South Africa allocates an extra $276 mln to fight COVID-19

CAPE TOWN, May 4 (Reuters) - South Africa has allocated an extra 4 billion rand ($276 mln) 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 1.25 billion rand to the department of health to purchase COVID-19 vaccines and another 2.82 billion rand to social development for funding the distress grant. ($1 = 14.4526 rand) (Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Editing by Andrew Heavens)