A petition by a group of academics and civil society formations calling for the government to increase the child support grant by R500 for a period of six months, has garnered 560 000 signatures – just 40 000 shy of the 600 000 target.
The grouping, organised by the Children’s Institute, are requesting the government to increase the child support grant as a measure to mitigate the devastating impact of COVID-19 on children, families and the economy.
“Currently, the child support grant is the simplest, quickest and most effective way to get cash into millions of poor households that will otherwise face food insecurity and debilitating poverty,” reads the petition.
Government, in the February budget, increased the child support grant by R20 to R445 per month.
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said this week, that government was looking at adjusting temporarily the child support grant and old-age pension grant.
Government is expected to announce its decision next week together with other measures to boost the ailing economy.
The old age, disability and care dependency grants are currently R1 860 per month.
War veterans grant is R 1 880, while the foster care grant is R1 040 per month.
