STATEMENT BY BRETT HERRON, GOOD SECRETARY-GENERAL AND MEMBER OF THE WESTERN CAPE PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT
21 APRIL 2020
PRESIDENT SEEKS TO “REBOOT” SOUTH AFRICA WITH A UNAVOIDABLE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PACKAGE:
COVID-19 SOCIAL GRANT INTRODUCES AN IRREVERSIBLE BASIC INCOME GRANT
MASSIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR COMPANIES IN DISTRESS IS WELCOMED
PUTTING FOOD RELIEF ON TRACK
Tonight the President addressed the four crises our country faces: pervasive poverty, financial support for businesses in distress, urgent food relief and the phased re-opening of our economy.
He announced a bold and ground-breaking framework for enduring the impacts of the pandemic and potentially set South Africa on a new path.
These are very welcome steps as he “rebooted” South Africa to face a new era.
The country has witnessed the gruelling impact of the lockdown on those stuck in poverty. The increase in existing social grants is welcomed.
The introduction of a new Covid-19 social grant for every adult South African, who has no income, is a massive step in the fight against poverty and must be the irreversible implementation of a basic income grant.
We can only achieve prosperity if we address pervasive poverty and we cannot live in a country where millions of adults have no work and no income. We welcome this step and we expect that it must become feature of our fight against poverty beyond the pandemic.
The initial financial support packages made available to companies in distress were insufficient. Some of these funds, like the Rupert funding, were exhausted within 3 days. A new package of financial support made available through the commercial banks is very encouraging. We do not want businesses that have been viable to be destroyed by the lockdown. We also welcome the tax relief measures.
Access to food has been a crisis. The proposal for scaling up the distribution of food parcels and the introduction of food voucher and cash transfers to improve access and efficiency and to remove politicisation of food and corruption is welcomed. South Africa has an ugly history of the politicisation of food parcels. This must end. No body who calls South Africa home should starve because they are not identified as supporting a governing party.
The commitment to making further announcements on the phased re-opening of our economy later this week is also welcomed. There is much anxiety about future and when South Africans will be able to go back to school, colleges, and work. Sharing a plan for how and when this can happen will address that anxiety and assist with compliance with the difficulties of the lockdown.
ENDS…