Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa used his State of the Nation Address to share how two young unemployed South Africans used their R350 Social Relief of Distress grant to start small businesses.
This has caused a bit of a frenzy on Twitter.
Ramaphosa also announced the extension of the R350 SRD grant for at least another year. The grant supports over 10 million unemployed beneficiaries, however, it is the two citizens who used the money to begin business which has Twitter users scratching their heads.
āMr Thando Makhubu from Soweto received the R350 grant for seven months last year, and saved it to open an ice-cream store that employs four people,ā Ramaphosa said during the Sona.
āMr Lindokuhle Msomi, an unemployed TV producer from KwaMashu Hostel, saved the R350 grant for nine months to start a fast food stall and support his family,ā Ramaphosa added.
Some on Twitter questioned the practicality of starting a business by saving the grant needed by the most vulnerable, when, they argued, that the alotted R350 granted was not enough to support the basic necessities such as food for a month.
āOpening Ice cream shop with R350 SRD that means this person was not hungry mos or I am I thinking to much to it,ā a Twitter user questions.
#SONA2022 Opening Ice cream shop with R350 SRD that means this person was not hungry mos or I am I thinking to much to it
— Tshepiso (@Tshepiso_seripe) February 10, 2022
Another suggested the president is āsmoking somethingā.
Saved 350 to start a business. smoking party started early for Mr President #SONA2022
— I vote South Africa (@RhuBila) February 10, 2022
Meanwhile others were in disbelief that R350 a month for seven months is enough to star a business.
#SONA2022
— šø SaveSAFromAnc&EFFšæš¦ (@Zee_Seed9) February 10, 2022
Ramaphosa is a liar, he says a "person saved 350 for 7 months and open a ice cream business now he employed 4 people.."
š¤£š¤£š¤£ yhuuu ha a lixoki eli.
R 2,450 qha hai senziwa intlama shem.
Mr President telling us that people started a business with a R350 grant. Lies keep growing at the state of the nation address#SONA2022 pic.twitter.com/MbOtsPJ0xC
— Andrew (@Andrew67500920) February 10, 2022
which person saved R350 for 6 months and opened a ice cream store š¤š¤ someone provide proof.
— STHE (@sthebeworldwide) February 10, 2022
#SONA2022
— AMBONGILE (@ambo04) February 10, 2022
I want to know
What was that guy from Soweto eating for 7 months, when he was saving that R350 grantš to open ICE CREAM business
Nami uyangimangaza... people apply for those R350 because they don't have food yet they can save it for 7 and start a ice cream business which has now employed 4 people... amanga #SONA2022 pic.twitter.com/D9ksbMEcix
— Ijaybee (@Yimiujaybee) February 10, 2022
TV broadcaster eNCA questioned Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana after Sona where the money will come from to finance the extension of the SRD grant.
But he was non-committal in providing a response, saying all would be revealed during his Budget Speech later this month.
āI would imagine the Head of State would not have made the announcement if he has not interacted with his minister of finance. So I don't want to say whether the money is there, but there has been a consultation before such an announcement,ā Godongwana replied.
Meanwhile, others said they would prefer to have jobs than to depend on the R350 grant.
You canāt be proud of giving people R350 a month š© #SONA2022
— ASMšššæš¦ (@Sasalurv) February 10, 2022
Voting out the ANC is now a matter of life and death!! Solutions for the youth ke R350 and to be teachers Assistants?? We must start businesses with R350? A billionaire is saying this kak....siesš¤®š¤®š¤®#SONA
— Ofentse Sikwane (@Ofs5B) February 10, 2022
Cyril gives 2 examples & concludes that the R350 grant is the best thing to happen to South Africans ā¦How out of touch can you be ?
— Mhlengi Mpungose (@Saint_Pablo31) February 10, 2022
R350 Again until 2023 no plan to create jobs at all. #SONA2022
— Zen (@Mazet80964819) February 10, 2022
These R350 grants are basically governments scapegoat for not creating jobs and keeping people drunk coz a drunk nation won't question anything about the governance of the country #SONA2022 pic.twitter.com/y5pwAJ3JZ9
— Leratoā¤ (@lerato_mok) February 10, 2022
IOL