found that the SA Social Security Agency (SASSA) is confident that it will be able to pay all 3,2 million approved applicants, including qualifying asylum-seekers, from the new revised budget that was provided to her department; (2) what total number of (a) asylum-seekers and/or (b) foreign nationals will receive the R350 grant from SASSA?
Reply:
1. Yes, the funding is adequate for the 3,2 million beneficiaries referred to. However, it should be noted that the number of approved applications now stand at 4 424 720. The budget is adequate to cover these and the projected number of asylum seekers and special permit holders who are expected to apply. Should these numbers increase in line with projections done by SASSA, the funds allocated will not be sufficient.
2. It’s not possible to predict exactly how many foreign nationals will receive the grant. We do however know that in the country there are:
(a) 173 036 refugees, of which 2 288 have been approved as at 15 July 2020; and
(b) 188 296 asylum seekers,
(c) 178 615 Special Permit Holders from Zimbabwe,
(d) 25 382 Special Permit Holders from Lesotho,
(e) 1 686 Special Permit Holders from Angola;
who may qualify for the Special Covid SRD if they meet the other qualifying criteria.
In addition, the special relief grant has been approved for 115 670 permanent residents in South Africa (non- South African citizens who hold permanent residence status).