JOHANNESBURG – As many more South Africans rely on government’s food handouts amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu on Wednesday said government needed a long-term plan as it was expected to take even longer to recover than the economy.
Many people are unable to work due to the nationwide lockdown, resulting in many families relying on government’s Solidarity Fund to help them survive.
In an interview with Radio 702, Zulu said more money was needed to assist the poor during this COVID-19 period.
“Sassa had R400 million for the entire year, which is for the year 2020/21, and it, therefore, means Treasury would have to help us to say ‘that amount of money is no longer going to be for the entire year’. We would have to look at that money in terms of post-coronavirus that Sassa will have,” Zulu said.
The minister, however, said government needed to work responsibly with the funds.
“We are going to walk out of this but we can’t be walking out of this as completely wounded soldiers… we need to collectively walk with each other with an appreciation that in the building of the economy you need the people who are going to help you build that economy,” she said.