EFF Leader Julius Malema Slammed for Wanting to Pay Unemployed Young People, Mzansi Says No to Free Money

• EFF leader Julius Malema says illiteracy in South Africa can be tackled if young people get grants according to their qualifications
• Malema wants young people without qualifications to continue earning the R35o grant and for those with higher levels of education to earn more
• South Africans are adamant that Malema's plan is not a good idea and will breed laziness

DURBAN - Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema believes unemployed South Africans should receive a monthly stipend based on their qualification.

Malema made this assertion at a Youth Day rally at the Durban University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal on 16 June.

EFF leader Julius Malema has a solution to tackle illiteracy in South Africa

Malema told the crowd that unemployed people without qualifications should be given a R350 grant every month, while matriculants should receive R1000, reports TimesLIVE.

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The EFF leader added that graduates should receive more than matriculants, which would be the best way to tackle illiteracy in the country.

“We need to pay people according to their qualifications. If there is no matric, then R350, [people with] matric [get] R1,000. Like that. That is the only way we will defeat illiteracy,” said Malema.

Malema explained that young children would be discouraged from going to school because of the unemployment rate of graduates.

He added that to prevent people from seeing school as a negative, graduates need to be paid for attending university or higher education institutions.

The Red Berets leader added that if the government can't give graduates jobs, they at least need to pay them.

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The recent unemployment rate has shown an increase of 0.2%, from 32.7% in 2022 to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2023. As it stands, around 7.9 million South Africans are jobless, according to StatsSA.

The Department of Employment and Labour says the Basic Income Grant can be introduced in South Africa

Earlier this year, the Department of Employment and Labour gazetted that a Basic Income Grant (BIG) could be introduced in South Africa.

The department noted that despite what economists and critics have said, BIG is financially and economically sustainable. The department based this assertion o Prof Alex van den Heever's from Wits University research that should a grant of this nature was feasible.

Van den Heever stated that research showed that economic growth would still be protected if the government introduced the BIG.

South Africans have mixed reactions to Malema's call to pay unemployed young people

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@TheDailyDeep_66 said:

"Does Julius have ANY idea where this money is supposed to come from? The taxpayer is already buckling under the pressure of paying exorbitant taxes. Unless GBV monies are an option ... Just saying. How are we to encourage our young people to be independent then?"

@immather said:

"If you feed a man fish, he will be wanting that fish for free all the time, but if you teach a man how to fish, he will fish for a lifetime. Create Jobs, not laziness! Simple!"

@Zee_Seed9 said:

"Malema is saying, "give SAn graduates grants, stipends and give their jobs to illegal immigrants..."

@Changeisnow1230 said:

"They must create a conducive environment for job creation, not these unsustainable handouts. Young people want jobs, not R350."

@ndn941 said:

"All those getting R350 needs to get more. There's no separate food price for educated and non-educated. If I do have any education, don't judge me as you don't know the reason for my being not educated in your terms."

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@mcdonaldExt said:

"Where will that money come from, Mr Malema? A lot is being taken from us already taxpayers ‍♂️."

Malema promises to pay unemployed students a “graduate allowance”

Briefly News previously reported that Julius Malema, the leader of the EFF, delivered a speech to student members in Bellville, Cape Town.

He has been hitting the campaign trail hard to win hearts and minds ahead of the local government elections.

While addressing the students, Malema promised them that if the EFF were to win local elections and eventually national elections, they would make some sweeping changes.

Source: Briefly News