Last Wednesday, during the budget speech, Minister Pravin Gordhan put a smile on senior citizens’ faces.
Maitiso a Bagolo gogos are grateful to government for giving them a bit of extra money.
Gordhan announced that with effect from April, the old age, care dependency and disability grants will increase by R80 to R1 350 a month.
The gogos said the money they get is not enough because of the challenges they go through in their households.
For some the money is used to support grandchildren.
They said their money should be used to cater for their needs and not the problems created by their children and grandchildren.
The gogos said even with all the challenges they encounter, they are grateful for what is given to them.
Social development minister, Bathabile Dlamini said: “The increase in the value of social grants is a step in the right direction, especially in these hard economic times occasioned by the high cost of food, petrol and other basic necessities.
“Social grants are one of the most effective means of alleviating child and adult poverty amongst the vulnerable, who would have otherwise been subjected to extreme poverty for the rest of their lives,” she said.
