Unions call for new R624 grant in South Africa
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) has outlined its expectations for president Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address on Thursday (10 February), including the introduction of a new basic income grant.
The trade federation, which represents 1.8 million workers in South Africa, said the government has ‘done well’ to provide the R350 social relief of distress grant to over 10 million people during the pandemic, but that this should be increased and made permanent.
“The federation demands it be extended beyond March 2022 and to be increased to the food poverty line of R624. This offers the country a solid and affordable foundation for a Basic Income Grant,” it said.
Other expectations for the state of the nation address include:
Foreign workers
Cosatu said Ramaphosa must address the contentious issue of South African companies that are playing poor foreign workers against poor South African workers.
“The Department of Employment and Labour, the Department of Home Affairs and other relevant state institutions need to enforce the current labour and immigration laws to combat this problem.
“This emotive issue needs decisive leadership from the government because it has the potential to fan the simmering xenophobic sentiments that have led to violence in the past.”
Presidential Employment Programme
“The Presidential Employment Programme has done well creating 550 000 jobs. While we welcome the additional funding provided to it, it still needs to be doubled in the 2022 budget so it can create at least two million badly needed jobs,” Cosatu said.
Eskom
Cosatu has called on the government to accelerate the rebuilding of Eskom and ensuring reliable and affordable electricity should be a key priority.
“This includes moving with greater speed to implement the Eskom Social Compact, to tackle corruption and wasteful expenditure, to ramp up maintenance, to invest in new generation capacity, and a Just Energy Transition that takes affected workers and communities with and does not leave them behind,” it said.
State-owned enterprises
Cosatu said the deterioration of South Africa’s state-owned enterprises remains ‘deeply concerning’, with Transnet, Prasa, Denel, the Post Office and SABC all facing financial difficulties.
“The systematic destruction of Transnet and PRASA needs to be decisively dealt with. Their functioning is critical to getting mining, agricultural and manufacturing goods as well as workers to their destinations safely and on time.
“The Zondo Commission into state capture and corruption has provided clear recommendations on measures to tackle corruption. The government needs to act on these, including tabling the necessary legislative amendments at Parliament.”
Read: VAT and other tax hikes could fund new basic income grant for South Africa
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