The Department of Social Development has defended the Basic Income Grant support policy meant to cushion millions of unemployed South Africans between the ages of 18-59. This was revealed at the sitting of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development in parliament, when the Department presented its progress in the development of the policy.
The Department said that remarkable progress has been made on the policy, with its first draft having been presented to the Social Protection, Community and Human Development Cluster Cabinet Committee (SPCHD) in November last year.
Speaking on YOU FM Newshour, the Department’s Acting Chief Director for Communications Bathembu Futshane said that they’re happy with the progress made on the policy although it is still at consultative stage.
“We’re still some distance from it getting signed into law.Where we are now is still very much in consultation stages which is focused on partner departments such as treasury and the presidency but also key stakeholders in the society that have got an input to make into the policy. Once the consultations are concluded, the department will approach the SPCHD Cabinet Committee again in the second quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, to request cabinet to consider the revised policy, and if approved, publish it for public comments,” said Futshane.
The grant is touted to alleviate mostly unemployed South Africans from hardships of the economy.
“It’s a very important one, considering the economic climate that we are in and the level of high unemployment in the country, and the high level of extreme poverty that we have been experiencing in the country for some time. Those level were particularly magnified during the COVID-19 pandemic.So, the target group of people that we’re hoping will become beneficiaries of this grant are those between the ages of 18-59 likely unemployed but those that we encompass being living in poverty and extreme vulnerability and who don’t have means by which they could cushion themselves from that extreme poverty,” explained Futshane.
The Department said that it has been redirected to find ways by which to graduate them (beneficiary) out of the system into opportunities of employment but also into sustainable livelihood. According to the department, a person doesn’t become wholly and entirely dependent on the grant for the remainder of their lives but the “grant simply becomes almost like a floor that cushions one to spring onto opportunities of employment.”
Furthermore, Futshane said that a follow up workshop will be held this month, which will be followed by bilateral engagements with the Presidency, the Department of Labour and National Treasury.
“In order to ensure stability during this consultations period, the department will consult the National Treasury for the cSRD 370 provision to be extended until the legislative process is complete, to ensure that its beneficiaries are protected from extreme poverty and vulnerability. The department, has for the interim, been granted an extension by the National Treasury to continue with this provision for the 2025/26 financial year,” concluded Futshane.
