Petition to increase child grant gets nearly 600,000 signatures, but others say no way

A group of academics, and civil society leaders and other partners, have appealed to President Cyril Ramaphosa to increase the Child Support Grant (CSG) by R500 to R900 for a period of six months.

Responding to a question from the media at a ministerial briefing in March, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu said there had been no decision to increase the amounts paid to beneficiaries during the lockdown to ease financial strain.

The question had in particular been about increasing the amount for the child grant, which stands at R445 from April 2020.

But the group said while the lockdown was important to contain Covid-19, it would increase poverty and unemployment.

“This measure is critical to mitigate the impact on children and families of the lockdown and the current and future economic shocks created by Covid-19. The CSG is the simplest, quickest and most effective way to get cash into millions of poor households that may well otherwise face food insecurity and debilitating poverty.

“South Africa already has very high rates of poverty, unemployment and inequality, and the effects of lockdown on work and earnings threaten to exacerbate all these dynamics. As the depth of poverty increases, more people will go hungry, including millions of children.

“Before the lockdown over 10 million children were receiving nutritious meals through the school nutrition programme and early childhood development programmes. The closure of schools and early childhood development facilities mean families with children will need to provide more nutritious meals.

“Social grants are an extremely effective mechanism for protecting children and families against the effects of poverty,” said the group in a letter.

The group says the child support grant is well established, reaching 12.8 million children.

The group, which was organised by the Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town, has started a petition which has garnered more than 560,o00 of 600,000 targeted signatures.

The petition has divided opinion on social media, with most saying families were already getting enough grants, along with government distributing food parcels amid the lockdown.

These were some of the comments on social media:

https://twitter.com/95000k/status/1252172951065104386

Rather find a way to reduce food and petrol prices . What's the point of the #R500 increase if everything will keep becoming expensive ? What about the unemployed? #AfricansMustUnite the power is in us the society, the masses

— 🔥🔥🔥Stimzalicious🔥🔥🔥 (@Stimzalicious2) April 20, 2020

Lol it's R500 for the next 6 months only though. I yes this😅 pic.twitter.com/PB3zEOoo52

— Afrika Mapimele (@AfrikaAfrika20) April 20, 2020

https://twitter.com/Kuznets26174168/status/1252174849923076096

instead of increasing the grants by "R500" how about asking the @GovernmentZA to create job opportunities and open firms that will produce local brands and increase employment which will increase circulation of money within the country

— Mr 😎Rams😎 (@PhixyBoy) April 20, 2020

As long as no unemployed graduate is getting any unemployment grant, a gonna R500 ya nix….Lenyele! pic.twitter.com/dsH6czQ2ty

— Meta (@ChinaBerry_) April 20, 2020

#R500.This is really ridiculous. There's a lady with 4 kids . R940×4=R3760 and you might find that in that household, there are other 3 who are getting grants. So total is R2820+R3760=R6580 . That's for 1 family. The country is in junk status. Where's the money coming from?

Read more

The sky is blue for me, Elon

— ITUMELENG (@IGMongale) April 20, 2020

https://twitter.com/Lindokuhlezwain/status/1252164813607833600

They don't even deserve the R404, grant should be received by elders, orphans and disabled,Haibo R500?

— mokety (@mokety1) April 20, 2020

https://twitter.com/NthabeyK/status/1252155699892797441

Country divided over R500 just cause some "fathers" are or can not pay child support. It's high time government forces fathers or the fathers family to pay child support. The same lockdown and SANDF must be directed to deal with non paying fathers and families …once 😑 pic.twitter.com/azxW0QMyvN

— sandile_collin (@sandile_collin) April 20, 2020

https://twitter.com/_marksandiso/status/1252164129835626502

https://twitter.com/mokety1/status/1252163859101683712

#R500
Dear bo Deputy Jesus in SA are you going to Bash South Africans who want Grant to be increased by R500? …Coz last time i checked y'all were bashing Nsfas students who are "ridiculously spending your Tax money"🤣🤣🤣#R500

— Lilith's Child (@larent_Taurus) April 20, 2020

https://twitter.com/BongoeMoosa/status/1252157275642507265

R500 for eng?? pic.twitter.com/GDTHMb1Lnv

— G STAR 🧘🏾‍♂️ (@GosiameSera) April 20, 2020

They talking about increasing child grant by R500 on 420? Hungrier than usual hhhmmm? pic.twitter.com/s0RTbsyZPz

— Eugène (@ETerrorblanche) April 20, 2020

Eh niyadlala manje R500 . Imagine currently the is no collection of tax from alcohol and tobacco products. Jobloss is on a high. Our tax will be increased. Aninyi perhaps pic.twitter.com/hORKe9nwHM

— Thobza (@thobza47) April 20, 2020

https://twitter.com/RationQ/status/1252146618746515457

People who think the increase of sassa grants by R500 is a great idea are selfish.

— Katlego ✨ (@katTshabalala1) April 20, 2020

R500 is a whole month food voucher to some students. Put some respek on the Rand. pic.twitter.com/viSzd2gnAt

— JusKb97… 🤘🏾⏭️ (@KabeloMohlomi) April 20, 2020

Why do people demand R500 increase for children grants? Even the taxpayers don't get that increase fok, yall are so entitled. Find the job and support your kids, nobody owes you shit pic.twitter.com/PMSkl6k2sA

— Messiah (@KelzMff) April 20, 2020

*R500*
I totaly disagree they should rather make food vouchers for that *R500* on top of the grand they are getting… We will be able to balance paying accounts and buying food. #SimphiweDana #MondayMotivation #lockdown

— KennaBee (@KennaMmabathoB) April 20, 2020

One day society need to discuss all these entitled ppl. Now they demand child grant increase with R500 .Really!! pic.twitter.com/qW8vWlhHJg

— Velile Sikosana (@Velile_S) April 20, 2020

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.