Waarom Het Suid-Afrika ‘N Gewaarborgde Universele Basiese Inkomste Nodig?

The document advocates for a Guaranteed Universal Basic Income (UBIG) in South Africa, defining it as a government commitment to ensure all adults have a minimum income to meet basic needs. It highlights that while social grants have been effective since apartheid, significant gaps remain, particularly for able-bodied adults aged 18 to 59. The text argues that a UBIG, set at the highest food poverty line, could eliminate hunger for the 18.3 million people currently unable to afford basic food. Beyond poverty relief, the document claims a UBIG would improve health and education outcomes, stimulate local economic growth, reduce gender inequality by providing women with autonomy, and enhance social cohesion. It emphasizes that a UBIG is not a standalone solution but requires complementary interventions, including a supportive macroeconomic framework, expanded public services, a just energy transition strategy, and high-impact industrial policy.

• South Africa faces severe unemployment and poverty, with a 44.1% unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2022 based on the expanded definition.
• The current social grant system is insufficient, leaving millions in extreme poverty, specifically those aged 18 to 59 who are physically able to work but cannot find employment.
• A UBIG set at the value of the highest food poverty line would eliminate hunger in South Africa, where government estimates indicate 18.3 million people lack sufficient income for basic food needs.
• The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights found in 2018 that South Africa's grant system was inadequate for ensuring a sufficient standard of living and called for a basic income grant.
• A UBIG can provide transformative benefits including improved child nutrition, increased school retention for youth, greater financial autonomy for women, and reduced crime, as seen in a Namibian pilot.

APA

Institute for Economic Justice (2023). Waarom Het Suid-Afrika ‘N Gewaarborgde Universele Basiese Inkomste Nodig? https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IEJ-UBIG-1-factsheet-Afrikaans.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Economic Justice. Waarom Het Suid-Afrika ‘N Gewaarborgde Universele Basiese Inkomste Nodig? 2023. https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IEJ-UBIG-1-factsheet-Afrikaans.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Economic Justice |title=Waarom Het Suid-Afrika ‘N Gewaarborgde Universele Basiese Inkomste Nodig? |date=November 2023 |url=https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IEJ-UBIG-1-factsheet-Afrikaans.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforeconomicjustice2023waarom, author = {{Institute for Economic Justice}}, title = {{Waarom Het Suid-Afrika ‘N Gewaarborgde Universele Basiese Inkomste Nodig?}}, institution = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IEJ-UBIG-1-factsheet-Afrikaans.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }