Submitted by freenet on Tue, 11/11/2008 - 18:18
CHANNELS:
Pretoria - The Department of Social Development has allocated a further R500 million to help the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) provincial offices increase their social relief of distress programmes.
On Tuesday, the Minister for Social Development Dr Zola Skweyiya, announced that the funds would provide relief to households or individuals facing hardship.
"This allocation reflects our commitment to address the challenges of rising food and fuel prices faced by many of our people. We encourage civil society and faith-based organisations to continue to raise awareness of the social relief of distress," said Mr Skweyiya
The department had earlier in the year allocated R124 million for social relief, of which more than 70 percent has already been utilised.
The R500 million will be divided between the nine provinces with KwaZulu-Natal being the biggest beneficiary of R119 million, and the Eastern Cape receiving R100 million. Provinces will be expected to spend this money before the end of this financial year.
Social relief of distress is a temporary provision of assistance intended for people facing hardships and unable to meet their or their families' most basic needs.
In order to qualify for social relief of distress, the applicant must comply with one or more of the following conditions including awaiting permanent aid; found medically unfit to undertake remunerative work for a period of less than six months; the breadwinner in the family is deceased and insufficient means are available and the applicant has been affected by a disaster, and the specific area has not yet been declared a disaster area.
Social relief of distress is issued monthly or for any other period for a maximum period of three months. Extension of the period by a further three months may be granted in exceptional cases. - BuaNews