Welfare state gives rise to xenophobic violence
Meshack Mabogoane, Business Day
Published: 2010/07/14 07:38:35 AM
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THE recent rumours about potential xenophobic violence after the World Cup are a puzzling throwback to a third force that bedevilled the 1980s at the height of opposition to apartheid. The evil has reared its head and smacks, as before, of central levers at work. It also raises questions about the role of security agencies and their part in preventing crime and safeguarding law and order.
Fears of xenophobic attacks are totally unnecessary. The National Intelligence Agency (NIA), police and army must handle delinquency and serious threats to state security — whether they are suspicions, rumours or reality. Any large-scale violence, including xenophobic violence, is their business and they should pre-emptively and promptly deal with any menace.
The head of the police service has already congratulated his troops for victory during the Fifa tournament — much crime was anticipated before the tournament, based on the influx of foreigners and internal experiences.
If the police succeeded at this task, surely they can repeat the feat by pre- empting xenophobic crimes. Stories of potential xenophobic threats follow previous attacks in 2008. While the fires from those attacks were still hot, the state hastily gave explanations and solutions.
The African National Congress (ANC) made xenophobia a “moral” issue, eschewing interpretations that it was based on material causes, such as jobs and housing, which ignite poor and stressed communities anywhere. No mention was made of the ethnic factor, as happens in conflicts, for example, in Nigeria, in the Balkans, and in SA’s history — among native blacks, white burgers and foreigners.
Most unusually, former President Thabo Mbeki interrupted his globetrotting escapades to address the social issue. He held meetings with victims — yet casualties of HIV/AIDS, whose existence and death were denied, still got no attention. Practical results ensued quickly: the speedy issuing of identity documents to foreigners — ready for elections and readier for social grants and citizenship.
With Fifa gone, a huge propaganda vacuum exists which, naturally, must be filled. So xenophobia presents a logical sequel to an international spectacular. Now SA must show it “cares” for foreigners and, because of “impending attacks”, strong official exhortations are made to welcome and integrate them — regardless of deteriorating social, economic and health facilities that are reeling under the weight of an exploding population.
Again, the NIA is facing allegations of an inability to detect xenophobic threats, outdone by ordinary people, including priests who have questionably intervened on security issues affecting foreigners.
Absorbing millions of foreigners into a country that is still relatively poor, and in which more people are increasingly dependent on state grants for basic subsistence, is unpatriotic, dishonest and ridiculous. These foreigners come from countries that squander their resources and deliberately destroy economies — let alone develop them. A genuine regional power would address this.
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These issues are not moral but material. The ruling regime encourages teenage girls, for example, to have children — for which the state pays child grants of R100bn a year — and this is presented as “human rights” and “welfare”.
Now millions of poor foreigners produce babies to receive child grants too, and compete for jobs and houses — the universal causes of real xenophobia. Such welfare programmes will stir real xenophobic attacks, as some of these “human rights” have engendered social degeneration.
Many of SA’s far-reaching programmes are imposed by hook — and mainly by crook. Lacking a strong opposition, and with a low-quality, servile and nonrepresentative Parliament, vigilance is vital.
Otherwise such things are surreptitiously and speciously thrust down the gullet of an unsuspecting society, at great material and human cost, ultimately aggravating SA’s myriad problems.
- Mabogoane is a freelance writer. (shacks1956@yahoo.com)
» » » » [Business Day]
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SA world's biggest welfare state
Feb 21 2010 15:06
Svetlana Doneva, Finance 24
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Johannesburg - Social grant expenditure is estimated at R89bn in the current fiscal year, a figure large enough to prompt some commentators to call South Africa the "biggest welfare state" in the world.
The 2010/11 allowance for social grants represents a 12% increase year-on-year.
State pension, disability allowances, child support, foster care, care dependency, war veterans and grant-in-aid number the available grants in the country.
Johannesburg - Social grant expenditure is estimated at R89bn in the current fiscal year, a figure large enough to prompt some commentators to call South Africa the "biggest welfare state" in the world.
The 2010/11 allowance for social grants represents a 12% increase year-on-year (y/y).
State pensions, disability allowances, child support, foster care, care dependency grants, war veterans and grants in aid number the available grants in the country.
The state pension, available to South Africans over 60, increased 7% y/y to R1 080 per month.
The same amount is paid in a monthly disability grant, available to adult female South Africans below the age of 59 and under-62 males. Applicants for these grants have to provide a medical certificate and not be maintained at a state institution.
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The child support grant, worth R250 per month, increased just 4% over the past year.
Interestingly, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan decided in last week's National Budget to extend this grant to include 18-year-olds, up from its previous age limit of 15. The additional cost to the state of this extension is R12.2bn.
To qualify for this grant, both applicant and child must be South African residents.
Applicants may not request grants for more than six non-biological children. Children cared for by state institutions do not qualify.
The foster care grant allows foster parents R710/month - a 4% increase on 2009/2010 levels.
Dependency ratio 'unsustainable'
Additional grants include the war veterans' grant, aimed at disabled South Africans over the age of 60 who fought in the Second World War or the Korean War. This grant has a monthly value of R1 100, a 7% increase on last year.
The care dependency grant is for parents who care for children with a confirmed permanent and severe disability.
The grant is worth R1 080/month, up 6% from last year.
Finally, the grant in aid is for older citizens who need full-time attendance by another party due to mental or physical disability. This grant is worth R250/month, up 4% from last year.
A treasury representative said grant increases come into effect on March 1.
Applicants can qualify for more than one grant at a time.
News agency Sapa cited economist Mike Schüssler as being critical of the grant system.
"Look at South Africa's dependency ratio - it's three people to one taxpayer and it's unsustainable," Schüssler reportedly said.
Andile Sokomani from the Institute of Security Studies said that the extent of state support is unlikely to discourage low-income earners from being self-reliant.
"That danger is not real at this point," said Sokomani, a senior researcher in corruption and governance at the Sub-Saharan non-profit organisation.
"Nearly half of the South African population is living on under $1/day, but only half of those people are receiving monetary support from the government."
Sokomani estimated that about 12 to 13 million South Africans are reliant on social grants.
He added that the government is attempting to approach social welfare from a sustainable perspective, opting to build skills and protect basic health, as opposed to merely resorting to hand-outs. - Fin24.com
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