South Africa’s Growing Reliance on Social Grants | Alarming Statistics Revealed

South Africa’s Growing Reliance on Social Grants | Alarming Statistics Revealed.Stats SA’s General Household Survey reveals alarming statistics regarding the country’s dependence on social grants as a primary source of income.

South Africa’s Growing Reliance on Social Grants | Alarming Statistics Revealed

According to the survey, social grants account for 50.2% of household income, trailing just behind salaries at 59.7%. Shockingly, for 23.5% of households in South Africa, social grants are their primary source of income.

Regional Disparities

The reliance on social grants is particularly pronounced in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and Free State, where grants surpass salaries as the main source of income. Furthermore, the percentage of households receiving social grants has increased from 30.9% in 2019 to 37% in 2022, mainly due to the introduction of the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.

Basic Human Rights

Aside from income, Stats SA’s figures also shed light on access to basic amenities:

• 88.5% of households now have access to water.
• Access to sanitation has improved to 83.2%.
• A promising 89.6% of households are connected to mains electricity.

Conclusion

These numbers highlight the ongoing efforts to improve living conditions and reduce dependency on social grants in South Africa.