With unemployment soaring up to 32.9% for the first quarter of 2024, as reported by Statistics South Africa Quarterly Labour Force Survey, South African Rainbow Alliance (Sara) was gearing up to prioritise jobless single men.
Sara leader and premier candidate for Gauteng, Colleen Makhubele, explained on Tuesday, during a Facebook livestream, that the party planned to introduce R3 000 social grants for unemployed single men.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) cited the World Health Organisation 2019 report titled, “Preventing Suicide: a Resource For Pesticide Registrars and Regulators”, on a global scale, South African men were four times likely to commit suicide compared to women.
The report wrote that out of more than 6 000 suicides that occurred in 2016, 5 138 were of men.
“For many years, the highest suicide rate in this country has been unemployed single men. Black men are dying like flies, because they do not have jobs- they are unable to take care of their families and children. Most of them are hiding in Gauteng, in informal settlements. It is a disgrace for a nation to forsake its men like that,” said Makhubele.
She further said when men stagger in unemployment, such rolls over and exacerbates dysfunctional families, alcoholism and criminal activities, which was prevalent in black households.
Sara slammed the current government for failing to create jobs for South Africans, in particular men who are “desperate” for employment.
As South Africans are tightening their budgets to survive through each month, meanwhile StatsSA reported 18.2 million people bear the brunt of poverty as of 2023. The party noted the unemployment grant will help alleviate financially challenged people in order to provide for their basic needs.
Furthermore, the proposed grants will also be exclusive to unemployed caregivers, who are primary carers of their sickly and disabled family members. Makhubele said caregivers are robbed of job opportunities, because most of their time was spent on catering the needs of their families.
She boasted that Sara was the sole party that prioritised and empathised for unemployed men, in particular jobless black men.
“From the 30th of May, you are going to be able to get R3 000 grants, not R350 for unemployed people. Unemployed single men, we have got you covered, vote for the Sara,” she said.
The Star
hope.mafu@inl.co.za