The Finance Minister,Enoch Godongwana slapped the R350 social relief grant beneficiaries on the face when he tabled his budget speech for the year 2023/24 to the National Assembly at Cape Town City Hall.
The Minister excluded the R350 srant when he allocates increases in all social grants but the grant was extended to March 2024.
Most of R350 beneficiaries were hoping that the Minister would increase the grant to match an inflation as the food prices are skyrocketing.
But other social grants scheme such as old age and disability grants would get an increase of R90 from 1 April 2023,then child support grant will increase from R480 to R510 on 1 October 2023 and lastly the foster care grant increases from 1070 to R1130.
The excise duties for alcohol and tobacco prices will increase by 4.9%,a 340ml can of beer will increase by 10cents,750ml of whisky and spirits will increase by R3.90 and a pack of cigarettes will increase by 98cents and cigar smokers will now pay R5.47 per 23g.
On his speech,he announced the bailouts of the state-owned enterprises and the power utility Eskom will receive R258 billion,the national airline carrier SAA will get R1 billion and the South African Post Office will get R2.4 billion.