Cape Talk Interview: Will the appointment of Dina Pule as Minister of Social Development make the maternal support grant a reality?

Speaking to Cape Talk this week, Hold My Hands Nutrition Strategy Lead, Liezel Engelbrecht, made the case for a Maternal Support Grant: temporary income support to help pregnant women access nutritious food, healthcare and antenatal care when it counts most. Speaking on behalf of the MSG Advocacy Coalition, she argued the grant could cut low birth weight and childhood stunting while saving the public health system billions over the long term. With the government having finalised its budget priorities for the next three years, and a new minister at the Department of Social Development, the case for funding it has never been more urgent.