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President Cyril Ramaphosa announced big boosts to child support and other grants over the next six months, when Covid-19 is expected to hit the economy hardest.
Unemployed South Africans not receiving other grants will also get a total of R2,100 each in monthly payments.
In total R50 billion will be spent on grant payments, Ramaphosa said – 10% of the total special coronavirus budget he announced, and around 1% of South Africa's gross domestic product (GDP).
Here is how those payments will be made:
- R2,800 extra in child support grants, with R500 extra paid every month between June and October, and an extra R300 in May.
- R1,500 for all other types of grants, such as disability and old-age grants, in instalments of R250 per month for the next six months.
- R2,100 for the unemployed, in payments of R350 per month for the next six months.
As of 1 April, the monthly grants were:
- R440 per child for child support grants
- R1,860 for older people, and people with disabilities
- R1,880 for war veterans and those older than 75.