New study finds child support grant 'not enough' for CT single mother households

CAPE TOWN - A new study has found that that the child support grant is not enough to support a single mother and her young child.

On Thursday, recommendations were handed over to government in a research report titled Children, Social Assistance and Food Security.

Teams recently went out to households and talked to primary caregivers and children who received the grants in the Western Cape.

This week saw Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announce that the foster care and child support grants would increase by R20 in April.

Dr Wanga Zembe-Mkabile from the Medical Research Council said they found that many caregivers were forced to make choices between needs that were fundamental human rights, including choosing between food and education for their children.

“There needs to be an integrated, comprehensive policy framework response to food security for children. It cannot just be cash alone; there needs to be other interventions that a brought into the household.”

She said the grant should be linked to other essential free basic services such as, a free school uniform and free school transport.

Community worker Catherine Reynecke said she often visits homes where there is no food and as a result, they don't attend school.

“It was shocking to see that in some instances, there was little to no food. This is a challenge.”

She said more feeding schemes should be implemented in rural areas, adding that in Genadendal there is only one.