Sassa Child Support Grant remains 30% below food poverty line, NSAAC calls for increase

The National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC) has called for an increase in the value of the child support grant.

Social Policy Advisor to the President of South Africa, Professor Olive Shisana, made the call on Thursday at the Children’s Sector Consultation Conference in Johannesburg, during a presentation on the positioning of child rights.

According to the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Shisana reported that three-fifths of children in South Africa live in the poorest 40% of households, and a quarter are nutritionally stunted.

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‘Grant below the food poverty line’

The current amount of the child support grant stands at R530, which is ultimately 30% below the food poverty line.

“Statistics South Africa reported that as of 2023, the monthly food poverty line in South Africa was R760 and the monthly lower-bound poverty line was R1058,” the committee said.

The lower bound poverty line combines the food poverty line with the average non-food essential expenses of households near the food poverty threshold.

The committee added that the government has proposed interventions through the strategy that will impact children and teenagers.

“One of the ten interventions is to restore the child support grant to the food poverty line.”

The vision of the NSAAC is for all children in SA to achieve optimal well-being and to grow to their full potential.

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Other calls by similar organisations

Several civil society organisations working with children also made similar calls.

The committee encourages more championing calls for increasing the child support grant in the country.

Speaking to The Citizen, the programme coordinator of the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PEJD) group, Mervyn Abrahams, said the increase of the child support grant should be in line with the food poverty line of R760.

“In the context of such high unemployment, social security becomes the only means to keep people above hunger and absolute starvation – becoming the only safety net.

“But even those on social grants are not able to afford a sufficient and nutritious basket of food,” said Abrahams.

Committee Chairperson Welcomes Call

The committee Chairperson Bridget Masango applauded the call by the NSAAC to increase the value of the child support grant to the country’s lower-bound poverty line.

Furthermore, the committee added that despite notable improvements in child welfare through social grants, South Africa still grapples with uneven access to vital services across urban and rural areas.

“The soul of this society, where children are concerned, is in dire need of restoration. People sitting in this room and the organisations they represent constitute the foundation of the soul of South Africa. I am beyond confident that the nation’s children are in wonderful, caring and compassionate hands”, said Masango.

“The committee will work with other relevant committees in Parliament to ensure the success of the important work of empowering the country’s children through the implementation of NSAAC,” it concluded.

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