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The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) condemns recent anti-migrant violence in South Africa, arguing that such attacks are orchestrated by political actors to distract from systemic economic failures. The IEJ asserts that poverty, unemployment, and failing public services are the root causes of community anger, and calls for comprehensive social and economic transformation rather than vigilante violence.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and #PayTheGrants are challenging the South African government's Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant system in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on 25 August 2026. This follows a 2025 High Court ruling that found the grant system to be unconstitutionally exclusionary, specifically regarding its online-only application and flawed verification processes.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) issued a statement on May 29, 2026, announcing its decision to attend the Conference of the Left as an observer. While the IEJ recognizes the importance of left-wing collaboration to address pressures on the poor and working class, it declined to formally endorse the event or take a prominent role due to procedural and compositional concerns.

A statement by the Institute for Economic Justice criticizing the South African government's approach to social spending and calling for the urgent implementation of a comprehensive universal basic income to combat hunger and a cost-of-living crisis.

This concept note from the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) outlines a discussion for the 'Economic Justice Matters' series regarding South Africa's monetary policy. It critiques the South African Reserve Bank's (SARB) restrictive interest-rate cycle and its shift toward a lower inflation target, arguing that such policies may sacrifice sustainable growth and employment to prioritize price stability, especially when inflation is driven by global supply shocks rather than domestic demand.

This supplementary submission by the Just Transition in the Food System Group to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) argues that food insecurity in South Africa is a result of structural conditions and policy failures. It advocates for a rights-based food system transition focusing on agroecology, a Universal Basic Income Grant, improved land access for women, and aligned state budgeting to fulfill the constitutional right to food.

The Just Transition in the Food System network comments on the SA Human Rights Commission's inquiry into the South African food system (12-19 March). While supporting the inquiry's goals to address structural hunger and the right to food, the network criticizes the absence of corporate testimony and the lack of local/provincial hearings, which may exclude the voices of the most marginalized people experiencing food insecurity.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) submitted a critique of South Africa's 2026 Budget, arguing that the National Treasury continues a decade of austerity that undermines economic growth and public service delivery. The IEJ contends that the budget prioritizes debt stabilization and tax relief for high-income earners over critical investments in infrastructure, education, and social protection, thereby failing to address chronic food insecurity and unemployment.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) submitted a critique of the 2026 draft amendments to the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant regulations, arguing that the amendments fail to address systemic barriers to accessibility and the inadequacy of the grant's value.

The Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC) condemns the 2026 Budget for failing to increase the SRD grant and for maintaining the Child Support Grant (CSG) at levels well below the food poverty line. The coalition warns that the National Treasury's goal to save R3 billion through the Targeted and Responsible Savings (TARS) programme relies on flawed fraud assumptions and risks excluding millions of vulnerable people due to SASSA's capacity constraints.

This report documents a three-day workshop focused on the intersection of climate change and South Africa's food system, specifically exploring how to use the Climate Change Act 22 of 2024 to advocate for justice-based transformations. The workshop brought together diverse stakeholders—including labour, civil society, and small-scale producers—to move beyond technical 'climate-smart' fixes toward transformative alternatives like agroecology and land reform.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) criticizes the 2026 South African National Budget for maintaining austerity measures, failing to address chronic poverty and unemployment, and prioritizing tax relief for higher-income earners over essential public services and social protection.

This research paper introduces a conceptual framework for assessing gender equity and sustainable livelihoods within Renewable Energy Value Chains (REVCs), utilizing a social reproduction lens to analyze the intersection of paid and unpaid labor, care responsibilities, and structural inequalities.

The South African Renewable Energy Policy Scan evaluates the country's transition frameworks, finding that while legal structures enable rapid renewable energy growth, industrial localisation remains fragile and the promise of decent, stable employment is not yet realised. The report argues that a just transition requires integrating energy reform with broader industrial, labour, and municipal governance strategies to avoid 'low-carbon poverty' and reduce reliance on imported technologies.

This briefing note by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that the 2026 National Budget should pivot from a narrow focus on fiscal stability and debt reduction toward a 'full employment agenda.' The IEJ contends that current macroeconomic policies are insufficient to address mass unemployment and poverty, proposing instead a developmental strategy based on increased public investment, progressive taxation, and the rebuilding of state capacity to drive structural economic change.

The Institute for Economic Justice presents a conceptual framework for a research project in South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya. The framework examines how the localisation of renewable energy technologies—defined by domestic manufacturing, ownership, and employment—can lead to both economic and social upgrading. Using a Global Production Networks (GPN) perspective and an operational assessment matrix, the project analyzes value creation, power relations, and the distribution of gains across various social axes to inform policies that align energy expansion with decent work and sustainable livelihoods.

This briefing note from the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that while South Africa has seen modest economic improvements in 2025, including better public finances and stabilized network industries, these gains have not translated into reduced poverty, hunger, or unemployment. The IEJ urges President Ramaphosa to use this window of opportunity to implement a state-led structural transformation focused on job-intensive growth, expanded social services, and a developmental macroeconomic framework, rather than relying on marginal reforms or private-sector-led investment.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that modest economic improvements in South Africa during 2025 provide a critical window for structural transformation. While GDP and network industries like energy and logistics have stabilized, the IEJ warns that these gains have not translated into significant job creation, poverty reduction, or food security, urging President Ramaphosa to move beyond marginal reforms toward a state-led developmental macroeconomic framework.

This policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice argues that implementing wealth taxes in South Africa is a necessary tool to address extreme inequality and fiscal constraints, challenging the notion that such taxes harm economic growth.

A fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice addressing common misconceptions regarding Universal Basic Income (UBI) in South Africa, arguing that UBI is a matter of justice and economic stimulus rather than charity.