The labour department estimates some 4.6 million people could apply for the R350 social relief grant. This is the number of job seekers it has registered on its database.
The social development department will be responsible for paying out the money.
The grant is to help the unemployed who don’t get any other form of grant assistance.
Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi says beyond the inevitable retrenchments and business closures prompted by the COVID-19 lockdown, the government still needs to deal with the country’s high unemployment.
“One of the strategies would be to ramp and formalize public employment, and these must be labor-intensive,” Nxesi said.
“The country also needs to ramp up on its own infrastructure, the hard and the soft infrastructure, which is very critical.”
Nxesi told Parliament that R9-billion has been paid out to companies to help them cover employees’ salaries during the lockdown.
He said the pandemic has highlighted the urgency to plan for the future of the workplace.
But, he says, his department should not become overwhelmed by the crisis.
“In the weeks and months ahead we are going to need to grapple with these new challenges. The whole new set of economic circumstances, reduction in productivity activity, and increased unemployment,” the minister said.
In other news – I don’t want to be part of any drama – Nadia Nakai on why she will never collab with AKA
Rapper Nadia Nakai has revealed why she would not do a collaboration with fellow rapper, AKA. The MC said that she felt any work she would do with AKA would not get any positive attention.
The “Bragga” hitmaker revealed this in an Instagram Live interview with Da L.E.S who happens to be a good friend of AKA. In the interview, the “Lifestyle” rapper asked: “Everyone loves to be controversial but would you ever do a collaboration with AKA?” continue reading
Source: eNCA
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