Question NW2222 to the Minister of Social Development

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05 August 2022 - NW2222

Profile picture: Arries, Ms LH

Arries, Ms LH to ask the Minister of Social Development

What measures of intervention will her department take to accommodate the more then 500 000 people that will be excluded from the Social Relief of Distress Grant due to budget constraints?

Reply:

For the 2022/23 financial year, SASSA has been allocated a budget that can accommodate approximately 10.5 million COVID-19 SRD eligible applicants, which is slightly less than the previous iterations of the SRD Grant. It is also important to note that the National Treasury has made additional budget allocation to various government departments to create the much-needed job opportunities.

Currently, SASSA is in the process of establishing a data sharing relationship with the Departments of Public Works and Infrastructure and Employment and Labour with the goal of assisting COVID-19 SRD recipients gain access to employment opportunities. Furthermore, the Department has finalised a framework on linking social protection beneficiaries to sustainable livelihoods initiatives, with the view to provide skills targeting the unemployed and those on the SRD database to enhance chances of employment.

These initiatives are complemented by sustainable livelihoods programme that empowers vulnerable individuals, with particular focus on youth and women who are disproportionately affected by unemployment. Through this programme, the Department and its entities, working development agencies, provides skills development project that have a potential to generate income and create employment opportunities. These measures are intended to provide for those who cannot be accommodated through the social grants or the Special COVID-19 SRD Grant and to channel them into more sustainable jobs and other economic activities.

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