LETTER: Peter Bruce’s BIG solution won’t make the financial cut
Peter Bruce’s proposal of a basic income grant (BIG) of R2,000pm to 30-million over-18s costing R720bn per annum, will not make the cut (BIG solution would change the country, March 24). A BIG just cannot match the alternative basic land grant (BLG). A BLG of about 900m² of arable land is not only self-funding but will end all involuntary unemployment. It is anticipated in Section 25.5 of the Constitution: "The state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to foster conditions which enable citizens to gain access to land on an equitable basis." The average savings for a smallholder family of four in food and transport costs, shack rent and "avoiding crime" can be about R6,500 a month on 450m², spending an average of 1.5 hours a day on a five-day week. That is R325 an hour, 16 times the anticipated national minimum wage. The other 450m² half of the farm is available for cash crops, animals, and handcrafting things such as a three-bedroomed...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.