Johannesburg - Relatives who take care of orphaned or abandoned children can qualify for foster grants thanks to a recent court order, the Daily Dispatch reported on Monday.
The Johannesburg High Court ruled last week that family members could apply as foster parents and receive foster grants, which is about R500 more than the child care grant, the paper reported.
The judgment is the first time a high court had the chance to interpret the Children's Act and define who may apply for foster grants and what child should be fostered.
The case was brought by the great aunt and uncle of an orphan who had been cared for the couple since being brought to Krugersdorp from the Eastern Cape in 2002.
The couple applied to become foster parents in 2007 after the child's mother died but were turned down by the Krugersdorp Children's Court.
The couple then appealed the ruling and were joined by the department of social development who argued that uniformity was needed in interpreting the Children's Act.
While the ruling will make it easier for extended relatives to qualify for foster grants, the court also found that grandparents and siblings should be disqualified as they have a duty to support children.
Sapa