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South Africa: Qualifying Age for Social Grants Might Be Lowered
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BuaNews (Tshwane)
16 May 2008
Posted to the web 16 May 2008
Gabi Khumalo
Cape Town
Men who are older than 60, will soon be able to apply for government's old age grant, if the new Social Assistance Amendment Bill is passed.
The Bill will lower the qualifying age for men to apply for grants.
Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya will on Friday lead the second reading debate of the Social Assistance Amendment Bill to provide for age equalisation for state old age grants.
Once passed, the Bill will see over 450 000 men, aged between 60 and 64, qualifying for social assistance, said the minister.
The primary focus of the Bill is to amend the Social Assistance Act, Act No.13 of 2004.
Minister Skweyiya said lowering the age of qualifying for old age grants for men would be phased in from the current financial year.
The first group of men aged 63 and 64 will be done in 2008/09, and those currently aged 61 and 62 will be done in the 2009/10 financial year.
"The Social Assistance Amendment Bill marks a milestone in achieving the Constitutional obligation of non-discrimination, as well as facilitate access to social security," Mr Skweyiya said.
He stressed that the implementation of the age equalisation process would only commence once the Social Assistance Amendment Bill has gone through the whole legislation approval cycle and signed into law by the President.
"After the second reading of the Bill, the amendment process continues within the National Council of Provinces where each provincial legislature will consider and deliberate on the Bill.
"Thereafter the Bill will serve in the National Assembly for concurrence before the President signs it into law," Minister Skweyiya explained.
He pleaded to South African men to exercise patience until the process was finalised.
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Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel announced during his Budget Speech in February that the qualifying age for men to receive the old age pension would be reduced.
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