The R350 social relief of distress grant has seen the number of welfare recipients skyrocket to half the population of the country.

This means that almost 30-million of South Africa’s 60-million citizens are now welfare recipients.

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday told residents of Botshabelo in Mangaung the R350 grant was costing the state billions.

South Africa was the only country on the African continent dishing out freebies to its citizens at such a rate, he said.