The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has welcomed the increase in social grants and government’s economic stimulus package to provide relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The plan to inject R500 billion into a social and economic support package is the country’s biggest spending plan.
The President announced that child support grant beneficiaries will receive an additional R300 at the end of April; and an extra R500 from June to October.
All other grant recipients will get an extra R250 per month for the next six months.
Ramaphosa also announced a special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant of R350 a month for the next six months which will be paid to individuals who are currently unemployed.
The EFF says the increase of social grants would go a long way in mitigating poverty and starvation suffered by the majority of people in the country, particularly black people.
Party Deputy Leader, Floyd Shivambu has called for the temporary increase to be made permanent.
Shivambu says, “In relation to the provision of social grants and basics income grants we are of the view as the EFF that those must be made permanent. We have been saying throughout as the EFF that they must increase social grants for all the poor people. It must be made permanent because the poverty of our people doesn’t only happen now because there’s coronavirus.”
COPE welcomes stimulus package
The Congress of the People (COPE) has welcomed the stimulus package announced by Ramaphosa with scepticism.
COPE says the country is already in a bankrupt state.
COPE Spokesperson Dennis Bloem says his party has serious questions about the package.
“Whilst we welcome it, the biggest question is where will this money come from? Will the country be able to afford it? Our country is already bankrupt. We want to raise serious concerns. Will the money reach the people that it is supposed to reach? The distribution of food parcels is a serious concern and needs urgent attention by the President. Remove all councillors and officials from the distribution points. The Department of Social Development is not helpful at all,” says Bloem.
