In a year during which food prices have soared‚ the government has announced an increase in the child support grant and school nutrition programme funding in a bid to assist the poor. In his February budget speech Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan announced that the old-age‚ disability and dependency grants would all increase by R10/month in October. Pravin said in the medium-term budget policy statement on Wednesday that the child support grant would be increased by the same amount in a bid to offset high food inflation. The Cabinet has also approved in principal a special "extended child support grant" for orphans who have lost both their parents but are living in the care of extended family members. That grant is expected to be implemented in 2018-19 and would "bring the income protection afforded to these orphans closer to parity with that provided to orphans in foster care".
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