Following a two-day court hearing that took place in the Pretoria High Court this week, legal experts have indicated that the outcome of the case will be announced at the start of 2025.
The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and #PayTheGrants launched an application against the Minister for Social Development, and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) in July 2023, challenging regulations that unlawfully and unconstitutionally exclude up to 50% of applicants, who make up about 8 million people living in food poverty, from receiving the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.
Speaking on VOC Breakfast on Friday Siyanda Baduza Basic Income Researcher at the IEJ said over the last few days several parties presented their arguments to the High Court stating that this case is not just any legal matter, it’s about the basic necessities for millions of South Africans.
“There are so many regulations around accessing the grant that was implemented to assist the millions of people who are unemployed and who have never been part of the working class, yet accessing these funds are so much different to any other grant. While SASSA feels that the regulations are needed as this is a temporary grant, our arguments are that since Covid 19 wreaked havoc in the country the grant has been around and it is evident that so many of the most vulnerable people are dependent on this grant, so why would access to the grant come with so many hassles, leaving thousands unable to benefit from it,” he stressed.
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