Durban - Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu has called on relatives caring for orphaned children to apply for a child support grant (CSG) top-up at their nearest South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) offices.
The department said the ‘top-up’ was R240 added to the standard CSG amount of R480 that is specifically for orphans.
“It is important to note that the CSG top-up is not a new grant, but an additional amount to the basic Child Support Grant,” it said.
The same eligibility criteria applying to the CSG will also apply to the CSG top-up, but additional proof is required to show that the child in question is an orphan, the department said. To prove this, caregivers will need to submit the death certificates of the child’s parents.
“If they only have one death certificate because they do not know the other parent or do not know whether the other parent has passed on or alive, they can complete an affidavit at SASSA offices, which explains this matter,” said the department.
Zulu said increasing the CSG for orphans was the government’s latest effort to help children living in poverty.
“The CSG currently reaches over 13 million children living in poverty. It is government’s most successful social protection programme in terms of coverage and positive impact for children,” she said.