The universal grant is a necessity for millions

A statement by a coalition of civil society organizations advocating for the implementation of a universal basic income guarantee (Ubig) in South Africa, arguing that it is a constitutional and moral necessity to address poverty and hunger.

• The authors argue that a universal basic income guarantee (Ubig) is fiscally sustainable in South Africa and can be funded through progressive mechanisms. Proposed funding sources include a social security tax, a resource rent tax, a wealth tax, a targeted VAT on luxury items, the removal of corporate tax breaks, and the reduction of wasteful and irregular expenditure.
• The authors contend that comprehensive social protection acts as an economic stimulus by boosting household consumption, productivity, and job growth. They cite evidence that the R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant helped recipients fund job-seeking costs like transport and internet, and supported investment in informal enterprises.
• The authors call for the R350 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to be made permanent and expanded into a universal basic income guarantee that reaches at least the upper bound poverty line, which is approximately R1,500 in the medium term.
• The authors urge the South African presidency to establish a high-level review, potentially including an international symposium and an expert panel similar to the National Minimum Wage Commission, to evaluate the evidence on grants and their implementation.

APA

Eccles, J., Howson, K., Mabitle, G., Philander, E., Seopa, T., & van Straten, C. (2022). The universal grant is a necessity for millions. Institute for Economic Justice. https://iej.org.za/press-room/in-the-media/the-universal-grant-is-a-necessity-for-millions/

Chicago

Eccles, Julia, Kelle Howson, Gabriel Mabitle, Esley Philander, Tlou Seopa, and Christina van Straten. The universal grant is a necessity for millions. Institute for Economic Justice, 2022. https://iej.org.za/press-room/in-the-media/the-universal-grant-is-a-necessity-for-millions/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Eccles |first1=Julia |last2=Howson |first2=Kelle |last3=Mabitle |first3=Gabriel |last4=Philander |first4=Esley |last5=Seopa |first5=Tlou |last6=van Straten |first6=Christina |title=The universal grant is a necessity for millions |publisher=Institute for Economic Justice |date=8 February 2022 |url=https://iej.org.za/press-room/in-the-media/the-universal-grant-is-a-necessity-for-millions/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{eccles2022universal, author = {Eccles, Julia and Howson, Kelle and Mabitle, Gabriel and Philander, Esley and Seopa, Tlou and van Straten, Christina}, title = {{The universal grant is a necessity for millions}}, publisher = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2022}, month = feb, url = {https://iej.org.za/press-room/in-the-media/the-universal-grant-is-a-necessity-for-millions/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }