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This week saw the delivery of the National budget speech, with an increase of R100 to the old age, war veterans, disability, and care dependency grants, R50 increase to the foster care grant; and R20 increase to the child support grant. Social grants and other forms of social welfare are not replacements for a job. Yet, they remain necessary for the economy because they protect the most vulnerable in society from extreme poverty.
With the devastating cost-of-living crippling the country, even middle-income households find themselves unable to put food on the table, how much more is it for those who depend on social grants as the main means of survival? The answer is the ANC is pushing the most vulnerable deeper into poverty.
Very low amounts of increase in social grants make almost no difference as the cost of living continues to rise. People were hoping for change, better living conditions and the creation of income opportunities.
But we know where our people stand with the ANC National Government. In stark contrast, Western Cape Government proved that it is committed to supporting the most vulnerable in times of crisis during the recent Eskom power outrage in Central Karoo.
The Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) launched emergency procurement procedures to guarantee that the most disadvantaged communities receive the necessary assistance they require. With more than 5 000 food parcels delivered and distributed to needy households in different parts of Central Karoo, food parcels benefited over 17 000 people.
The Western Cape is a blueprint of what South Africa could be, finding ways to things get done to ensure the well-being and dignity of the most vulnerable is safeguarded despite budget cuts from National Government.
A DA national government would be committed to protecting the most vulnerable in our society by making sure that the child support allowance is increased to match the official food poverty line. This means that under a DA government, the child support grant will be boosted from R510 to R760 per month, an additional R250 for each beneficiary. All grants should be considerate of the cost of living, as our people cannot be worse off. The ANC has once again this week shown that they have no regard to protect the most vulnerable in society.
South Africa needs a government that show up for the people, save lives and ensures no one suffers the indignity of poverty.
Wes-Kaap tree op vir die armes te midde van nasionale mislukkings
Hierdie week was die lewering van die Nasionale begrotingsrede, met ‘n verhoging van R100 tot die ouderdom, oorlogsveterane, ongeskiktheid, en sorgafhanklikheidstoelaes, R50 verhoging in die pleegsorgtoelae; en R20-verhoging tot die kinderonderhoudtoelaag. Maatskaplike toelaes en ander vorme van maatskaplike welsyn is nie plaasvervangers vir ‘n werk nie. Tog bly hulle nodig vir die ekonomie omdat hulle die kwesbaarstes in die samelewing teen uiterste armoede beskerm.
Met die verwoestende lewenskoste wat die land verlam, vind selfs middel-inkomste huishoudings hulself nie in staat om kos op die tafel te sit nie, hoeveel te meer is dit vir diegene wat afhanklik is van maatskaplike toelaes as die belangrikste manier van oorlewing? Die antwoord is die ANC druk die mees kwesbares dieper in armoede.
Baie lae verhogings in maatskaplike toelaes maak byna geen verskil nie aangesien die lewenskoste aanhou styg. Mense het gehoop op verandering, beter lewensomstandighede en die skepping van inkomste geleenthede.
Maar ons weet waar ons mense staan met die ANC Nasionale Regering. In skrille kontras het die Wes-Kaapse regering bewys dat hy daartoe verbind is om die kwesbaarstes in krisistye te ondersteun tydens die onlangse Eskom-kragverontwaardiging in Sentraal-Karoo.
Die Wes-Kaapse departement van maatskaplike ontwikkeling het noodverkrygingsprosedures van stapel gestuur om te verseker dat die mees benadeelde gemeenskappe die nodige bystand ontvang wat hulle benodig. Met meer as 5 000 kospakkies wat aan behoeftige huishoudings in verskillende dele van Sentraal-Karoo afgelewer en versprei is, het kospakkies meer as 17 000 mense bevoordeel.
Die Wes-Kaap is ‘n bloudruk van wat Suid-Afrika kan wees, om maniere te vind om dinge gedoen te kry om te verseker dat die welstand en waardigheid van die mees kwesbares beskerm word ten spyte van begrotings besnoeiings deur die Nasionale Regering.
’n DA nasionale regering sal daartoe verbind wees om die mees kwesbares in ons samelewing te beskerm deur seker te maak dat die kinderonderhoudtoelaag verhoog word om by die amptelike voedselarmoedelyn te pas. Dit beteken onder ‘n DA-regering sal die kinderonderhoudstoelae van R510 tot R760 per maand verhoog word, ‘n bykomende R250 vir elke begunstigde. Alle toelaes moet die lewenskoste in ag neem, aangesien ons mense nie slegter daaraan toe kan wees nie. Die ANC het vandeesweek weer gewys dat hulle geen agting het om die kwesbaarstes in die samelewing te beskerm nie.
Suid-Afrika het ‘n regering nodig wat vir die mense opdaag, lewens red en verseker dat niemand die vernedering van armoede ly nie.