Social Assistance Amidst the COVID?19 Epidemic in South Africa: A Policy Assessment

In an attempt to minimise the negative economic impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable households South African government allocated R50 billion in additional social assistance spending. The cash transfer package included a temporary increase existing grants and introduced new “Covid grant.” We assess chosen compare it with initial proposal Child Support Grant (CSG). Coverage, cost welfare effects are calculated measure relative each case. find that while significant CSG delivers resources most progressively, addition grant may potentially reach much larger group otherwise uncovered, individuals. Critically, this extended coverage comes at poorest households, via transfers upper income deciles. However, we identify several categories household groups which suggests workers negatively affected by pandemic not necessarily those households. paper emphasises mitigate consequences should be viewed as standard poverty reduction exercise, but rather COVID-19-related shocks for who were pandemic.