‘Child grant increase makes a difference’
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced an increase in the grant paid to the elderly as well as an increase in the child grant.
POLOKWANE – The president also announced that unemployed residents who do not receive any income can apply for a R350 grant, which will be valid until October.
Review asked Maggie Mehlape, mother of a five-year-old, if the new amount of R500 in child grants will make a difference.
R300 per child will be added to Child Support Grants in May only, making it R740 per child. From June until Oct 2020 this grant will go back to R440 per child but each caregiver will get an additional R500 regardless of the number of children they receive a grant for pic.twitter.com/NXnUEtFc4R
— SASSA (@OfficialSASSA) April 24, 2020
Mehlape says the grant increase most definitely makes a difference, especially now as the seasons change and children need new clothes. “I managed to buy my son winter clothes so he can stay warm. I could also afford to buy him more snacks as he has to stay home due to the lockdown.” She added that the additional amount given is a bonus, and parents should use it wisely for their children’s benefit.
“You can use the extra money to buy toys that your child can play with so that he does not get bored as he has to stay indoors during the lockdown. Yes, the lockdown has moved to Level 3, but we still need to keep safe and make sure our children do not play in the streets. As for single parents who are not able to work due to the lockdown restrictions, you can use this money to assist in buying essentials for the household.”
