We need an entirely new way of doing things to put an end to poverty
The South African government must be called what it is: a capitalist government that has the responsibility of managing a developing country. It does not have the resources and institutions that governments of developed capitalist countries have at their disposal. It does not rest on vast sums of wealth accumulated by many decades of capitalist development, colonial conquests and continuing imperialist domination.
In the early stages of the outbreak of the virus in South Africa, there were calls from government and health experts for ordinary people to prioritise personal hygiene in order to avoid catching the virus. In this drive, it became clear that many people could not “just” wash their hands. But it is becoming obvious that the worst has only been delayed. The shutdown has afforded the government some time to prepare the health sector, but the reality is that despite these efforts it will still be woefully underprepared for what is to come. In the coming weeks and months, the numbers and capacities of healthcare workers will be stretched beyond their limits. Personal protective equipment for frontline workers is already an issue, while the number of ventilators is another.
The government has also announced a temporary six-month coronavirus grant. This grant will mean that child support grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R300 in May and R500 for the remaining five months, while all other grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R250 a month. A special social relief of distress grant of R350 a month will be paid to individuals who are currently unemployed and not receiving other grants.
Poverty is an intractable problem that clever calculations cannot solve. Arithmetic and money won’t fix the situation.No matter the sincerity of the initiatives undertaken, the broadness of the policies adopted, or the quantities of money spent, the government does not have the answers to make this crisis go away. None of the measures at its disposal can bring real solutions that will last. And as long as this is the case, people will be forced to struggle to survive, one way or another.
Socialism is not just a good idea, it is a basic requirement for the masses. It is a basic necessity. It is a real answer to the totalising problems faced by the millions.
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