Basic income grant debate hots up
As discussion hots up over a basic income grant, there is no escaping the hard fiscal constraints that imperil SA’s existing welfare grants, let alone the state’s ability to broaden the net
20 May 2021 - 05:00
There is a groundswell of opinion pushing for the introduction of a basic income grant (BIG) in SA. Given the devastation wrought by the pandemic, the case has never been more compelling. Unfortunately, SA’s public finances have also never been weaker.
A proxy battle for the BIG played out at the end of April, when the government failed to extend the special Covid relief grant. It had until then plugged the gap in SA’s welfare net by providing 6.9-million unemployed adults (aged 18-59) with R350 a month...
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