More than 716,000 tertiary graduates applied for R350 grant in January

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) received more than 13.5-million applications for the social relief of distress (SRD) grant as of the end of January, and more than 716,000 graduates applied.

Social development minister Lindiwe Zulu revealed the figures during a parliamentary portfolio committee meeting this week.

Zulu said between 7.4-million and 7.8-million applications were approved every month.

“All our assessments and payments are up to date and running smoothly from one month to the next.

“As far as payments are concerned, about 95% of approved applicants were paid for the early months. This coverage dropped to about 90% in August 2022. We experienced a further drop to 85% in more recent months,” she said.

According to the department, most people applying for the SRD grant were youths between the ages of 18 and 35 years.

It said 921,154 applications were made by applicants with no schooling, 1,063,718 with primary school education, 5,296,937 with grade 10 and 5,476,511 with grade 12. A total of 716,200 tertiary graduates applied for the grant.

During his recent state of the nation address, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced government would continue the R350 grant payment to assist the poor.

“We will ensure existing social grants are increased to cushion the poor against rising inflation. This will be set out in the budget by the minister of finance,” he said.

“Work is under way to develop a mechanism for targeted basic income support for the most vulnerable within our fiscal constraints. This will build on the innovation we have introduced through the SRD grant, including linking the data we have across government to make sure we reach all those in need.

“National Treasury is considering the feasibility of urgent measures to mitigate the impact of load-shedding on food prices.”

Ramaphosa said the rising cost of living is deepening poverty and inequality.

“Millions of South Africans are unable to provide for themselves and their families. It is the job of the state to provide a minimum level of protection below which no South African will fall.

“There are more than 25-million people who receive some form of income support and about 2-million indigent households receive free basic water, free basic electricity and free solid waste removal,” he said.

The president said about 60% of government’s budget is spent on “the social wage” by providing forms of support, basic services and assistance to households and individuals to combat poverty and hunger.

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