Following recent changes to how it will be disbursed to qualifying beneficiaries, the Department of Social Development recently confirmed some notable developments that have come to pass regarding the Child Support Grant (CSG) Top.
With the Department of Social Development (DSD) having recently made amendments to the Child Support Grant a few months prior, over 5,000 Child Support Grant (CSG) Top-Up applications were handled by the end of July 2024, according to the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa).
The two organisations confirmed the announcement during a sitting before the portfolio committee on social development to inform the panellists of the developments regarding the Child Support Grant Top-Up and the Foster Child Grant. These grants are two measures that are regarded as crucial components of the nation’s social assistance programme.
A recent statement further indicates that the Child Support Grant (CSG) was increased to R480 + R240 for a total of R720 per month for orphans in the care of relatives as of 1 June 2024 under the CSG Top Grant, which is available without a court order.
The introduction of The Child Support Grant (CSG) Top forms part of the Department’s efforts to develop a long-term, all-encompassing legal solution for foster care.
Dr Maureen Mogotsi, Director: Of children and Family Benefits in the department, informed the committee that the provision is a part of the social assistance programme for children and aims to ensure that income poverty is eliminated through a more transparent process. It specifically targets orphans in the care of relatives and orphans in households with children as the head of the household.
Furthermore, according to Mogotsi, who emphasised the distinction between the CSG Top-Up and the Foster Child grant, the CSG Top-Up is not a new grant but rather expands on the already-existing Child Support Grant.
The Child Support Grant Top-Up does not replace the Foster Child Grant. The Foster Child Grant is provided for children who have been placed in the foster care system and can be extended until they are 21 years old if they are in school (tertiary education) and this can be granted through a court order.
She also pointed out that, with over 13 million beneficiaries, children’s grants are the largest component of South Africa’s social assistance programme and are recognised as the government’s most effective social protection initiative
