Budget 2020: Old age pension 'increase is absolutely nothing'
The R80 increase to the pockets of pensioners and other grant beneficiaries is not enough, says a local recipient.
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni, tabled the country's R1.9 trillion budget in Parliament yesterday and announced hikes to social grants - to the tune of R309 billion.
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Norma Maclou, a Wentworth pensioner, says her R1 780 grant barely covers her monthly bills and living expenses.
"R80 increase is absolutely nothing because everything goings up, bus fare, lights and water is just increasing. Lights and water for municipality alone is R2 600, and it is not coming to me but going out."
But for Durban mother of two, Senamile Khumalo, every extra Rand helps.
"Some parents are not working, even if it increased by R10, that's money because you can't find it on the road. That R40 is big enough."
Foster care will increase by R40 to R1 040 per month, while child support will increase by R20 to R445 per month.
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Meanwhile, the Automobile Association is warning motorists to prepare for further financial pressure - after the Finance Minister announced a fuel levy adjustment in his budget speech.
Tito Mboweni said there'd be a combined 25 cents increase to the general fuel and Road Accident Fund levies. It means motorists will pay a total of R5.70 per litre towards the two taxes.
The AA's Layton Beard says, this coupled with the planned spending reduction of R13.2 billion over the next three years for public transportation doesn't translate to good news for citizens.
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