By Mthandazo Ndlovu Hlahla, Governance and Strategic Alliances Programme Manager Oxfam South Africa
COVID-19 crisis has exposed South Africa’s existing weaknesses in health care systems, education and food systems.
Even before the pandemic 13.7 million South Africans, almost a quarter of the population, did not have access to enough food as a result of high levels of unemployment, lack of access to assets such as land or fishing permits, and the high and rising price of food and other essentials. Inequality and discrimination mean that some sections of society such as women – who earn 27 percent less on average then their male counterparts – are more likely to be living with hunger. Since the pandemic and the lockdown the number of hungry people has risen sharply. This is evidenced in numerous reports published by agencies such as Statistics South Africa, NIDS: 2021 and Oxfam South Africa’s report on Hunger entitled, “Not Yet Uhuru” 2020. Child hunger and predominantly amongst African children is on the rise.
Government must invest in reliable food access and distribution partnerships, involving civil society organizations and private sector to speed up the process of reaching millions of hungry South Africans. Investments in food production and small-scale farmers to ensure our food supply during and post COVID-19 is secure must be made. Water distribution and access for farmers must be guaranteed, including targeted procurements of fresh produce from local small holder farmers. Regional and continental bodies should explore investing in regional food stocking and distribute food equitable or according to need during times of crisis.
The problem is particularly acute in urban areas. Millions of informal workers – street traders, cleaners, and delivery drivers – suddenly found themselves out of work with no access to sick pay or unemployment benefit at the same time as the prices of food and other essentials has spiked because of stockpiling and price gouging by supermarkets and other suppliers.
Most households earn their livelihoods through informal trading, subsistence farming, vending, and domestic work. These are the forgotten livelihoods. As a society, we did not invest in people during this pandemic. Municipalities should have but did not consider debt cancellation for over-indebted households. Any caring government would not consider imposing burdening people with further taxes on essential services and goods. Rather cuts in municipal taxes, roll out of free quality water services and investing in strengthening Municipal service delivery capabilities. This will plough back the much-needed cash to families to rebuild and send their children to school, buy food and meet other necessities. To improve access to food, the government should consider suspending any planned food hikes or taxes on food and medical items. It has increasingly become evident that increased public investment in infrastructure development and maintenance is not only dependent on more funds, but funding must tally with sufficient planning and implementation capacity and this requires strengthened role of civil society and collaboration with ethical private sector actors.
The unequal spends on health sees South Africa spend 8.7% of GDP on both public and private health care, which private sector absorbs 4.5% of GDP of to serve only the healthcare needs of 16% of the population. The public sector which serves 84% of the population is then forced to fight for the 4.2% of GDP spent on the public healthcare sector. The inequality in the healthcare sector was exposed most grotesquely during Covid.
A combination of profit-seeking private healthcare entities and under-investment from government has driven unfair practices in the healthcare sector. Salaries for nurses and community healthcare workers have stagnated, and jobs have gradually been stripped of security, predictability and benefits such as health care and a minimum number of guaranteed hours.
The poor treatment of healthcare workers has compromised the quality of healthcare. Resulting in the healthcare system ill-prepared for shocks such as COVID-19. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has put into sharp focus and exacerbated a number of inequalities and fragilities that haunt the healthcare system and constrain it from delivering on its Constitutional mandate.
Ultimately, quality and sustainable healthcare can only be achieved through decommodification of services, public investment in infrastructure and on the health labour force to guarantee staffing levels, living-wages, and decent working conditions.
To build a human and people-centered economy, the government should put at the center of its 2021/22 budget agenda, a public policy intervention that tackles the crisis of increasing household debt, unemployment and rising hunger crisis. Rebuilding an inclusive economy requires fundamental shifts and a reset of the policy agenda. Inclusive people’s economy requires bold and transformative action and one such intervention is that of investing and putting money back into people’s and household pockets, this secures and guarantees not only the socio-economic well-being but could also provide prospects for healthier and resilient communities, particularly in rural and informal urban settlements.
The scale of the challenge requires cooperation and collaboration. South African’s expect a budget policy statement that is bold, redistributive and transformative.
Investing in transparency initiatives such as availing resources in support of the oversight bodies such as the Auditor General, Public Protector and SA Human Rights Commission remains an essential element towards building a democratic, ethical and inclusive developmental state. Investments in rural water, connectivity and ICT infrastructure should be prioritized.
By Mthandazo Ndlovu Hlahla, Governance and Strategic Alliances Programme Manager Oxfam South Africa
