POVERTY DESTROYS THE POOR CITIZEN’ S LIVES

Written by Simphiwe Tsawu: Khayelitsha – 0721847144. Simphiwe is a member of the Sayolisa Youth Project Organisation (NPO).

The delivery of services to the masses of our country remains a complex process. Over the past decade, the notion of what constitutes developmental social services has been a matter of debate, misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Since 1994, South African government has been engaged in discussions at various levels to ensure that our services benefit the poorest and most vulnerable sectors of society. In reaching out to the millions of South Africans who live in conditions of abject poverty, some deprived of access to even basic resources, there has been a shift in approach, from a welfarist to a social development perspective. Since the inception of democratic government in 1994, South African government has done an impressive job in addressing the unbearable legacy of apartheid. The delivery of basic services such as adequate infrastructure, houses, water, sanitation, electricity and medical services toward ordinary people has dramatically improved. The government “Development Indicators” (2008:23) document indicates that there is an improvement in the incomes of the poorest rising from R783 per month to an income of R1 032 per month (in 2007 Rand). The document also argues that when the percentage income of the richest and poorest quintiles are compared, the deep structural nature of poverty in South Africa is clear. It further highlights that the structural nature of poverty has a racial underpinning. This document declares that the number of people living in poverty has declined especially between 1999 to 2007. It also asserts that over this period there seems to have been significant shifts in the provincial distribution of poverty. According to Development Indicators (2008: 21) government document, “the rate of unemployment began to fall from 2003, as the number of jobs created started to outstrip the growth of the labour force”. However, continuing poverty undermines these gains, which I see it as a crises and even a threat to survival.

Despite these achievements by the government, there is evidence that structural poverty is deepening. Unemployment has risen rapidly over the past decade and half of all South Africans live in poverty. It is a fact that thousands of South Africans go to bed with no food in their stomach. The poor are even struggling to buy small basic food like bread due to the current high food prices. The South African economy was reported growing up during the Mbeki regime, but this did not mean that the poor are better off. The improvement in economic growth has not able to encourage government from integrating/ or closing the huge gap between those belong to the first economy with those in the second economy who tend to be the poor. Although the 2008 government “Development Indicators” document shows some improvement in poverty and unemployment reduction, economic growth has failed to address the vast inequality in incomes, and government recently responded by increasing grants to the poorest households. I support those who ask for Child support grant to cover all children under the age of 18 from government. It has been said by Kumi Naidoo on Mail & Guardian, 17 to 23 October 2008 that the income of the rich have increased faster than the income of the poor and high inequality, with inflation, the food crisis and a continuing lag in real progress towards social services for the has meant that the pro-poor rhetoric has not been followed by action. Social programmes that design to benefit the poor are not yet reachable by the poor. Basic services and social grants especial child support grants continue to be out of reach for many of the poor. Escalating poverty is undermining many of the most important achievements of the democratic era, this is most apparent in relation to delivery of basic services and infrastructure. Poverty has led to widespread disconnection of services such as water, electricity and also undermines the effectiveness of other social delivery. Therefore I welcomed the involvement of South African government to global Stand Up Against Poverty campaign. In situations of mass poverty as currently exists in South Africa, where malnourishment of children under 5 is increasing, more government pro-poor anti-poverty programmes intervention is critical. South African government must offer a safety net for the poor, who are still numerous mainly due to the lack of remunerated employment, while insuring those in employment against major contingencies (loss of employment, old age, ill health, disability). Government has both a political commitment and a constitution obligation to ensure that everyone in South Africa has access to social security. Radical steps need to be considered if the government needs to tackle poverty. As ordinary poor citizens, let us wait for the new leadership or government to come and see if they will able to come up with the practical pro-poor strategic programmes to eradicate poverty and unemployment.