The United Democratic Movement (UDM) had late last year announced that it had joined hands with other concerned South Africans to take government and Eskom to court regarding the provision of sustained, reliable electricity to all South Africans in line with their rights and basic service delivery needs. The President of the Republic, Eskom and others have responded to the court papers and on 20 March 2023 a full bench will hear the case in the High Court in Pretoria.
Call to extend temporary disability grants
January 14, 2021NEWS
The Black Sash has called on the Department of Social Development (DSD) and SASSA to reinstate and extend temporary disability grants for three months. This comes after the South African Social Security Agency said the high cost involved, and the need to comply with the law, had forced them to suspend 210 778 disability grants nationally from 31 December 2020.
On 6 August 2020, the Minister of Social Development issued amendments which allowed for temporary disability grants, lapsing from July onwards, to be extended to 31 December 2020. The Regulations allowed for a six-month extension of medical approvals for Disability Grants granted prior to the 27 March 2020 Covid-19 lockdown.
Outrage as temporary disability grants suspended
January 7, 2021NEWS
Disability activists in Makhanda have labelled the suspension of temporary disability grants as a violation of human rights.
The South African Social Security Agency has suspended temporary disability grants from the start of 2021. SASSA says the high cost involved, and the need to comply with the law, forced them into this “challenging” decision.
Temporary Disability Grants due to lapse in February 2020 were extended to 31 December 2020 because of the national coronavirus lockdown. At the end of December 2020, SASSA suspended a total of 210 778 disability grants nationally.
Explaining the decision in a statement on 7 January 2021, SASSA said temporary disability grants paid during lockdown had cost the state more than R1.5 billion. Continuing to pay them until the end of March 2021 would cost an additional R1.2 billion.