MINISTER PULE ENCOURAGES YOUTH TO TURN SRD GRANTS INTO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AT CHATSWORTH ICROP

By Stephens Themba

• Minister Dina Pule urged young people to use the R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant as a stepping stone to entrepreneurship, citing a Gauteng youth cooperative that grew from pooled grants into a bakery now opening a second outlet.
• The Ministerial Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP) at Crossmoor Cricket Grounds in Chatsworth brought Home Affairs, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the National Development Agency (NDA) and other service providers under one roof for residents.
• The delegation visited the Khayelisha Women Development Centre, funded by the National Development Agency (NDA), which appealed for help with its limited operating space.

Minister of Social Development, Ms Dina Pule, has encouraged young people to use the R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant wisely and to explore entrepreneurship, emphasising that even modest financial resources can become a foundation for economic independence.

The Minister delivered this message during the Ministerial Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP), held at Crossmoor Cricket Grounds in Chatsworth, KwaZulu-Natal, on Tuesday, 27 October 2026.

The outreach was attended by several dignitaries, including the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza; the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), Mr Themba Matlou; and the Executive Mayor of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, Cllr Cyril Xaba.

Speaking to the media during the programme, Minister Pule highlighted the importance of bringing essential government services closer to communities, particularly vulnerable individuals and families who often face financial and transport challenges in accessing services.

She explained that ICROP brings together government departments, agencies and service providers – including Home Affairs, Health, Employment and Labour, SASSA, the National Development Agency (NDA), financial institutions and community-based organisations – enabling residents to access multiple services under one roof.

Turning to youth empowerment, the Minister encouraged young people receiving the R370 SRD grant to consider entrepreneurship and self-employment.

Sharing an inspiring success story from Gauteng, Minister Pule recounted how a group of young people pooled their R370 grants to establish a cooperative and start a small bread-baking business.

What began with limited resources and a shared vision has since grown into a bakery, and the young entrepreneurs are now preparing to open a second outlet.

The Minister used the example to show that small beginnings can lead to meaningful economic opportunities when supported by determination, creativity and collective effort. She encouraged young people to organise themselves into cooperatives, develop business ideas and explore available government support programmes.

Earlier in the day, the ministerial delegation conducted an oversight visit to the Khayelisha Women Development Centre, an NDA-funded community-based organisation established in 2018 by Ms Bonisiwe Mabaso.

The centre empowers vulnerable women and young people through practical skills development programmes in baking, detergent manufacturing, sewing and beauty therapy. It also runs awareness programmes on gender-based violence, HIV and AIDS, cancer, substance abuse and healthy lifestyles.

Speaking during the visit, Ms Zandile Khumalo, representing the centre, thanked Minister Pule for recognising the organisation’s contribution to uplifting vulnerable communities.

She appealed, however, for government intervention to address the centre’s limited operational space, explaining that the current premises are too small to accommodate its growing activities and community development programmes.

During the afternoon community engagement, residents had the opportunity to raise service delivery concerns directly with political leadership. The programme also included the symbolic handover of social grant approval letters and school uniforms.

With SASSA, Home Affairs, the Department of Social Development and other stakeholders on site, residents received assistance with social grant enquiries, identity document applications, appeals and other essential services.

Following the Chatsworth leg, the Ministerial ICROP will proceed to Mthatha in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, continuing government’s efforts to bring integrated services closer to communities and address service delivery challenges.