Zulu gives details on who qualifies for new unemployment and child support grants

Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu on Wednesday announced details on how unemployed citizens can apply for the Covid-19 coronavirus relief grants.

Updating the public on the department’s socioeconomic relief interventions during the lockdown, Zulu outlined who qualifies for the grant as well as how they can apply.

Last week President Cyril Ramaphosa announced measures to cushion the impact of the national lockdown, which included the increase of social grants and the addition of a temporary relief grant for the unemployed.

Zulu said that successful applicants would be paid R350 per month over six months – from May 15 to October this year. She said South Africans and permanent residents were eligible for the grant.

Applications can be done electronically by messaging 0600 123 456 via WhatsApp and selecting the Sassa option, or via an email to SRD@sassa.gov.za.

However, Zulu stressed that payments would only be made from the date of approval up to the end of October.

“So if applicants apply in June their payments will be from June and there will be no back-pay,” she said.

Zulu said she was aware that not everyone would have access to online platforms but volunteers would assist people to do the online registration.

The outcome of the registration would be communicated to applicants on the same platform.

Meanwhile, Zulu urged South Africans to take the devastating effects of Covid-19 seriously.

As of Wednesday, South Africa had 4 996 confirmed cases and 93 deaths.

Zulu said she was aware that some people doubted the devastating effects of Covid-19 and wanted to “believe by seeing with their own eyes”.

“To those who want to believe by seeing like Thomas, can I please say to them that already as a department, as Sassa, we have lost one of our own. A very young woman who was doing everything she could in order to be part of us ... to drive forward this very difficult work.”

Zulu urged South Africans, especially the elderly who are more vulnerable to contracting the virus, to follow government regulations to reduce the number of fatalities.

She reiterated that payments of social grants would be staggered to avoid large numbers of people queuing at the SA Post Offices premises, in line with Disaster Management Act regulations.

Government had separated payment dates for pensioners and people with disabilities from the other social grant beneficiaries.

Pensioners and people with disabilities can collect their grants from May 4 with others collecting from May 6.

On the increase in grants, she said the R300 for the child support would only be paid per child. Thereafter a R500 support grant would be given to the children’s caregivers.

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