The inmates at the Bizzah Makhate Correctional Centre in Harrismith, which is located in the Free State, have petitioned President Cyril Ramaphosa to do away with the R350 social relief award.
They stated that he should not have decided to extend it, as it would have been more beneficial to reopen all of the closed factories around the nation in order to provide employment opportunities for young people who are currently without work.
On Wednesday, April 12th, the prisoners were speaking during a post-state of the Nation address discussion that took place within the jail. The inmates believe that the current quality of life is simply too high and that R350 will not be enough to eliminate poverty.
The R350, according to the 48-year-old prisoner Lucky Malinga, is making life even more difficult for those who are already struggling to make ends meet.
It is time for the president to cease helping those in need with a silver spoon. The factories that used to serve as the economic pillars of the nation during the apartheid era have since fallen into disrepair. “People should work for themselves and not rely on the social grant,” said Lucky.
Motsamai Rooi, a second inmate, stated that the government ought to collaborate with former offenders and the private sector in order to promote the creation of jobs and to construct an independent nation.
“The working class will contribute sixty percent of the revenue, and the government will only spend forty percent of that money on the elderly, disabled, and children in foster care. I would want to make a respectful appeal to the Parliament that they call us for a presentation so that we can explain our tactics and the strategy we have for putting them into action.”
Even if the minimum wage is raised to R350, our people still cannot depend on it. We need to make more employment options available. Changes to the way we teach children should also be on the table. We are unable to make it work. According to what he said, “We need different kinds of universities that can provide both academic subjects and technical studies.”
Tony Maboya has suggested that the government should abandon the R350 and instead concentrate on the employment market. Agape Foundation, a charitable organization with the mission of “leaving no one behind,” was the driving force behind the discussion and served as its moderator.
Daniel Moloi, director of Agape, stated that incarcerated people are also a part of the community.
“Once they have completed their sentences, they will return to the communities to which they belong. The participation of those individuals in the growth of the nation is one of our primary objectives. we want to champion the theme of leaving no one behind,” he said.