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

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice argues for the implementation of a Guaranteed Universal Basic Income (UBIG) in South Africa to combat extreme poverty, hunger, and structural inequality. It defines a UBIG as a government commitment to ensure every adult has a minimum income level to meet basic needs, provided as a right through regular cash transfers. The document asserts that while a UBIG is not a standalone solution, it can improve health, education, and gender equality when paired with complementary macroeconomic frameworks and public services.

• South Africa faces severe economic distress, characterized by high unemployment and poverty. In the second quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate reached 44.1% based on the expanded definition. While social grants have been the most effective tool against extreme poverty since apartheid—with approximately 50% of households benefiting in 2021—significant gaps remain, particularly for able-bodied adults aged 18 to 59 who lack permanent income support.
• The implementation of a UBIG is framed as a constitutional and international obligation. Section 27 of the South African Constitution guarantees the right to social security, and the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights found in 2018 that South Africa's existing grant system was insufficient to ensure an adequate standard of living, specifically calling for a basic income grant.
• A UBIG could eliminate hunger and poverty in South Africa, as government estimates indicate that 18.3 million people lack sufficient income for basic food needs and over half the population lives in poverty. Setting a UBIG at the value of the highest poverty line would, by definition, end hunger in the country.
• Beyond immediate poverty relief, a UBIG is expected to provide systemic benefits: improving nutrition and educational outcomes for children, reducing psychological stress, and stimulating local economic growth as recipients spend money in their communities. It is also presented as a tool for gender equality by providing women with autonomy and reducing their vulnerability to gender-based violence.

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} }