By 2025, South Africa will still be grappling with quite a lot of poverty and inequality, two factors that play a great role in the lives of vulnerable children. One of the most critical social safety nets in place and targeting these issues is the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Child Support Grant (CSG), which caters for children’s needs by giving low-income families financial assistance for children under 18 years. This country’s grappling with inflation and economic hardship, along with triggering soaring food and living costs, is becoming a driving force in the growing number of experts advocating for an increase in the grant for child support from SASSA, knowing that this would most certainly benefit the country’s most vulnerable children.
Increasing Numbers of Persons Need
The currently existing CSG is R480 per month per child, which many aver is small enough to house the rising demands in families. Inflation continues to hike the price of basic commodities, more so food, housing, and transport. Statistics South Africa indicates that food inflation remains one of the highest in the country, and most of the basic staples are getting out of reach of poor families. Children directly suffer because they depend on the CSG to meet their daily needs.
The CSG thus comes as a lifeline for millions of families in a country where nearly 60% of children live in poverty. However, experts from all over the spectrum argue that this amount within the grant is no longer making up for the increased cost of living. Dr. Lindiwe Zulu, Minister of Social Development in South Africa, acknowledged those pressing concerns, saying that while the CSG provides critical support, it is still below the minimum specifications for a healthy child.
Economic Setting
For several years, the economy of South Africa has found itself growling like an animal with toothache due to a high unemployment rate besides energy crises and all the other worldly woes in the economy. This led to a great deal of insecurity in the economy regarding many households. Benefits running from the government to families dependent on the Child Support Grant (CSG) are insufficient nowadays and leave families with the demand to take hard decisions related to food, healthcare, and other essential needs.
According to many South African economists, the gap between the current grant and the actual cost of raising a child has widened. Even essential areas of expenses such as education and health have continued to increase according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), making it more difficult for parents to meet their children with a minimum daily requirement.
Pressure for an Increase
There has been increasing support for an increase in the Child Support Grant among experts and child welfare organizations. According to the South African Child Rights Coalition (SACRC), the current rate is insufficient to sustain a dignified living standard for children. They would want the state to raise the grant to a value that would be in line with increasing living costs. The evidence on which the SACRC bases its demands is that every child has a right to adequate food, healthcare, and education, none of which are within reach for most South African children.
Also Read: SASSA Social Grants January 2025: Payment Schedule And Important Updates
Also Read: 2025 Academic Calendar For South Africa: Term Schedules And Holidays