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Wages

MARCH 1 sees an increased national minimum wage. Law firm Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr reports that the Minister of Employment and Labour has determined the new minimum wage to be R21.69 an hour. The amount is less for domestic workers, for whom the minimum is R19.09, and workers on an expanded public works programme, for whom the minimum is R11.93. March also sees an increased annual earnings threshold, to R211 596.30. Employees earning more than this are excluded from provisions that regulate ordinary hours of work, overtime, and meal intervals, among other things.

FORMER president Thabo Mbeki once said democratic South Africa had always been viewed as an optimistic and selfless nation but, due to proliferating sociopolitical problems, the optimism has declined to the point of social despair. Moreover, the freedoms many hoped for, failed to materialise.

The oppressive apartheid regime and detrimental racist policies, left families and communities of colour shattered and deeply traumatised.

Distressing psychological consequences were inevitable. Most were far below conscious awareness.

Many social commentators have expressed concern that if nothing is done, we could find ourselves on the verge of a breakdown of societal morals, norms and cohesion. We could encounter an unravelling of society and the rule of law.

Mr Mbeki, and many others, suggested that all South Africans should support a national dialogue. In my view, this should include a dialogue on the interplay between psycho-socio-political dynamics.

What structures the self is predominantly the childhood environments in which we are raised. If we have had a predominantly traumatic childhood, unconsciously we develop defences. We repeat the patterns of relating, mostly unconsciously, in our adult lives. These include a disturbed sense of self-regard, depression, anxiety, anger and aggression, substance abuse and suicidal behaviour. Covid-19 has added another layer of trauma. We are on a dangerous path if we continue to disregard the relationship between external reality and internal reality.

With our history of oppression, mental health practitioners are making valiant attempts to reach out to communities, groups, families and individuals who are in desperate need of mental health support.

If well-resourced psychoanalyticoriented interventions were supported and disseminated, they could have curative and beneficial long-term benefits for our wounded nation. For this to be realised, the interventions would need much more support and investment.

It would need the government, private stakeholders and community members to address the layers of trauma. We would need to apply our minds and hearts to the problem of our neglected mental health services.

This is the first step to encourage and deepen dialogue on the psychosocio-political aspects of being-ness in our country, to which you can contribute to help advance a nation that’s more intact and thus united for a common cause.