“I have faith in the strength and resilience of ordinary South Africans, who have proven time and time again – throughout our history – that they can rise to the challenge. We shall recover, we shall overcome, and we shall prosper. May God bless South Africa and protect her people.” Cyril Ramaphosa
The national speech by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday night came as music to the ears of many particularly social grant recipients. To those in the dark, Ramaphosa has announced that an amount equaling R50 billion will be directed towards relieving the plight of those who are most desperately affected by the Coronavirus, which is the poorest of the poor.
Today marks 26 days since South Africa began a nation-wide lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19 and we have seen the numbers of those testing positive rise, the number of deaths too. It can only be relief that the government announces measures to look after the destitute, the poorest of the poor, who are at the end of the food chain.
The President announced on Tuesday that urgent and dramatic measures have been taken to delay the spread of the virus. Amongst these Ramaphosa announced, to the delight of many, that child support grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R300 in May and from June to October they will receive an additional R500 each month. All other grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R250 per month for the next six months. In addition, a special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress grant of R350 a month for the next 6 months will be paid to individuals who are currently unemployed and do not receive any other form of social grant or UIF payment.
My only wish is that this money be used wisely, that those who apply and receive it, use it for what it is meant for. There have been many cases where we have seen grant recipients misusing the money. Most young mothers (emphasis being on most and not all) use it for themselves instead of the people it is meant for, the children. Little as it is, they use the money to ‘beautify’ (hair-do’s, pedicures, manicures, clothes etc.) themselves, they use it to pay for their ‘Stokvels’ and they most definitely use it to fund their gambling and drinking habits. We also do find instances where grandchildren abuse their grandparents just to get hold of the money. Partners are known to have been involved in physical fights, some have ended up in hospital for months, for this money.
Stepping on peoples toes, as many would like to believe, has never been my aim. The nature of the work that I am involved in entails that I tell the truth even if it is a bitter pill to swallow, it begs this of me, as a matter of fact if there is no response (both positive or negative), on the work that I do I feel that I have not done justice to my noble profession, Journalism.
My only wish is that this money be used wisely!
Together we can beat this epidemic, remember to keep to social distancing, to wear a mask and gloves, to wash your hands on a continuous basis, but most importantly remember to STAY AT HOME!
Lerato wa ha Serero…
(This is a weekly Editorial Comment by Sedibeng Ster’s Editor, Lerato Serero. Look out for it next Wednesday)
