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The number of South Africans receiving social grants will swell to 16.7 million over the next three years, according to the 2012/13 Budget, tabled in Parliament on Wednesday.

Spending on social grants will grow from R105 billion in 2012/13, to R122 billion in 2014/15, the 2012 Budget Review shows.

The document notes that "despite limited fiscal resources, government provides a safety net for nearly one-third of the population through the social grant programme... paying for largely free services at public health facilities and no-fee schools for 60 percent of learners".

By the end of last year, nearly 15.3 million people were eligible for social grants, compared to 2.5 million in 1998.

According to the document, the average value of the "social wage" for a family of four in 2012/13 will be about R3,940 a month.

Despite the rapid growth in the number of beneficiaries, however, spending on social grants would decline as a percentage of GDP -- from 3.5 percent in 2011/12, to 3.2 percent by 2014/15.

This is because there were no major grant increases planned for the next three years, and economic growth was expected to outpace growth in the number of recipients.

The document notes employment is the most effective route out of poverty, and boosting long-term job creation remains an overriding objective of economic policy.

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Wed May 22 01:06:36 SAST 2013 ::

Feb 22, 2012

munhu

Hahaa! S.Africa is certainly going down. Almost 17 million people on gvt freee bees? Thats a whooping 30% of the total population. The majority of them being kids sired by able bodied and gainfully employed men who chose to buy roll on over looking after their kids. Austerity measures will one day come, the 30% will turn against their government, that will the fall of the mighty nation. Why spoon feed able bodied people I wonder? Let them work, sell wares at traffic lights etc. Of the 17 mill, a mill plus are robbers and thieves who double up as destitute.
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Feb 22, 2012

nevus

go thusang le Congo ba o gola modende nx
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Feb 22, 2012

McKena

I cant help but see how pathetic this Zuma Government is. With out relating a long winded story, come the next election I will not vote for them.
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Feb 22, 2012

BlackLion

16.7 million is nothing. There's still more unknowns that must be included. These are the results of prejudice.

I smell an Uprising followed by an Earthquake to swallow leftover of evil
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Feb 22, 2012

BiBi

@munhu
get of your high horse go to limpopo there is an orphange there full of destitues children, their mothers from zim intentionally got pregnant and illegally came here to have the babies because some fool told them the child will automatically be a citezen and be eligible for a grant when that didnt happen guess who abandoned the child one went as far as putting hers in a rubbish bin bag,your envy of SA is pathetic we are not a perfect country but are still far better than yours your negative comments are not going to change that
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Feb 22, 2012

MommaC

I am starting to really dislike the 'poor'.
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Feb 22, 2012

NDA

Meaning makwerekwere are included also ntate Gordon.
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Feb 22, 2012

nevus

MommaC
I am starting to really dislike the 'poor'.
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you are too late we disliked you before and while wena you starting thina we are finishing ke.
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Feb 22, 2012

MommaC

nevus

Shame bokkie. When did you become so poor?
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Feb 22, 2012

Sinudeity

nevus - Ur not poor. You have a job, you have access to the internet.
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