Withdrawing the social relief of distress grant (SRD) without implementing a permanent replacement carries a huge political risk for President Cyril Ramaphosa as the country claws back from the economic devastation of the pandemic, says Michael Sachs, a former head of the budget office at the National Treasury. 

Civil society organisation Black Sash and the Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII) called on the government to implement a basic income grant after the July 2021 unrest and ongoing pandemic. However, Business Unity SA and Business Leadership SA oppose the implementation of a permanent grant, considering the country’s wobbly fiscal position. ..