A coalition of NGOs and researchers is calling on the government to greenlight a Maternal Support Grant (MSG) for poor pregnant women whose nutrition, and that of their unborn children, are at stake amid rising rates of child poverty and malnutrition.
This clarion call for political leaders to address a long-standing gap in South Africa’s social protection system comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa prepares to outline the government’s priorities in his State of the Nation Address in February.
Although this is not the first time that NGOs have thrown their weight behind the MSG, there’s a new sense of urgency because of slow progress in getting a draft MSG policy approved by Cabinet. In late 2024, the MSG Advocacy Coalition was formed between Embrace, the Equality Collective, DG Murray Trust (DGMT), Grow Great, Ilifa Labantwana, SAMRC/Centre for Health Economics & Decision Science – PRICELESS SA, HEALA and Amandla.mobi to rally public support for the grant.
Their urgency stems from the fact that young children in South Africa are more likely to live in poverty, suffer from food insecurity and die before their fifth birthday than they were before the Covid-19 pandemic. About half of all South Africa’s people and nearly 70% of its children live below the ‘upper-bound poverty line’ of R55 per day.
“Given the socio-economic circumstances in which most South Africans live and the fact that nearly 40% of young children live in households that can’t meet their basic nutritional needs, we need to ensure that pregnant women receive financial support to buy food and other essentials,” says Liezel Engelbrecht, Innovation Manager at DGMT.
Studies have shown that income support for vulnerable pregnant women improves their nutritional status, their ability to regularly access antenatal care, and their mental health.
“Improving the nutritional status of children starts with improving the nutritional status of mothers as good nutrition begins in the womb,” Engelbrecht explains.
Despite evidence in favour of the MSG, Cabinet has yet to approve a draft MSG policy document that would pave the way for the grant to be implemented.
“We were hoping that the draft policy would be approved for public comment when Cabinet met at the end of last year, but to our disappointment that didn’t happen,” Engelbrecht explains.
Mounting evidence in support of the MSG
“Implementing the MSG is not an act of charity, but rather an act of justice. Pregnancy is a time of increased vulnerability and huge potential, but our society provides inadequate support for pregnant women who experience greater physical, mental and societal vulnerability,” says Julie Mentor, Project Lead of Embrace.
In 2023, the South African Law Reform Commission, an advisory body to the state, investigated these shortcomings and recommended that poor and vulnerable pregnant women receive maternity support in the form of an extension of the Child Support Grant (CSG) into pregnancy.
The MSG is also a strong economic imperative. Researchers have done a cost-benefit analysis which shows that the MSG could save the country approximately R13.8 billion annually by reducing healthcare costs associated with poor birth outcomes like complications related to babies born with low birth weight which require neonatal intensive care, among other costs. This far outweighs the estimated cost of introducing the grant, pegged at between R1.89 billion and R3.26 billion annually, depending on the number of months it’s paid to beneficiaries. In addition, social protections have reduced economic exclusion by about 10% and have a direct benefit on the economy, enabling more people to participate as workers and consumers.
Stunting is not slowing down
Maternal undernutrition accounts for about a fifth of all stunting in children. Stunting is the most common form of malnutrition in South Africa, occurring among children who are too short for their age. To date, 29% of children under the age of five are stunted which affects their body and brain development.
“When children don’t eat well, they can’t grow well and learn well – this has a direct impact on our economy,” says Nicola Eley, Deputy Executive Director of Grow Great.
If we eliminate nutritional stunting in children, they could grow up contributing an estimated R80-R90 billion to the economy each year.
“Children who receive proper nutrition, healthcare, and education have a better chance of breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty and inequality,” Eley concludes.
To arrange interviews, please contact DGMT Communications Specialist Corné Kritzinger on 060 679 7964 or send an email to corne@dgmt.co.za.
About the MSG Advocacy Coalition: Grow Great, a campaign dedicated to mobilising South Africa to halve stunting in young children by 2030, convened a meeting with activists advocating for financial support of vulnerable pregnant women in Johannesburg on Tuesday 16 October 2024. Recognising that pregnancy is the foundational stage of life where a child’s future is determined, the meeting saw the formation of a coalition calling for the government to extend the Child Support Grant into pregnancy in the form of a Maternal Support Grant. The MSG Advocacy Coalition includes Embrace, the Equality Collective, DG Murray Trust (DGMT), Grow Great, Ilifa Labantwana, SAMRC/Centre for Health Economics & Decision Science – PRICELESS SA, HEALA and Amandla.mobi.
