Cape Town – Leader of the EFF Julius Malema has called for social grant beneficiaries to be exempt from paying rates and services.
Malema addressed the party’s rally in Tswelelang near Wolmaransstad in the North West over the weekend after winning a ward during recent by-elections.
“We want the municipality to make a list of pensioners and everyone getting Sassa [South African Social Security Agency] grants and incorporate that into their municipal database and automatically disqualify those people from paying rates because they are poor,” Malema said.
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CIC @Julius_S_Malema addressing the EFF Siyabonga Rally, in Ward 3, Maquassi Hills, North West.
-30 years into government yet, we are not the same with our white counterparts!#RegisterToVoteEFF pic.twitter.com/lejhctbvnW
— Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) October 1, 2023
According to Times Live, approximately 18 million people in South Africa receive social grants.
In March, Bloomberg revealed that municipal and city debt surged past R300 billion during the last quarter of the previous year, exacerbating the challenges faced by municipalities in achieving their revenue goals.
By December 31, residents owed R305.8 billion, a notable increase from R261.5 billion the previous year, with households comprising 71% of the total debt, according to data released by the National Treasury, the report said.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu