South Africa Heavily Relies on Social Grants
(MENAFN) A recent edition of the General Household Survey (GHS), published by Statistics South Africa, has disclosed that an alarming 25.4 million citizens—equivalent to 40.1 percent of the national population—are dependent on social grants to meet their basic needs.
This data highlights a deepening reliance on government assistance across the country.
According to the survey, 50.4 percent of all households benefit from at least one type of social grant.
This makes grants the second-most prevalent form of financial support, following wages or salaries.
The findings underline how widespread the need for state assistance has become in South African homes.
In several of the nation’s most economically disadvantaged regions, social grants have overtaken salaries as the main income stream for families.
The survey notes that “a larger percentage of households received grants compared to salaries as a source of income in five provinces: Eastern Cape (65.6% versus 49.0%), Free State (64.2% versus 54.6%), Limpopo (62.9% versus 50.4%), Northern Cape (64.0% versus 60.5%) and Mpumalanga (59.1% versus 56.8%),” Stats SA reported.
This reveals a troubling economic divide between provinces.
Commenting on these findings, Evashnee Naidoo from Black Sash remarked: “The increase in poverty, unemployment and inequality increases month-on-month in South Africa due to poor economic growth and limited to no employment opportunities, particularly for those aged 18–59. As we know, the highest rate of unemployment is for the age group 18–35, where the government has also failed to provide an adequate social security safety net to protect and cushion individuals adequately from birth to death.”
Her statement highlights the urgent need for structural reform and more comprehensive welfare programs to address South Africa’s escalating socio-economic crisis.
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