The North Gauteng High Court of South Africa sitting in Pretoria ruled that refugees and asylum seekers must receive the R350 government social relief in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

In its finding, the court ordered the Department of Social Development to amend its unconstitutional and unlawfully regulations against foreign nationals within 5 (working) days.

Government established the grant to soften the economic blow caused by the Covid-19 outbreak on citizens within the SA borders. For all intents and purposes, it was designed to cushion the unemployed and/or individuals not getting any income whatsoever.

After weeks of design, trial and error by the department in setting up the payment system, applicants are receiving their grants although at a snails pace.

The social welfare system is not without glitches. For some people are inexplicably being rejected or disqualified without any rational reason notwithstanding their unemployment statuses.

For its worth, the social-buffer grant will be paid for 6-month period from the allocated R500 billion Covid-19 government economic relief fund.