HUMAN rights organisation Black Sash has warned that a change in the government’s R350 social relief of distress (SRD) grant scheme could leave millions of South Africans out in the cold.
Commenting on the new regulations, which were gazetted this weekend, Black Sash noted that the new regulations bring the SRD grant out of the national state of disaster, introduced during the Covid pandemic, and into the Social Assistance Act.
Grant beneficiaries who had been expecting to receive their entitlements for April will now need to reapply under new, restricted eligibility criteria. However, the group said the regulations explicitly state that applications must be lodged before the 15th of the month.
“It appears that by suspending April processing and payments and now wiping the slate clean of previously approved grant obligations, the April SRD grants are in jeopardy for millions of South Africans.
“While Treasury and the Department of Social
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