PMBEJD supports IEJ in challenging the discontinuation of SRD grant

Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group would like to express its unconditional support to the Institute for Economic Justice in its challenge to the government’s intention to discontinue the Social Relief of Distress grant set for the Supreme Court of Appeal later this month.

Since our inception as Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group in 2018 we have demonstrated through the Household Affordability Index how the cost of living continues to rise while incomes remain low. When tracking 44 basic essential food items which form part of the food basket, we have noted how nutritious food remains out of reach for many of the below -income who battle on a regular basis to put food on the table.

We had hoped that the introduction of the Social Relief of Distress grant in 2020 laid the foundation of what would be a basic income grant, government’s intervention to pull impoverished households out of poverty. We have been stunned by the government’s decision to move towards discontinuing the SRD grant. It is against this background that we support the Institute for Economic Justice’s court action at the Supreme of Appeal to stop the move of discontinuing the distribution of the grant because even though it is below the poverty line, it still makes a slight impact in people’s lives. We urge other progressive civic organisations to do likewise.