Ahead of President Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), members of the amandla.mobi community and other community organisations will be marching to the Union Buildings to demand that government fixes all R350 SRD grant issues, increases the grant, and turns it into a Basic Income Grant by April 2024

Ahead of President Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), members of the amandla.mobi community and other community organisations will be marching to the Union Buildings to demand that government fixes all R350 SRD grant issues, increases the grant, and turns it into a Basic Income Grant by April 2024.

Over 300,000 people have signed a petition in support of a Basic Income Grant to help those with little to no income. 

One supporter of the Basic Income Grant petition said: “To me, this petition is not to stay unemployed, but rather to have money to register my company and at least have basic office equipment, resources and upskilling myself.” President Cyril Ramaphosa has seemingly broken his 2022 SONA commitment to ‘leave no one behind’ as millions of people struggle to put food on the table and travel to look for work.

“A Basic Income Grant should not be a discussion or a debate anymore; it must be an intervention that is implemented urgently. Millions of households continue to go without food and other basic needs, and while the R350 grant is helping close a tiny bit of the gap, it remains with its own problems that result in millions not receiving it,” says amandla.mobi Campaigner Tlou Seopa. “SONA 2023 is President Ramaphosa’s chance to prove he is not out of touch with the poor majority. We can’t afford to wait for an election year for decisive action. The President must announce significant increases to social grants,” adds Seopa.

The march aims to pressure President Ramaphosa to announce immediate actions to improve the lives of the poor when he delivers his SONA on the 9th of February.

Around 500 people are expected to join the march, which will start at the Sassa Head Office in Pretoria, to the Union Buildings to submit a memorandum of demands and grievances. Protesters hope President Ramaphosa, along with his cabinet and ministers, keep in mind the millions of people in Mzansi living below the poverty line as they prepare for SONA and the budget speech.

For more information and interviews, contact

Tlou Seopa

amandla.mobi Campaigner

Email: [email protected]

Cell: 081 761 5326

Thabisile Miya

amandla.mobi Community Engagement Officer

Email: [email protected]

Cell: 063 472 0680 

Zintle Tyuku

amandla.mobi Community Engagement Officer

Email: [email protected]

Cell: 082 776 8551