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The National Education Health and Allied Workers’ Union, NEHAWU, says it supports calls for the introduction of a universal basic income grant.
The labour union says the grant will go a long way in addressing social and economic crises affecting the youth and women of South Africa in particular. NEHAWU made its position known on the matter, in a statement referred to as a special note, ahead of the 36th anniversary of labour federation Cosatu, which was formed in December 1995 and of which NEHAWU is an affiliate.
National spokesperson of NEHAWU, Lwazi Nkolonzi, says the union is calling on government to make sure that the current SDR [social relief of distress] grant that is in place is made permanent, and that it is converted into the universal basic income grant.
“How the government ought to do this, for example, is to increase the current SDR to above poverty line of R650, or make it R450.”
“In this way, you’re going to be able to address challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality,” adds Nkolonzi.
