By Daniel Itai, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Civic organizations across the southern African country are calling out on government to extend the current COVID-19 relief package due to to the dire strains in the economy.
Marvin Abrahams, of the Economic Justice and Dignity Organization, is amongst the latest civic leaders who have since spoken about extending the COVID-19 relief package which was instigated earlier on in March.
“We have been tracking about 40 items that make up the food basket of a family of seven which includes maize meal, cooking oil, sugar, and flour amongst others and we have realised that the cost of the food items has since increased.
The average price of the food basket is now around R3 700 yet most of the people are earning below this amount.
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When COVID-19 hit us in March government decided to top up the grant which helped the depth of economic devastation from continuing so if they remove this relief it’s going to be hard.
However, going beyond COVID-19 we have to find ways of sustaining our food systems. We need the corporal sector to come on board and assist the small scale farmers,” said Abrahams.
@danielItai_zw
