The South African child subsidy is not enough

“The index for October 2024 shows that it costs R941.51 to feed a child nutritious meals for a month. Child benefit is below the food poverty line of R796 and 44% less than what it costs to feed the child healthy, nutritious meals. ‘ says Mervyn Abrahams of the group.

The PMBEJD this week published the Household Affordability Index for October 2024.

The group monitors the prices of 44 basic food items from almost 50 supermarkets in Durban, Mtubatuba and Pietermaritzburg.

Abrahams says the results are worrying.

“We will not achieve the desired socio-economic outcomes, such as education, healthcare and economic productivity, because we are reinforcing child malnutrition in South Africa through this low child benefit.”