Africa
In a historic election, South Africa’s ANC loses majority for the first time
![](https://texasguardiannews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/South-Africas-ANC-loses-majority.jpg)
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Africa
Could South Africa be the first-ever country to provide a no-strings-attached universal basic income?
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South Africa suffers from severe income inequality — one of the worst anywhere in the world. Its unemployment rate, meanwhile, is over 30%.
But its government thinks it has a solution: a universal basic income .
The idea has broad political support and the country’s largest political party, the African National Congress, said recently it is committed to implementing a universal basic income within two years.
Once the figment of ideological dreamers, a universal basic income — regular direct cash payments to a population with no strings attached — has grown in legitimacy, especially after the success of COVID-era stimulus checks. Tech visionaries racing to develop ever-more advanced artificial intelligence have also suggested implementing a universal basic income. They say it would help mitigate the job losses from AI .
Several other countries have experimented with versions of a universal basic income. Kenya, for instance, offers unconditional payments to about 20,000 people in 200 different towns.
In the United States, numerous cities and some states are experimenting on a small scale with guaranteed basic incomes , which offer no-strings-attached payments but only to select groups of people in need. While studies have shown these American programs to be successful, they have also run up against significant political opposition .
But in South Africa, most political parties are all for it. They just need to work out the details.
“The ANC is committed to finalizing a comprehensive policy on the basic income support grant within two years of the new ANC administration, ensuring broad consultation and expedited action,” South Africa’s ruling party said in a statement .
That statement came a week before hotly contested general elections on May 29, which saw the ANC lose its majority in parliament. The ANC is now working to form a unity government and a commitment to implementing a universal basic income will almost certainly come up in negotiations.
According to the party, a study at the University of Johannesburg showed that a majority of South African citizens “fully support the introduction of a basic income support grant.”
While South Africa provides payments to certain groups living below the poverty line through its Social Relief Distress grant program, the ANC plan would open eligibility to all South African adults, the Guardian reported .
The ANC said it is “exploring” options, like new tax measures and a new social-security tax, to fund the program. The party also says its goal for the program is not to replace existing social-security programs, but to complement them.
If it follows through, the ANC plan would make South Africa the first country to provide a universal basic income.
- JD Vance breaks polling records in the worst way - July 25, 2024
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- FBI Is Not Fully Convinced Trump Was Struck by a Bullet - July 25, 2024
Africa
Congressional Black Caucus condemns Speaker Johnson’s treatment of Kenya’s president
![](https://texasguardiannews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Ruto-President-of-Kenya.jpg)
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) shared a post online Wednesday condemning Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) for refusing to host Kenyan President William Ruto for a joint meeting of Congress, which is typically extended to other international leaders.
“While @SpeakerJohnson might not have given the President of Kenya the opportunity to address a Joint Session of Congress, the CBC was proud to welcome President Ruto to the United States Capitol today,” the CBC posted on the social platform X . “We were honored to present President Ruto honorary membership in the CBC.”
Ruto is in town for a state dinner Thursday, President Biden’s sixth state dinner since taking office.
He posted on X highlighting CBC’s role in “advancing social justice, human rights and economic development across the globe.”
“We implore the Congress to take lead in reconfiguring the global financial architecture where power is not in the hands of the few. A bold, robust and targeted approach will free Africa of the debt burden and transform the world,” Ruto said on X .
The Hill has reached out to Johnson’s office for comment; it released statement to USA Today that Johnson offered the Kenyan Embassy “over 90 minutes of engagement including a one-on-one visit with Speaker Johnson, bipartisan leadership meeting with Speaker Johnson, Leader Jeffries, and Committee Chairmen and Ranking Members, and a bicameral meeting.”
Ruto said he was honored to be recognized as an honorary member of the CBC and shared photos of his visit.
The dinner will honor the 60th anniversary of the United States’s partnership with Kenya, and Biden plans to designate Kenya as a major non-NATO ally , the first in sub-Saharan Africa.
The post from the CBC was meant as a dig against Johnson, who is planning to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress. Johnson’s invitation has been met with pushback from some Democrats as the war between Israel and Hamas continues in Gaza.
- JD Vance breaks polling records in the worst way - July 25, 2024
- Donald Trump’s Losing Election Poll for First Time in Over a Month - July 25, 2024
- FBI Is Not Fully Convinced Trump Was Struck by a Bullet - July 25, 2024
Africa
Stevie Wonder Granted Ghanaian Citizenship, Embracing His Heritage
![](https://texasguardiannews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/steve-wonder.jpg)
Stevie Wonder is officially making good on a promise to make the West African country his permanent home.
“I Steveland Morris swear solemnly, sincerely, and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful, and bear true allegiance to the Republic of Ghana,” the music icon stated during his swearing ceremony.
He was wearing what appeared to be traditional Ghanaian garb and his signature leather hat. President H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo conferred Wonder’s citizenship during a ceremony at the Jubilee House in Accra.
As we previously reported, Ghana has been on Wonder’s mind over the last few decades. During an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the songwriter said he desires to live in a place where he is valued. Wonder has been vocal about growing weary of “America’s unwillingness” to accept all its citizens equally.
“I don’t want to see my children’s children’s children have to say, ‘Oh, please like me. Please respect me, please know that I’m important, please value me,’” he replied to Winfrey when asked why he planned to relocate to Ghana.
Wonder’s citizenship marks a significant achievement for Ghana, where country leaders have worked to attract diasporan Africans to invest, live and work there.
Ghanaian leaders invited African diasporans to “come home” during what is now known as the country’s iconic “Year of Return” campaign. In 2019, Country leaders invited those of African descent on a “major landmark spiritual and birth-right journey.” 2019 marked 400 years since enslaved Africans first arrived in the United States.
“‘The Year of Return, Ghana 2019’ celebrated the cumulative resilience of all the victims of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade who were scattered and displaced through the world in North America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia,” leaders said in a news release about the campaign.
Over 1 million people visited Ghana during the campaign, including Cardi B., Idris Elba, Naomi Campbell, Steve Harvey and more. Visitors invested more than $3.3 billion in Ghana’s local economy. Following that successful campaign, country leaders set their sights on getting diasporans to invest and live in Ghana, prompting them to launch the “Beyond the Return” campaign.
As more Black American families consider relocating amid racial tensions, many people are considering Ghana. In 2019, country leaders granted 126 African diasporans citizenship. Ghana is one of a handful of African countries that have stepped forward in offering citizenship based on ancestry. Under its “Right of Abode” section, Ghana grants people of African descent to stay indefinitely with a path to apply for citizenship. In Sierra Leone, those who can prove lineage through ancestry can also obtain full citizenship. Idris Elba notably obtained citizenship in Sierra Leone, his father’s native country. Nigeria has the same policy for diasporans, while South Africa offers free citizenship to African Americans without proof of lineage.
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