DA will continue fight for social grants and provide relief for indigent households
29 June 2016
The Democratic Alliance will continue the fight to improve the lives of the poor throughout South Africa.
In places we govern, we will continue to provide the most comprehensive package of free basic services to the poor, and in Parliament, we will fight for an above inflation increase to the child support grant.
Let the message be clear: R753 a month is not adequate for sustaining a life nor a family.
That is why in Parliament we have proposed an additional R2.2 Billion rand investment in the well being of South African children through increasing the child support grant. The increase would go a long way in improving the lives of poor South Africans and put them back on the path to a dignified life.
While campaigning today it was saddening to see the gross suffering and poverty that many have to endure because the ANC government has neglected their call to increase the grants atleast by an increment above inflation.
Even worse is that Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, would rather splurge R11 000 on a luxury stay at a hotel than give a pay increase to families who desperate need it. The DA recently conducted a grocery shopping exercise to show how little R753 can afford a person, let alone a family.
In the Western Cape, where we govern, we prioritise fiscal spending on poor communities and ensure that those dependent on the DA government receive the basic services they need to live a life they value. The ANC government has shown by fighting the peoples calls to increase the grants that poor people don’t matter and that they will continue to condemn many black lives to poverty.
The effect of inadequate child support grants are already being felt, with almost a quarter of South African children suffering from stunted growth, according to the third Global Nutrition Report released earlier this month.
The report placed South Africa 70th out of 132 countries for stunted growth rates, with 23.9% of South African children under five stunted, mainly due to a lack of nutrition. Food inflation, the economy and the drought have been cited as factors that make it harder for South African families to eat healthily.
This is further proof that the government’s child support grants are not adequate to support South African families and the children that are the future of this country. The future of many South Africans hang in the balance and the poor continue to suffer whilst they’re being neglected by the ANC government.
On 3 August, South Africans will have the opportunity to vote for change by electing a DA government that will always put their best interests first. This is the change that South Africa needs to move forward again.
Issued by Bridget Masango, DA Shadow Minister of Social Development, 29 July 2016
