PALI LEHOHLA | When ineptitude rules, gwara-gwara scenario deepens in Mzansi
Don’t blame Covid, fires, floods or fuel price hikes. The government is responsible for the worsening plight of the poor
A contestation regarding the value or otherwise of social grants in SA flares up from time to time. This is despite evidence that social grants have been at the centre of successful reduction of poverty in the republic. The grants come in many forms – not only as cash but also as a social wage of free basic water, electricity and waste disposal including sewerage. Significantly, society witnessed more shelter as houses, especially those in townships, were finally transferred to occupants who were longstanding tenants. In addition, there were the RDP houses handed out to the needy. There is also a no-fees schools policy from which millions of children are supposed to benefit. These interventionist programmes saw poverty levels in SA, especially measured from a multidimensional perspective of deprivations that members of society are exposed to, decline for almost 15 years from 2001. ..
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