INTERVIEW: Herbert Jauch Critiques Conditional Basic Income Grant Rollout

November 12, 2024
By Leonard Witbeen

Namibian social activist Herbert Jauch has expressed strong concerns over the recently implemented Conditional Basic Income Grant (CBIG), questioning its effectiveness in addressing widespread poverty. Speaking about the program, which the government has extended to cover more regions, Jauch highlighted the shortcomings of this targeted cash grant.

The CBIG, now replacing the former food bank initiative, provides approximately N$600 per household. However, Jauch criticized this approach, explaining that the conditional cash grant deviates from the original concept of a Basic Income Grant (BIG), which advocates a universal, unconditional payment for all Namibians. “It has nothing to do with what was proposed,” Jauch stated, pointing out that the current rollout is limited to select households in only a few regions and has caused confusion and controversy regarding eligibility criteria.

Jauch also noted that the N$600 per household is inadequate given Namibia’s rising living costs. He explained that while the grant reaches around 40,000 households, it barely makes a dent in the reality of food insecurity affecting over 1.6 million Namibians. The Basic Income Grant Coalition, of which Jauch is a prominent member, has proposed a N$600 per person monthly payment—adjusted for inflation—to truly address food insecurity and poverty.

With elections on the horizon, Jauch expressed that the government’s CBIG expansion may be driven by political motives rather than genuine economic relief. He urged officials to revisit the BIG Coalition’s recommendations for a more inclusive and effective universal income strategy.

The Conditional Basic Income Grant might offer temporary relief to a fraction of Namibian households, but for Jauch and the BIG Coalition, only a universal and substantial basic income can make a meaningful impact on the nation’s poverty crisis.