UN-backed report urges increase to SASSA Child Support Grants
A new report backed by the UN urges an increase to SASSA Child Support Grants, otherwise it will dip below the food poverty line.
South Africa is in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and if government doesn’t implement an increase to SASSA Child Support Grants, it will dip below the food poverty line. These are the findings of a new report by the Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town, reports Ground Up.
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Even though SASSA grants enjoyed an increase on 1 October 2023, the UCT Children’s Institute believes the current amount of R510 per child per month is nowhere near enough. This report was commission by the National Department of Social Development and published released this week.
INCREASE TO SASSA CHILD SUPPORT GRANTS
According to the report’s findings, 13 million children receive the SASSA Child Support Grants. 7 million of these children live below the food poverty line of R663 per person per month. One third of children live in households where the adult and/or caregiver is unemployed.
Because of this, the report recommends a government increase to SASSA Child Support Grants. “The current grant is too small to protect the poorest children from hunger and malnutrition,” with 27% of all children under five affected, says the report.
ONLY INCREASING WITH INFLATION
The report then explores various outcomes if government does not increase the endowment sufficiently. If the grant only increases in line with inflation, then child poverty will in all likelihood increase.
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Government could be taken to court for failing in its constitutional duty to provide for children’s basic needs. An increase to match the food poverty line of R663 per person per month and child hunger and malnutrition would drop the number of endangered children markedly.
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It’s worth noting that the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child supports the proposed increase to SASSA Child Support Grants.
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