A pensioner and a police constable are hoping Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan will spare a thought for their struggles with the unbearable cost of living when he delivers his budget vote speech in Parliament today
Mamelodi West, Pretoria, pensioner Dorcus Ngwenya, 75, said a R200 increase of the R1,080 monthly grant would make a difference because after paying municipal rates and services she is left with only R280 to survive.
Ngwenya said her monthly rates and service charges fluctuated between R800 and R1,000.
"I would really appreciate it if the pension grant could be increased by R200 instead of the usual R20 increase," Ngwenya said.
"If the R200 increase is not possible the government should introduce special rates and services discount for pensioners."
A 26-year-old police constable with two years service said she took home a "degrading" R1,800 after deductions from her R3000 salary.
The Soshanguve police station-based constable, who asked not to be named, said after paying for rates and services she was left with R1,000 to buy groceries and pay hire purchase accounts.
"I also have to pay school fees for my child and my husband is unemployed," she said.
"A R1,500 increase is not much but would alleviate the poverty we are subjected to as police officers."
She said better pay for police officers would help stop corruption because "it gets to a point where you have no choice but to take a bribe".
Struggling to make ends meet
A pensioner and a police constable are hoping Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan will spare a thought for their struggles with the unbearable cost of living when he delivers his budget vote speech in Parliament today
Mamelodi West, Pretoria, pensioner Dorcus Ngwenya, 75, said a R200 increase of the R1,080 monthly grant would make a difference because after paying municipal rates and services she is left with only R280 to survive.
Ngwenya said her monthly rates and service charges fluctuated between R800 and R1,000.
"I would really appreciate it if the pension grant could be increased by R200 instead of the usual R20 increase," Ngwenya said.
"If the R200 increase is not possible the government should introduce special rates and services discount for pensioners."
A 26-year-old police constable with two years service said she took home a "degrading" R1,800 after deductions from her R3000 salary.
The Soshanguve police station-based constable, who asked not to be named, said after paying for rates and services she was left with R1,000 to buy groceries and pay hire purchase accounts.
"I also have to pay school fees for my child and my husband is unemployed," she said.
"A R1,500 increase is not much but would alleviate the poverty we are subjected to as police officers."
She said better pay for police officers would help stop corruption because "it gets to a point where you have no choice but to take a bribe".
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