Landmark decision on sanitary pads tested in 3 provinces

THREE provinces will be the testing grounds for the Department of Women’s free sanitary pads policy.

South Africa is a step closer to free sanitary pads as the government scraps VAT on them from April. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni made the announcement during his Medium Term Budget Policy Statement on Wednesday.

“It may have taken years to get to this point, but...just to know that millions of people, particularly from disadvantaged groups, will benefit from this makes all the hard work worth it. Thank you, Minister,” said Sheilan Clarke who was part of Livity Africa’s #FreeToBleed campaign.

Mboweni also announced funds would be allocated to provinces to provide free sanitary pads to poor pupils.

According to a 2014 study published in the British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, the average person who menstruates will use up to 17 000 sanitary pads or tampons in their lifetime. A person could spend close to R48 000 in their lifetime. But zero-rating sanitary pads could equate to a saving of about R5 per packet — or R5 000 in a lifetime.

Zero-rating sanitary pads doesn’t make a difference for those who cannot afford them, said economist Thabi Leoka.

In July 2017, the Department of Women in the Presidency hosted a meeting where it, together with civil society and other governmental departments, deliberated on how the government could provide free sanitary pads to poor people. Delegates were presented with the department’s Sanitary Dignity Policy Framework, which outlined the proposed roll-out plan for free sanitary pads.

The cabinet selected Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and KwaZulu Natal and the department will oversee the pilot projects which are earmarked to begin in November.