Citizens have expressed concerns about swirling graft allegations ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s much-anticipated Sona.
By Thabo Makwakwa, Zainul Dawood, Nokuthula Mabuza and Thobani Dlamini
WITH the State of the Nation address (Sona) set to take place on Thursday, citizens have expressed concerns about allegations of corruption – mainly on the part of the executive and state officials who are leaders and occupy positions of power in government.
They believe that corruption is a “pandemic”, with allegations of corruption swirling around members of the executive and those in the private sector where serious crimes were often left untouched.
Investigations and prosecution processes were not adequately effective because those involved in corruption used their positions of power to frustrate the investigations.
Another major concern of citizen is jobs, with the official unemployment rate at 34.9% in the third quarter of 2021. Officials were still compiling the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the fourth quarter of last year.
The number of employed persons decreased by 660,000 to 14.3 million people, said Nozipho Shabalala, the acting deputy director-general: population and social statistics at Statistics South Africa.
The number of unemployed persons decreased by 183,000 to 7.6 million compared to the second quarter of 2021. The number of discouraged work-seekers increased by 545,000 (16.4%) and the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement increased by 443,000 (3.3%) between the two quarters, resulting in a net increase of 988,000 in the not-economically active population.
These changes resulted in the official unemployment rate increasing by 0.5 of a percentage point from 3.4% in the second quarter of 2021 to 34.9% in the third quarter – the highest since the start of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey in 2008.
On Tuesday, Minister of Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi said the national minimum wage for each ordinary hour worked has been increased from R21.69 to R23.19 for this year with effect from March 1, 2022.
Nxesi said that, as in previous years, the adjustment provided exceptions for several worker groups. These groups include farmworkers as they were entitled to a minimum wage of R23.19 an hour and domestic workers were entitled to a minimum wage of R23.19 an hour.
It has drawn the ire of struggling employers who have complained that the 6.9 percent increase could threaten job security in the country.
The South African economy has been hit hard over the past two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. Its fluctuating state has resulted in job losses and contributed to the rise in poverty levels.
Economist Dawie Roodt said President Cyril Ramaphosa’s focus should be on the failing SOEs, which were frail even prior to the pandemic.
The pandemic had its impact on the economy but, essentially, it had been stagnant since 2018, Roodt said.
“Although there were a few ups and downs and lockdowns, the general trend of the economy since Ramaphosa took office has been down – weaker.
“The growth trajectory has been less than 2%. There are many reasons as to why this is so – electricity, policy uncertainty, corruption, incompetence, confidence issues, and so on. Fiscal accounts are unsustainable, SOEs are financially and operationally ruined.
“Last year, the export and mining sectors did very well because of the commodity cycle, but tourism and related sectors remain weak. The president has to announce a practical plan to clamp down on state-owned enterprises and get them working again,” Roodt said.
The president had a lot to deal with in the economy, but he has to address the burning issues of corruption, he said.
What the people have to say?
BHEKI RHULANI KHOZA: “Based on the values of integrity, transparency and accountability in respect of the rule of law and zero tolerance on corruption, President Cyril Ramaphosa has not dealt decisively with corruption and it would be best that he steps aside. He is involved in allegations of corruption and protects those stealing public funds. His own ministers are also not clean and there is no accountability.”
NKOSIYAZI MAKWAKWA: “Now that we are approaching the Sona, it is high time that Parliament deals with corruption seriously, as state funds continue to be plundered. These criminals must serve jail time and not be allowed anywhere close to the public purse.
“Stung by allegations of corruption, President Cyril Ramaphosa has been ordered by the Standing Committee on Public Accounts to write a letter detailing his utterances where he was recorded admitting that he would not disclose the names of those who stole public funds from the government entities for their own political campaigns. Ramaphosa is expected to make the submission this week.”
OBIE HLATSHWAYO: “We are standing outside the municipal offices right now to pay for water and electricity regardless of how old one has become. If only the president could at least make a way for the elderly to be attended to without having to stand in lines for so long. We are hoping that the president could also make us (pensioners) pay lower rates than everyone else. We rely on pension money which is not enough to cover the cost of living.”
UAGAN CHETTY: “The Covid-19 pandemic and the July unrest last year have contributed to a spike in unemployment, coupled with socio and environmental factors that have increased the need for us as an organisation to lift our game further. However, our resources are also depleting fast due to the disastrous ripple effect these calamities have had on our communities at large.
“Increased unemployment is equivalent to increased poverty and hunger. We at Food for Life have a mission to eradicate hunger and malnutrition and to create a hunger-free nation. To do this we need funding regularly to ensure we can feed more people on a daily basis.”
ISOBEL FRYE: “We believe the adoption of a basic income grant is identified as the way in which we are able to address the needs as well as the hopes and inspirations of everybody currently excluded from the labour market and who is living in sinking and growing poverty.
“Statistically, every one in two South Africans was living in poverty before Covid-19. And one in four people was not able to meet their nutritional requirements as stipulated by the World Health Organization. What we need is an economic stimulus that could happen with a universal basic income grant of R1,335 that goes to everybody.”
DAWOOD PARAG: “As a South African, I have been on the housing waiting list for 45 years. I receive a pension and I am working as a car guard to supplement my income. I have to pay an exorbitant rental, water, and electricity bill monthly. I also have to buy food. Millions of tenants like me are struggling because of the government backlog of housing. I appeal to the government to take charge of water and electricity.”
TOMMIE VAN NIEKERK: “There are many challenges with poverty and unemployment in Durban. People cannot find work. On the Durban beachfront there are people trying to make an income by hustling. It is sad to see people begging. The president has to make a plan for the people that are unemployed. He knows what he can do. After all, he is the president. I earn a living by showcasing my birds to tourists for a donation.”
SIYABONGA MGUBE: “I am self-employed and, as an aspiring entrepreneur with an undergraduate degree in business, I am always hoping for a consistently growing economy. At this point, it feels like the president does not have a clue that economic growth means more jobs and more entrepreneurs.”
ERIC WALLJEE: “One cannot fix the economy without dealing with rampant corruption. Forget about economic growth if there are people eating away in places such as Eskom and Transnet. Stabilise these institutions and you will have a booming economy. The sentence must fit the crime as well.”
OLWETHU NGCOBO: “The president must give a full explanation of what he means when he speaks about economic growth, so that we can all be on the same page. Sona is watched by thousands of people who are unemployed but do not understand why jobs are not coming. So, they need to be taught about the lack of growth in the economy.”
