To mitigate extreme poverty, the government introduced the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant, a temporary financial relief mechanism currently set at R370 per month. However, this amount falls significantly below the Food Poverty Line as defined by StatsSA at R796, making it insufficient to meet basic nutritional needs. Studies indicate that social grants alone are insufficient in enabling long-term economic mobility as recipients continue to face the following challenges: skills and educational deficiencies, barriers to entrepreneurship, as well as economic exclusion, developmental opportunities and inequality.

The National Development Agency (NDA), an agency of government charged with the mandate to contribute towards the eradication of poverty, is hosting a multi-stakeholder roundtable engagement as part of seeking inputs from other strategic partners around this area of work. Panel discussions include representatives from the Presidency, South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), United National Development Programme (UNDP), Young African Entrepreneurs Institute (YAEI) and Small Business Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SFDFA).

Through this event and others to follow, the NDA needs to profile SRD R370 recipients, look at where they are across the country; their skills level, entrepreneurial opportunities, upskill those who need new skills, link them to economic opportunities, pool strategic partners to assist with entrepreneurship opportunities and align with other initiatives around Grants beneficiaries. This event is framed as an inclusive initiative that will consider other endeavours already happening around this area of work.

Under the theme “Targeting social grants recipients for poverty eradication initiatives” this engagement will culminate in the adoption of a declaration by multi-stakeholders for collaboration to ensure successful execution of this vision that will link SRD Grant recipients to sustainable livelihoods.

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover this multi-stakeholder roundtable as follows:

Date: Thursday, 6 March 2025

Time: 08h00-14h30

Venue: Radisson Red, Corner of Oxford and Oxford Parks, 4 Parks Blvd, Rosebank,

(Parking - Entrance 1)

Alternatively, proceedings can be accessed via Team link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/52df389e-58eb-4d03-a034-d3623e22d7f3@d395065c-fc9f-4d12-9e28-98d9412b9e34/registration

Media can RSVP and forward enquiries by contacting Ms Lesego Ranchu on 073 547 2800 / LesegoR@nda.org.za

ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY