The Democratic Alliance wants to reward parents receiving child grants if their sons and daughters finish matric.
|||Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance says it wants to reward parents receiving child grants if their sons and daughters finish matric – and it wants teachers to report parents who are abusing grants.
These are two of the strategies the DA is proposing in its Social Protection document.
The official opposition wants to restructure financial aid to children, pensioners and the disabled.
DA MP Mike Waters says they want to reward parents who make sure their children finish high school.
“We want to reward young adults who finish matric, through our opportunity vouchers and giving them a bonus with that voucher,” he explains.
In the document, the party proposes incentives for behaviour.
“A bonus payment for completing Grade 12 and incentives linked to performance in Grade 12 exams” forms part of the strategy.
The party also touts community oversight to allow teachers or social workers to immediately report abuse of social grants.
“Community members or teachers can then apply for a review of beneficiary spending when there is suspicion that grants are consistently not being used in the interests of a child,” Waters explains.
Waters says if the DA is in national government, it will also implement a government internship programme.
“Bring in a voluntary service where young people can volunteer at the South African Police Service or the defence force, doing admin work with a prospect of being employed full time later on,” he says.
The DA also wants to make it easier for unemployed people to find work.
“We will set up one-stop career centres to put unemployed adults in touch with companies to employ them and bridge that divide,” says Waters.
“Many people just don’t have the wherewithal to go from factory to factory or to travel to find jobs.”
DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko also believes grants should be expanded to help more South Africans.
“In South Africa the only people who receive grants are children, pensioners and the disabled – that’s it,” Mazibuko explains.
“What we have to try and do is link it to ways to bring those at the centre – people who are able to work and are of working age – out of poverty into the formal economy, because we can’t only assist those who cannot be expected to assist themselves.”
Daily Voice