R350 Covid-19 grant to cost govt R22bn, says Zulu
The R350 COVID-19 grant will cost the country R22 billion by
the end of May.
This was confirmed by Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu on Friday.
She briefed the media on the relief measures the department is implementing to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on the most vulnerable.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in his State of the Nation Address that the payment of the grant would be extended by another three months.
“About six million beneficiaries receive this grant on a monthly basis,” Zulu said in Cape Town on Friday.
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“The department has spent over R17 billion thus far on this grant, benefiting those in need of direct income.
“We anticipate that by the end of the extended period, we would have spent over R22 billion to support this group of beneficiaries.”
Since President Ramaphosa’s announcement, some 66 000 new applications have been received by the Department of Social Development.
