Social development minister Lindiwe Zulu said the monthly basic payment is living proof that government protects citizens against economic, health, social, climate change and similar shocks.
The South African Social Security Agency received more than 13.5-million applications for the social relief of distress grant as of the end of January, and more than 716,000 graduates applied.
The number of unemployed young people with tertiary qualifications seeking access to the social relief of distress grant has increased by nearly 20% in the past five months.