Advocacy Coalition calls for urgent approval of MSG

THE MSG Advocacy Coalition (a growing collective of NGOs and researchers) has called for a swift approval of a Maternal Support Grant (MSG).

- DIEKETSENG MALEKE [e-mail]

This comes after the coalition says the Department of Social Development's proposed Maternal Support Grant (MSG), a monthly cash transfer to pregnant women for nine months, would fill a critical gap in our country's social protection system that addresses the specific needs and vulnerabilities of expectant mothers, according to the MSG Advocacy Coalition.

The coalition is a collective of NGOs and researchers calling on the government to commit to a clear timeline for approval and implementation of an MSG policy.

The coalition says its case is set out in new policy proposals published by nonprofits, Hold My Hand, Change Ideas, and Grow Great.

According to the coalition, the proposals argue that the MSG is both affordable and cost-effective, with a net cost of around R2 billion annually, just 0.1% of current government expenditure.

It says that despite its potential, the policy has faced delays. "The MSG has been in the making for more than a decade, but the policymaking process was dealt a significant blow last year when a Cabinet subcommittee sent the draft MSG policy back to the Department of Social Development for further consideration, placing it in limbo," says Liezel Engelbrecht, nutrition lead for the Hold My Hand Accelerator, incubated by the DG Murray Trust (DGMT).