Streams of people have testified at the committee of inquiry chaired by Vivienne Taylor. They have given a vivid picture of the hardship suffered by so many South Africans, underlining how urgently the process is needed. SA's political changes have not brought relief to many of the poor, whose burden is also the burden of the state. Much economic inequality and disadvantage can be seen as an apartheid legacy. The committee's job is to look at ways of addressing it.
Health care provides an example of such inequality.
Among the proposals to be studied by the committee is that of a social health insurance system. But the inquiry is broader than this. At issue is the transformation of the entire social security system. The investigation could have significant implications for the tax system and the retirement industry, seen by many as an exploiter of the poor and a tax haven for the wealthy. It is unfortunate that no pension fund representatives attended last week's initial hearings.