Government Covid-19 relief efforts have failed the poor

The government’s response to COVID-19 has laid bare a number of truths that existed prior to the start of the pandemic: high levels of inequality and high levels of unemployment (currently at 30% and projected to increase to 50%).

A NHI for the people is important and possible

*Update* Thank you to all our members and partners. Together we submitted over 170,000 public submissions calling for a NHI that works for the people. This is an important first step towards shaping the delivery of quality healthcare for all. *Note we have restructured and tweaked our submission under two key themes; accountability and resources. […]

Load Shedding Highlights importance of ICASA regulations

The major mobile networks have already claimed that load shedding, which they have no control over, will have a negative impact on reducing the cost of data. However, consumers should not pay the price especially with regulations in place that should be protecting them from not getting value for money this way.

Time for serious investment in old-age pension grant

Instead of citing fiscus constraints as a reason for not addressing the plight of pensioners, effort should be made to reprioritise how funds are used. This – coupled with an increase in Corporate Income Tax, which has steadily decreased over the years and the introduction of a wealth tax – alongside an urgent action plan to clamp down on corporates that are not tax compliant, are some ways in which revenue to enable this could be generated.