Unemployed people between the ages of 18 and 35 should be eligible for a permanent grant of R1,500, to help meet their immediate needs, said SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi. 

Speaking at the  Cry of the Xcluded conference, Vavi said South Africans are tired of the empty promises made by politicians when campaigning for votes during elections season.

Reflecting on last week's local government elections, Vavi said the pots of the poor remained empty with the plight of joblessness, poor service delivery and poverty still evident.

"People are starving and without food. To end this, the state should look to progressively introduce an unconditional, universal basic income grant. We need a basic income grant now for those between the age of 18 and 59 who are without stable income so they can receive a basic income grant from the state," he said. 

Vavi also called for job creation and insourcing of workers employed under the EPWP programme so they are eligible to receive benefits including medical aid and pension funds. 

He said the continued blackouts by Eskom will also lead to business closures and increase the unemployment rate.

SA Communist Party leader Blade Nzimande made similar calls last year about the R350 social relief of distress grant.

He called on the government to convert the grant to a basic income guarantee for beneficiaries who were not covered by UIF, child support grant or any government pension.