Govt Exploring R500 Income Grant; Students Threaten Shutdown over Fees

LOCAL NEWS

• Govt is calling for the urgent implementation of a R500 universal basic income grant to those aged 19-59 to replace the R350 grant expiring at end-April.
  • Expected to cost the state R197.8bn/yr. This is definitely not in the budget and moves some distance from Mboweni's fiscal consolidation push.
• Students threaten countrywide shutdown for today/tomorrow over university registrations and fees, demanding that students with outstanding debt not be excluded from registration.
  • Debt currently amounts to R10bn at 26 institutions. Govt has said it would reprioritise budgets to make room for more student financing
• ANC Caucuses support the process to move ahead with an inquiry into Public Protector Mkhwebane's fitness to hold office after ANC SG Magahsule called for party members to support her.
  • This is a net positive for Ramaphosa's faction in the ANC. No news yet on Sunday's NEC regarding Magahule stepping aside
• 40k J&J vaccines expected to arrive in SA this week. Only 150k people have been vaccinated in SA (5k/week), increasing the likelihood of missing Govt's targets
• Eskom extends stage 2 load-shedding to Wednesday, but says it will monitor the grid.
  • Medupi & Matimba units returned to operation, but 12,900mw remained down on unplanned maintenance & 6,500 on planned maintenance - EWN