Parliament, Wednesday, 22 September 2021 – The Standing Committee on Appropriations has adopted its report on the Second Special Appropriation Bill for the allocation of R32.85 billion to government departments to deal with the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as damage to businesses and public infrastructure following the riots that took place in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal in July this year.
The proposed allocations are: R3.9 billion to National Treasury for South African Special Risks Insurance (Sasria) for insurance claims emanating from the social unrest in July; R26.7 billion to the Department of Social Development for the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) for the extension of the Special Relief and Distress (SRD) Grant; R1.3 billion to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, to support businesses affected by the social unrest; R700 million to the Department of Defence; and R250 million to the Department of Police for the deployment of police and military personnel during the unrest.
The committee believes that this is an important intervention and the allocations will go a long way in helping the businesses destroyed by the social unrest and to protect jobs. Furthermore, the committee believes that the SRD Grant provides a safety net to South Africans following the Covid-19 pandemic and the social unrest.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Sfiso Buthelezi, thanked the committee for playing its role of engaging the departments on their proposed allocations and for the public hearings it had with the Congress of South African Trade Unions on the Bill.
The committee is recommending that the Bill be passed by the National Assembly and be sent to the National Council of Provinces also for its adoption.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, MR SFISO BUTHELEZI
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