Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has announced on Thursday in the National Assembly that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, commonly referred to as the R350 grant, will see an increase to R370 from April this year.

The R350 grant was introduced in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic as a temporary measure. The grant has received a R20 increase for the first time since its introduction.

President Cyril Ramaphosa vowed to improve the SRD grant in this year’s State of the Nation Address.

In his speech, Ramaphosa described the grant was an “investment” and said the social assistance was much needed.

“We have seen the benefits of this grant and will extend it and improve it as the next step towards income support for the unemployed.

“These grants and subsidies do much more than give people what they need to live. They are an investment in the future,” he said at the time.

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said recently that work on a basic income grant was still ongoing.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Thursday, Minister Godongwana stated: "I am pleased to say that we have found consensus to increase the R350 to R370 by the 1st of April this year, as part of the progressive realisation of the basic rights of our people."

This move follows the minister's earlier announcement during the Budget Speech in February, wherein he outlined a series of increases across various social grants throughout 2024.

The SRD grant is not the only grant that will receive an increase. The planned increases for this year include:

– A R100 raise to old age, war veterans, disability, and care dependency grants, with R90 to take effect in April and an additional R10 in October.

– A R50 increment to the foster care grant.

– A R20 boost to the child support grant.

More than 19 million grant beneficiaries are expected to benefit from the increases.

IOL News