People who are eligible to receive the R350 Covid-19 social relief of distress grant are required to start the application process from scratch to receive it until March 2022, social development minister Lindiwe Zulu told eNCA on Monday.

Zulu acknowledged that while the process can take time, the department must account for the money and ensure it is only received by qualifying individuals. 

“Everybody has to apply again. Most know how to do the application.

“The applications went up to 11-million, which meant many people were unemployed, but we needed to clean that out and make sure the people who are approved are those who deserve [the grant],” she said.

On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said government will reintroduce the grant to assist communities affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the recent unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. 

Ramaphosa announced the eligibility criteria would be extended to include more people, including unemployed caregivers currently receiving child care grants.

“In addition to the food relief being provided by the department of social development, government is contributing R400m to the Humanitarian Crisis Relief Fund established by the Solidarity Fund to assist with the immediate needs of affected communities,” he said.

The announcement by the president followed a hint by acting minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, who said government was considering relief measures for businesses and individuals whose livelihoods were threatened by the pandemic and recent unrest.