By Thokozani Mtshali
The country's poor may soon be placed on "the dole" in an effort to cut down poverty.
Briefing the media in Johannesburg on Monday after the ANC's three-day lekgotla, which was held over the weekend, party spoke person Smuts Ngonyama conceded that the basic income grant was discussed at the meeting, but said no decision was taken.
This means this would not form part of resolutions to be considered by the government. The ANC lekgotla has, in the past, sidestepped the issue of a basic income grant despite a strong lobby in its ranks for its introduction that believes it would hasten government's attempt to fight poverty.
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| 'Cosatu and the South African Communist Party, have strongly supported the provision of the grant' |
Now, ANC branches might finally determine whether government should pay a basic income grant to the country's unemployed.
But when further questioned on the issue on Monday, Ngonyama said there was still an opportunity for the ANC's general membership to take a stand on the issue.
Ngonyama added that the basic income grant question might still be part of the ANC's discussion documents to be circulated to branches in the build-up to its elective conference in Limpopo in December.
ANC components, such as Cosatu and the South African Communist Party, have strongly supported the provision of the grant.
Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya said during a reply to a parliamentary question last November that he was in favour of a basic income grant. He qualified this as his "personal view together with a few comrades in the ANC" who believed that government should consider "something along the lines" of a basic grant because of the high level of unemployment and poverty in the country.
A number of opposition parties, including the DA, civil society organisations and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, have also supported the idea.
In its lekgotla, the ANC also agreed that it needed to establish a broad front for development consisting of a variety of organisations, like the Mass Democratic Movement of the 1980s, as part of its effort to strengthen its fight against poverty.
Skweyiya had indicated in November last year that a clear decision on the basic income grant would be taken at the ANC's national conference later this year.
The voices calling for the grant are likely to grow, given the ANC's focus on fighting poverty, which was also highlighted as the party's main theme in a statement last week. The ANC also wants an increased and "comprehensive" effort by the government to combat crime in the country.
This issue also came top in the ANC lekgotla which is succeeded by the cabinet starting on Tuesday.
- This article was originally published on page 3 of Daily News on January 23, 2007
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