DA Wants to Increase Child Sassa Grant by 30% from R480 to R624 a month to match the food poverty line.
The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) plays a key role in the country’s social development efforts and implementation of social security programmes. Sassa is responsible for administering and distributing various grants and benefits to eligible individuals and families in need.
DA Wants to Increase Child Sassa Grant by 30%
To support the Social Development Department’s view that child grant is not enough to protect the poorest children from hunger, malnutrition and stunted growth, the DA wants to increase child suppiort grant from R480 to R624 a month.
According to the March 2023 Household affordability Index, the child support grant of R480 is 28% below the food poverty line of R663 and 40% below the average cost of a nutritious meal for a child of R874.71.
The DA refers to the Household Affordability Index for March 2023 to support its claim. According to this index, the child support grant of R480 falls below the food poverty line, which is calculated at R663.
The threshold of food security represents the minimum income necessary to obtain basic food that satisfies nutritional needs. In addition, the GRANT for providing a nutritious basic meal to a child is 45 percent low at an average of R874.71.
These statistics highlight the gap between current child support grant and the actual costs of providing proper nutrition for children. The DA argues that such large disparities put vulnerable children at risk of hunger, malnutrition and stunting, which can have a negative impact on their long-term health and well-being.
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