Suid-Afrika mag dalk binnekort R25 miljard “weggee” aan sogenaamde “kwesbare mense” wat glo meer as ander onder die huidige inperking ly. Soortgelyke voorstelle word gewoonlik deur ekonome as “helikoptergeld” bestempel omdat dit neerkom op note wat uit helikopters oor die bevolking gestrooi word.
Volgens ‘n berig in Rapport vandag, is so ‘n plan gister deur ‘n “taakspan” gefinaliseer en “word vandag voorgelê aan pres. Cyril Ramaphosa se nasionale bevelsraad vir die Covid-19-rampkrisis”.
Die persoon aan die hoof van die taakspan is ‘n linkse Engelse vrou, dr. Kate Philip, wat aan die nie-regeringsorganisasie, TIPS (Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies) verbonde is. Haar NGO het in die verlede gepoog en misluk om “sosalistiese strategieë” op die Suid-Afrikaanse platteland te vestig.
TIPS word deur die Britse regering, die EU, asook USAID befonds, instellings wat oor die algemeen links-progressiewe organisasies in Suid-Afrika bevorder.
In ‘n artikel wat ‘n week gelede op die ekstreemlinkse webblad, Daily Maverick, verskyn het, maak Philip ‘n saak daarvoor uit dat die ANC-bewind R25,5 miljard uit die Werkloosheidsversekeringsfonds (op Engels bekends as U.I.F.) moet toeëien en dit aan informele handelaars en bediendes moet uitdeel, mense wat nog nooit tot dié fonds vir salaristrekkers bygedra het nie.
Sy skryf:
What would it cost? Targeted at six million people, with a payment of R1,000 a month for three months tapering to R750 and R500 in the outer months, this would cost R25.5-billion. The R1,000 level aligns with programmes such as the Community Work Programme and Youth Service and avoids the risk of arbitrage between programmes. These payments would start per person on successful application, with the rollout therefore staggered over a period of time as people enrol, within a window period for applications that could stay open for six months. The sooner enrolments take place the better, but the poverty impacts of this crisis are likely to extend well beyond the peak infection period, so staggered rollout has its own advantages.
Where would the money come from? This would be a legitimate use of the UIF Reserve of over R150-billion raised from workers and the private sector to provide social protection in a context of unemployment. Using these unclaimed funds for the purpose of a special Covid-19 grant is directly aligned with the mandate of the fund; some of the other claims currently being made on it are not.
Met die huidige skaarste aan bepaalde verbruikersgoedere wat deur die inperking veroorsaak word, tesame met die swak rand, kan die beoogde “helikoptergeld” vir die informele sektor dalk net die vonk verskaf om Suid-Afrika op die Zimbabwe-pad te plaas, met ‘n verder tuimelende geldeenheid, hoë werkloosheid en inflasie te midde van ‘n stagnante ekonomie, oftewel “stagflasie”.
Dr. Kate Philip is die dogter van die voormalige uitgewer David Philip van Kaapstad. Sy was ook die voorsitster van Nusas in die tagtigerjare toe sy onder meer tydens ‘n terreurondersoek deur die ou regering aangehou is.
Toe Cyril Ramaphosa as sekretarisgeneraal van die NUM in 1987 veroorsaak het dat 40 mynwerkers hul werk deur ‘n grootskaalse staking verloor het, het hy agterna ‘n “werkskeppingsprojek” met buitelandse geld geloods waarvoor Kate Philip insgelyks gewerk het.
In ‘n onderhoud het sy verduidelik hoe sy die pos by die Nasionale Unie van Mywerkers verkry het:
My detention in solitary confinement under security laws during this period was given high profile. Thereafter, I was part of the editorial collective of an alternative newspaper (SASPU National) that provided extensive coverage of local anti-apartheid struggles and that was widely distributed inter alia by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). Writing for the paper, I engaged with activists from many trade unions and sectors. All of the above meant that – as I explain in the book – when I arrived for the job interview for the post in NUM, the process began with handshakes and greetings of ‘comrade’ all around: which is just how it was in those days.
