South Africa’s Cabinet appears to have poured cold water on a basic income grant — called for recently by Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya — turning instead to ways to find ”exit strategies” to reduce reliance on social grants.
In a statement on Thursday after a Cabinet meeting in Pretoria on Wednesday, Cabinet spokesperson Themba Maseko said the Cabinet had noted a proposal for linking social grants to poverty alleviation initiatives and other economic activities.
But it said the beneficiaries of social grants — ”most of whom are able-bodied individuals” — would be given incentives linked to exit strategies.
”These would include skills development and participation in labour intensive programmes such as the extended public works programme.”
A proposed model was referred to the social cluster ministers for further consideration ”and development”. – I-Net Bridge