Some good debate on the site and social media about the short-term basic income grant. Capetonian Cliff Poultney takes issue with an opinion expressed in yesterday’s Daily Insider. His email reads:
I’m writing in response to the letter from Greg Stewart.
I really don’t think that South Africa can apply conventional economic theory to the situation we are in at the moment.
We face an unemployment rate over 40%, a decimated economy, a global pandemic, a bloated civil service and unrest bordering on civil war. Food prices are higher every day.
Yes, most of this has been caused by the policies of the ANC and the mutterings of various political party leaders, but be that as it may, we need a quick fix to bring relief to the starving, and give us the breathing space to (hopefully) get the economy back on track.
The R23.3 billion that he mentions will certainly not be stuffed under a mattress somewhere, but will flow directly back into the economy, giving it a much-needed boost. Research on the Covid-19 grant has shown that many recipients used their R350 to start some kind of hustle to multiply the benefit they received.
Yes, it may be enough to start 200 000 new businesses, but would you start a new business in today’s environment? I would love to know what it would be – certainly not a restaurant or anything involving transport!
And how many of those new ventures would still be around in 5 years? Twenty five percent maybe? So R17.5 billion would be wasted.
Elna Pieterse of Pretoria sent through a mail asking a question that appears to have many South Africans stumped – with all kinds of conspiracy theories emerging to fill the vacuum. She wrote:
Where is our Vice President Mabuza. He went to Russia just before the rioting (for alleged health reasons) My opinion is that he wanted to return to SA as the new President. Where is Mabuza at the moment???
Community member Malcolm Hughes offered some controversial suggestions in his contribution – including praise for Donald Trump – but, hey, it’s the diversity of opinions that helps us grow. He wrote:
Reading Wicus Olivier’s post (and others), and having had a very interesting life (69 yrs), a picture seems to be forming in my mind. The way I’m reading it, is that the powers that be are hell-bent on globalisation. They are using the 4th Industrial Revolution as their excuse, and have openly declared that by 2030 we should have adopted Socialist ways (the letter relating to the World Economic Forum refers). At this point, all I can say is ‘bring back Trump’.
Here in SA, we have a Socialist/Communist ANC Government, so there is nothing new, this is their plan anyway – Socialism by 2030 and then the way is paved for Communism. The DA are running on a parallel track, but not as blatantly. They, the DA are a Social Democrat party. Or should that be Socialist Democratic? I don’t really see how the two can mix.
Then there’s C-19, but that’s a whole new debate that falls into the mix of Socialism & control.
So, in my mind, I’m quite happy that we are fore-warned of the impending doom, and feel that now is a time of great opportunity. We know what’s coming, so we should be looking at ways to ride the wave in order to stay in the upper echelons of society when D-Day arrives.
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