Mandy Wiener interviews Isobel Frye, Director at the Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute.

• The Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute is disappointed that the government has withdrawn the green paper proposing mandatory contributions to a pension fund
• It says the response to the green paper by organised business was not “in good faith”

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“There were far too many wide-ranging and negative impacts that just talking about was going to have on the economy,” said Wayne Duvenage of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa).

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“You have to make sure you have your social partners or stakeholders fully engaged,” said Cosatu’s Sizwe Pamla.

“We don’t want to shoot the entire thing down.”

Mandy Wiener interviewed Isobel Frye, Director at the Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (scroll up to listen).

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“We need to understand the full process around this… I’m very disappointed that the green paper has been withdrawn… We started talking about this around 2008… The idea is not new…”
Isobel Frye, Director – Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute

“What is in the green paper has been worked on in incredibly fine detail… As a member of the negotiating team, I cannot say that the recent responses by organised business and National Treasury are completely in good faith…”
Isobel Frye, Director – Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute

“We are talking about the adoption of a new social security fund. It would not be done in parallel with existing pensions… When this fund comes into being – we’re looking at about five to 10 years’ time – it would be the only pension contribution for the majority of low-income workers… All vested rights… will continue to be held by the private pension funds…”
Isobel Frye, Director – Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute

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