The Government cuts off COVID-19 allowances
Earlier this year the government of Zimbabwe reviewed the COVID-19 fund payout from $300 to $1 500 per household of five. However, this seems not to be enough still looking at the fact that a consumer basket for low income families in high density suburbs is $21 000.
On Monday the Labour Minister Paul Mavima during his food deficit programme and COVID-19 relief grants presentation to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare he said that his office last disbursed the allowances in September of 2020.
He also said that they have not yet received funds for this programme in 2021. Minister Mavima adds that cash transfers for the 23 child protection supported districts will continue and the cash transfer allowances have been raised from $300 to $1 500 per month per household of five.
“There was no Treasury authority to extend the COVID-19 allowances beyond December 2020,” he also said.
The Government cuts off COVID-19 allowances
The strict level four national lockdown imposed in January 2021 badly affected individuals from the informal sector at large. The 60 000 families headed by children and the elderly relied on government COVID-19 allowances but the state has not been able to fund the programme.
The Minister said that the COVID-19 cushion allowance beneficiaries were drawn from local authorities, vendors’ associations, informal sector groups, women’s organisations and small to medium enterprises.
Our neighbours South Africa through its Social Security Agency disbursed R300 social relief, R440 child support grant and R500 per caregiver. Zimbabweans were getting just a 14th of the consumer basket according to the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe.
With the economy still recovering from the lockdowns, many Zimbabweans are still affected. Due to economic hardships youths have resorted to drug abuse and crime. With high rates of poverty in Zimbabwe, allowances and grain distribution are essential.