South Africa is currently dealing with a huge issue of unemployment that has resulted in many people living in harsh conditions and from impoverished backgrounds and seeking assistance from the government when it comes to the provision of food, shelter, and some sort of financial assistance so that they will be able to put food on the table.
The economic issues in the country have always been something that has negatively impacted every citizen in the country, and when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country, things became even more difficult with people not being able to go to work, some of whom lost their jobs, and having to change their lifestyles due to their financial circumstances.
And during that time the government decided to provide students with financial assistance because it understood the conditions of many of the South Africans living in the country, and this is how the R350 unemployment grant was introduced: money was put aside to assist South Africans who were unemployed during that time so that they could not feel the negative impact of the pandemic and be able to afford to buy the basics.
And it has always been three years since the unemployment grant has been introduced, and it was announced that it will come to an end next year, in 2023. Many employed individuals have been applying for the grant, and the criteria to qualify for it have changed. Unfortunately, there have been situations where those who really needed it were rejected for certain reasons, and there was also some sort of corruption involved when it came to those who did have an income tax but decided to apply for the grant and received the money.
And now Lindiwe Zulu, who is the minister of social development, is ensuring that the grant runs smoothly and reaches the necessary people. She has revealed that Sassa spends millions on fans who are foreign nationals. Sassa has allegedly paid the R350 unemployment grant to 4102 refugees and 258 asylum seekers since the grant was introduced, paying R34 million to refugees and R63 million to asylum seekers.