Government pledges to prioritise hunger-alleviating programmes during prolonged lockdown

Following a declaration by president Cyril Ramaphosa during a televised address to the nation on Sunday night, the minister responsible for the proclamation of social relief Covid-19 lockdown programmes said the livelihoods of people were crippled by the lockdown due to closure of economic sectors which led to job losses plunging many families in poverty.

Minister Lindiwe Zulu said the people of South Africa were faced with two crises; that of Covid-19 and hunger.

She said the government was looking at strengthening its social relief programmes such as food distribution and the unemployment grants.

“We will do what is expected of us in providing relief to our people. Poverty and hunger are on the increase.

“In response to this, we are looking at hunger hotspots using data from StatsSA and other experts so we can cater to these communities.

“We understand the challenges of hunger and we will do what we can to assist.”

Zulu said the department was currently negotiating with the Solidarity Fund to increase the initial R20 million funding to cater for many who have applied for food and grant reliefs.

She said her department would also ensure food parcels would reach the right hands.

“South Africa has the food – but we need to focus on the distribution.”

She said her department’s responsibility needed to align itself with the current needs of the people.

On the unemployment grant fund, Zulu said the department received more than 7.5 million applications.

“Of this number, a total of over four million have been approved with a total of two million declined due to being found to be receiving funding.

“I have instructed SASSA to review all declined applications after I noticed the high number of rejections, particularly those that were declined due to their details appearing on the UIF database. Applicants can now direct their appeals for review to: covid19srdappeals@sassa.gov.za.,” she said.

“I can confirm that over three million of the approved applications were paid as of 12 July 2020. We have so far disbursed over R1-billion.”

Zulu said the payment of the grant would include “holders of special permits under the special Angolan dispensation, the Lesotho exemption permit dispensation and the Zimbabwean exemption permit dispensation, and asylum seekers whose section 22 permits or visas are valid or were valid on 15 March 2020.”

She said this would cost the department R689-million.

On the management of disability grants application approval which had been halted during the lockdown, Zulu said SASSA contracted 465 doctors in all the provinces who were assisting with assessments of applicants.

“I am considering a further extension to the period for which temporary disability grants will be paid to address the concerns of a very vulnerable sector of our society.”

She said delays in the pay-outs were due to system development and reassessing the information to ensure the right people got the grant by the department.

She said the department was monitoring incidents of women abuse at their homes and was working with community-based organisations in curbing this scourge.

Regarding the phased reopening of early childhood development (ECD) centres and partial care facilities, Zulu said the department was supporting the reopening and would assist centres to adhere to the Covid-19 regulations.

Zulu urged the public to play their part in ensuring the curb the spread of the virus.

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