SowetanLive reports that around seven million unemployed South Africans qualify for the Covid-19 distress grant, which has been hailed by economists and labour analysts as an important intervention by government.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the distress grant of R350 a month for the next six months, which will be paid to individuals who are currently unemployed and who do not receive any other form of social grant or UIF payment. According to unemployment figures released by Statistics SA in February, there are around 6.7-million unemployed South Africans. University of the Witwatersrand economics professor Imraan Valodia said the intervention was "very needed" and added: "Shutting the economy removed the opportunity for people to earn small amounts of money. The economic lives of these people are very vulnerable at the best of times. Under the current conditions it's made even worse, so the grant is important and timely." The logistical aspects of how the grant will be implemented are yet to be made public, but technically everyone who is not employed could apply.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Isaac Mahlangu at SowetanLive
- Read too, Black Sash urges government to up R350 unemployment grant to R1,000, at TimesLIVE
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page