South Africa allocates an extra R4bn for Covid-19 vaccines, social distress grant

South Africa has allocated an extra R4bn to buy Covid-19 vaccines and extend a special distress grant to thousands of people hit by the pandemic, in a Special Appropriation Bill tabled by the finance minister on Tuesday.

The bill, expected to be debated with the National Treasury in a parliamentary committee meeting later on Tuesday, allocates an additional R1.25bn to the department of health to purchase Covid-19 vaccines and another R2.82bn to social development for funding the distress grant.

This is a developing story.