Civil Society Briefing on SRD Grant and Prospects for a UBIG

This briefing by the Institute for Economic Justice evaluates the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant in South Africa and advocates for the transition to a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) funded through progressive revenue measures.

• The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, introduced in 2020, faced significant implementation challenges including restrictive eligibility rules, low income thresholds, and digital-only application processes. These administrative barriers led to substantial underspending and prevented millions of eligible individuals and vulnerable households from accessing support.
• The document argues that a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) is superior to highly targeted grant models proposed by the Presidency, National Treasury, and the Department of Social Development. A universal system is presented as a more equitable solution that reduces poverty more effectively, simplifies administration, and improves food security and local economies.
• Financing for a UBIG should be achieved through progressive revenue measures, such as wealth taxes and broader tax reforms, rather than regressive options like VAT increases. The briefing notes that ANC policy resolutions already support a universal income guarantee for adults of working age.

APA

iej_admin (2022). Civil Society Briefing on SRD Grant and Prospects for a UBIG. Institute for Economic Justice. https://iej.org.za/resource/presentation/civil-society-briefing-on-srd-grant-and-prospects-for-a-ubig-13-october-2022/

Chicago

iej_admin. Civil Society Briefing on SRD Grant and Prospects for a UBIG. Institute for Economic Justice, 2022. https://iej.org.za/resource/presentation/civil-society-briefing-on-srd-grant-and-prospects-for-a-ubig-13-october-2022/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=iej_admin |title=Civil Society Briefing on SRD Grant and Prospects for a UBIG |publisher=Institute for Economic Justice |date=13 October 2022 |url=https://iej.org.za/resource/presentation/civil-society-briefing-on-srd-grant-and-prospects-for-a-ubig-13-october-2022/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{iejadmin2022civil, author = {iej\_admin}, title = {{Civil Society Briefing on SRD Grant and Prospects for a UBIG}}, institution = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2022}, month = oct, url = {https://iej.org.za/resource/presentation/civil-society-briefing-on-srd-grant-and-prospects-for-a-ubig-13-october-2022/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }