People relying on the R350 social relief of distress (SDR) grant have expressed their frustration after finance minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the government will not extend the payments beyond March.
Maria Siya, 35, from Clovedene, on the East Rand, told Sowetan on Thursday that she did not know how she would survive without the money.
“I literally began counting down the months after watching the budget speech. It's been very hard and the little money really saw me through the rainy days,” said Siya, a mother of two.
“I sell every little thing I can to make extra cash as I lost my job long ago. The grant is to pay rent for our shack, [for] food, school and transportation.”
Gladys Makwakwa, a 32-year-old mother of four from Alexandra, is just as worried.
“I am not happy at all. This R350 helped me a lot. I fear I am going to struggle and not able to buy more bread for my children. Food is expensive nowadays. Without the R350 I will not be able to afford more food,” Makwakwa said.
Makwakwa receives a R1,840 child support grant for her children aged 15, 12 and twins aged seven. She qualified for the R350 grant after it was extended to caregivers who are receiving the child support grant.
She said she spent R750 on scholar transport, R200 on bread a month and R800 on food such as a combo of mielie meal and meat, rice, sugar and cooking oil. Makwakwa said most of the food lasted a month, except for the meat.
She said the R350 was a much-needed financial boost for her.
“The R350 helped me to buy more meat and bread so that it can last us for a whole month. I also used it to buy clothes for my children and give them pocket money. Now that it won’t be extended, I fear that I would have to go and ask for loans from people,” said Makwakwa.
Khabonina Mbawa, 67, who lives with her three unemployed grandchildren, says she cannot even begin to imagine life without the grant.
“I’m sick and the money was helping the two boys who qualified for it to assist in the household. My pension buys my medication and food that I share with them because their parents died. They are my children and I cannot throw them out because they can’t find jobs.”
Kate Baloyi, 30, also from Alexandra, expressed her disappointment at the decision to do away with the grant.
“This is sad. It means we are only left with five months to survive. This money helped me to buy mielie meal, a braai pack and a few clothes for myself. After March I might have to do laundry for people so that I can make some money,” said Baloyi.
Pinkies Thwala, 50, from Diepkloof Zone 1, Soweto, said: “Why are they doing this? We really need the R350. This is not good news at all. This grant helps me to buy more additional groceries at home. I use it to buy more mielie meal, rice and sugar at home.”
Thwala lives with her 71-year-old mother.
“This grant should be extended again. We cannot afford to go hungry,” she said.
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