Budget Justice Coalition Statement on the Unrest in South Africa

The Budget Justice Coalition (BJC) attributes the July 2020 unrest in South Africa to a combination of food and economic insecurity, state capture, and the government's adherence to austerity budgets. The BJC highlights that the termination of the R350 COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant and the caregiver allowance in October 2020 increased hunger for millions. The coalition criticizes the 2021 budget for implementing R265 billion in cuts to public services, including R50.3 billion from health care, R9 billion from public schools, and R39 billion from the police budget. To address the root causes of violence, the BJC demands the implementation of a Universal Basic Income Grant, the reinstatement of COVID-related grants at a rate of R585 per month, and the reversal of austerity measures in health, education, and social welfare.

• The unrest in South Africa involved the loss of over 200 lives and the destruction of more than 50,000 businesses, including attacks on critical infrastructure such as the Shell and BP South African Petroleum Refineries (SAPREF).
• The BJC identifies the drivers of the unrest as food and economic insecurity worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, state weaknesses, and factionalism within the ruling ANC party, alongside the capture of the security cluster by former President Jacob Zuma.
• The termination of the R350 COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant in April 2021 and the caregiver allowance in October 2020 left approximately ten million people vulnerable to hunger and starvation.
• The 2021 budget implemented R265 billion in cuts to public services, specifically reducing health care spending by R50.3 billion, public school funding by R9 billion, and the police budget by R39 billion.
• Unemployment rates in South Africa have reached critical levels, specifically 74% for youth, 51% for black women, and 48% for all black South Africans.

APA

Institute for Economic Justice (2020). Budget Justice Coalition Statement on the Unrest in South Africa. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FINAL-Budget-Justice-Coalition-Statement-on-the-Unrest-in-South-Africa.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Economic Justice. Budget Justice Coalition Statement on the Unrest in South Africa. 2020. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FINAL-Budget-Justice-Coalition-Statement-on-the-Unrest-in-South-Africa.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Institute for Economic Justice |title=Budget Justice Coalition Statement on the Unrest in South Africa |date=20 July 2020 |url=https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FINAL-Budget-Justice-Coalition-Statement-on-the-Unrest-in-South-Africa.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{instituteforeconomicjustice2020budget, author = {{Institute for Economic Justice}}, title = {{Budget Justice Coalition Statement on the Unrest in South Africa}}, publisher = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2020}, month = jul, url = {https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FINAL-Budget-Justice-Coalition-Statement-on-the-Unrest-in-South-Africa.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }