Labour Minister announces a new National Minimum Wage: Isobel Frye
https://youtu.be/8lOPHyDqcMs?t=310 Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has announced an update to the National Minimum Wage, increasing it from R25.42 to R27.58 per ordinary hour worked. Effective from March 1, 2024, this adjustment aims to ensure fair compensation for all workers. Notably, the revised minimum wage also extends to vulnerable sectors such as farm workers […]
Universal basic income is the answer to providing a solid unemployment social assistance system
People queue in the rain at Randburg Labour Department on February 22, 2021 in Randburg, South Africa. The department of labour is responsible for matters related to employment, including industrial relations, job creation, unemployment insurance and occupational health and safety. (Photo: Gallo Images / Fani Mahuntsi) South Africa needs an unemployment system overhaul. Income needs […]
Social Policy Initiative (SPI) SONA (State of the Nation Address) 2024 Press statement- social assistance is an investment in the future, but we need a UBI now!
The Social Policy Initiative (SPI) welcomes the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa in the 2024 SONA on 8 February in which he cited clear evidence that social assistance is developmental, increasing school enrolment and attendance, lower drop-out rates and improves school pass rates. Around 9 million unemployed adults receive the monthly R350 Social Relief […]
Post MTBPS Sentiments
The Medium Term Budget Policy Statement is a roadmap of the fiscal and allocations direction the government is planning on taking in the annual budget speech in February. Evident from the MTBPS is that the government has no intention of using fiscal policy tool to stimulate economic growth. This was made clear by the extension […]
Non-payment of social grants ‘disrupts thousands of lives’
Following delays in paying social grant recipients, there are still people who have not received their payouts despite SASSA, Postbank and the Department of Social Development saying they will ensure that payouts are completed. 600 000 grant recipients were left stranded last week in what Postbank says was a technical glitch. Meanwhile, City Press reports […]
SPI Calls on President Ramaphosa to Urgently Host Debate on Macro-economic Priorities in South Africa
SPI, a critical social security think tank in South Africa, has called upon the President to urgently host an inclusive debate on macro-economic priorities in South Africa in light of the media’s reporting of Treasury’s warning of impending cuts to key social spending on health care, education and social grants. SPI’s executive Director, Isobel Frye, […]
A Decent Path: Universal Basic Income would be a big step forward for women’s equality
We ‘celebrate’ Women’s Day on 9 August each year in honour of the thousands of women who marched to the Union Buildings on that day in 1956 in protest against unjust apartheid laws. What would Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams De Bruyn say about the rights and livelihoods of women today?
Social Relief of Distress – A small miracle that needs defending
These days it is easy to overlook miracles in the noise of our lamentations. Relentlessly rising inflation, climate change crises, the extreme rise in hunger and in South Africa the national sense of powerlessness as people try to navigate normal with only 60 percent energy – this is all a lot to deal with on any given day.
Inequality: the massive elephant in the Room
While there was only a slight increase of R10.91 (0.2 percent), people are still going to struggle because the national minimum wage is not enough to solve debt and poverty.
‘To help be the change that I want to see, what will I do?’ Take a stand!
The fall of Apartheid is attributed to many forces, both local and international. At the heart of the force that defeated the Apartheid evils, however, was the strength and courage of ordinary people who took a stand, often at a huge personal sacrifice, the writer says.
