WATCH | ‘We will double your grants’: Malema makes R4,500 Sassa pledge

Malema

North West – EFF leader Julius Malema has promised increased social grants, allowances for unemployed graduates and free electricity for social grant recipients as political parties ramp up campaigning ahead of South Africa’s 4 November local government elections.

Speaking at the EFF’s provincial manifesto launch in the North West on Saturday, Malema said the R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant was insufficient to meet the cost of living.

“We do not want the SRD grant just to be permanent, but we want it to increase, because what can one buy with R350?” he said, adding that the grant should only go to people with no income.

Malema also promised financial support for unemployed graduates.

“We want graduates to be employed; if they are not given jobs, they must be given a graduate allowance,” he said.

He criticised the government’s approach to social grants and said the EFF would protect the income received by millions of households.

Malema also called for old-age pensions to be increased to at least R4,500 a month and said Sassa recipients should automatically qualify for free basic electricity.

“They [ANC] cannot take away your SASSA support grants. You paid taxes when you were working, that is your money. We [EFF] will not take away your grants, instead, we will double them. In fact, we want it to start from R4,500,” he said. 

He added: “Old age pensioners must not pay for electricity; everyone who is a Sassa recipient must not pay for electricity,” he said.

“When we win Mbombela, we are going to scrap the debt of the poor, no one will owe the municipality,” Malema added.

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