Social relief of distress grant set to continue

FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana said on Thursday there was no intention to terminate the social relief of distress (SRD) grant.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

Godongwana said the grant is likely to be converted into some form of grant such as an employment Grant or Job-Seekers Grant.

“What I want to assure the House on that there is no intention or terminate the grant. Let’s clear that up front because there has been a lot of misinformation that we have an intention to terminate the grant. There is no intention,” he said during a question and answer session in the National Assembly.

Mmusi Maimane, the leader of Build One South Africa, had questioned whether it would be preferable to use the SRD grant as an incentive scheme for people to find employment rather than as a grant for people to stay at home in light of the recent court ruling in which the government acknowledged it was unaffordable, meaning that the relief was illegal.

In 2025/26 Budget, the social relief of distress grant has been extended until March 2025 at a cost of R33.6 billion. Godongwana has been reaffirming the position that there was a process in motion, which is the active labour market initiative.