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The Institute for Economic Justice calls for a radical shift in South Africa's 2022 MTBPS, advocating for the expansion of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant to at least R624 and the eventual introduction of a Universal Basic Income Guarantee. The authors argue against budget cuts in education and healthcare, suggesting instead that the government utilize an estimated R110-billion revenue overrun and implement a wealth tax and luxury VAT to fund social support and infrastructure. Additionally, the document recommends reversing the corporate tax rate cut from 28% to 27% and increasing support for the Industrial Financing Programme to combat deindustrialisation.

A policy statement from the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) outlining ten priorities for Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana's 2022 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS).

The document critiques the administrative barriers and restrictive eligibility of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, arguing that a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) would more effectively reduce poverty and strengthen household resilience. It advocates for financing this system through wealth taxes and progressive reforms rather than regressive taxation like VAT increases.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) critiques the SAREM draft for lacking definitions of 'decent work', failing to provide a robust framework for monitoring local content compliance, and ignoring the potential for a local recycling industry. The document argues that the current market-led approach risks a 'race to the bottom' on price, which undermines local manufacturing. To counter this, the IEJ recommends aggressive local content requirements (LCRs) of 50% for future public procurement, the use of import tariffs to protect nascent industry, and the provision of low-cost public debt to offset the higher costs of locally produced components. It further advocates for a Technology Transfer System (TTS) to build local technical capacity and the establishment of municipal-level recycling depots for solar PV modules to prevent environmental damage and create jobs.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) proposes a shift away from fiscal consolidation toward a macroeconomic framework that prioritizes social infrastructure, public services, and a just energy transition. Key recommendations include expanding the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant into a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG), increasing public infrastructure investment to R900 billion, and restructuring Eskom's R400 billion debt to facilitate renewable energy investment. The IEJ also advocates for progressive taxation, including reversing the Corporate Income Tax reduction and utilizing windfall taxes to fund industrial policy and social protection.

The report assesses the South African tourism sector's employment landscape, highlighting the severe job losses caused by Covid-19 and the systemic barriers to inclusive growth. It argues that the sector is dominated by small, often informal businesses and white-owned enterprises, leading to precarious working conditions for the predominantly Black, female, and youth workforce. The document critiques the government's recovery efforts, such as the Tourism Relief Fund and the Tourism Sector Recovery Plan, for lacking a 'decent work' framing and insufficient fiscal support. It recommends a 'whole of government' approach, including visa reform, domestic market stimulation, and a just transition to a green economy, to ensure a more sustainable and inclusive recovery.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) criticizes proposals by South Africa's National Treasury and Presidency to replace the R350 Covid-19 SRD grant. The IEJ argues that Treasury's plan is designed to maximize exclusion through complex categorizations and conditionalities, such as job-seeking requirements, which ignore structural unemployment. The statement warns that these changes could reduce the number of beneficiaries from the current level to approximately 5.5 million, effectively removing support for millions of poor citizens. The IEJ also condemns the government's failure to engage with civil society coalitions in the development of these policies.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that proposals by the National Treasury (NT) and the Presidency to replace the R350 SRD grant with targeted grants are regressive, unconstitutional, and administratively unworkable. The IEJ contends that these proposals prioritize cost-cutting and the exclusion of poor citizens over the primary goal of combating hunger and poverty. Specifically, the IEJ critiques the 'jobseekers grant' for relying on the false premise that structural unemployment can be solved through job-search facilitation, and the 'household grant' for potentially deepening gender power imbalances and reducing the number of beneficiaries. The memo further challenges the National Treasury's claims of unaffordability, asserting that NT ignores the net cost of grants, available tax surpluses, and progressive financing options like a wealth tax or Social Security Tax. The IEJ advocates for a universal basic income indexed to the Food Poverty Line, arguing that income support should be a survivalist tool rather than a lever for labor market activation.

The document challenges the belief that social grants create a 'culture of dependency' or discourage labour market participation in South Africa. By reviewing international and local evidence, it argues that cash transfers often facilitate job searches, stimulate local economies, and empower women. The authors advocate for a UBIG indexed to the upper-bound poverty line, funded through progressive taxation, as a means to eliminate poverty while supporting inclusive economic growth.

The research argues that a universal basic income grant (UBIG) in South Africa could move beyond immediate poverty relief to dismantle structural poverty by improving labour market participation, health, women's empowerment, and social cohesion. Drawing on local and international evidence, the authors contend that a UBIG funded through progressive taxation would stimulate local economies via multiplier effects and increase human capital. The paper emphasizes that for a UBIG to be effective, it must be unconditional, universal, and integrated with quality public services, rather than serving as a replacement for them.

The IEJ proposes that the 2023 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework shift from a narrow focus on debt stabilisation toward a human-rights based and feminist budgeting approach. The submission advocates for mobilising maximum resources for rights realisation, introducing a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG), investing in social infrastructure, and addressing the energy and climate crisis to combat unemployment, poverty, and inequality.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) argues that South Africa's current approach to a just transition is dominated by market-based solutions and 'techno-fixes' that preserve a problematic economic structure. The report identifies the Minerals-Energy Complex (MEC) and neoliberal macroeconomic frameworks as primary drivers of both climate emissions and social inequality. To counter this, the IEJ proposes a 'caring rights-based economy' centered on human and planetary well-being, advocating for public ownership of energy, a job guarantee, and restorative justice to address historical losses. The document outlines specific measures across social, industrial, labour, land, and macroeconomic policies to ensure the transition does not exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, particularly for Black women and coal-sector workers.

The text argues that traditional market-centric macroeconomic policies focused on stabilisation have failed to generate sufficient employment in Africa, despite periods of economic growth. It advocates for a shift toward a 'transformative' role for macroeconomic policy that coordinates with sectoral and labour market policies to drive structural transformation and decent employment.

Civil society is challenging the South African government in the High Court in Pretoria over the social relief of distress (SRD) grant regulations. The litigation targets the R350 monthly means test, which the authors argue is below the food poverty line of R624 and excludes millions of needy citizens. The statement highlights systemic failures, including the non-payment of April and May 2022 grants due to delayed bank verification systems and an online-only application process that creates barriers for the poor. The authors advocate for the replacement of the SRD grant with a permanent universal basic income grant (UBIG) by March 2023 to eliminate poverty and stimulate the economy.

A letter of demand from the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) to the South African government and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) regarding the failure to pay Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grants for April, May, and June 2022.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that bureaucratic delays at SASSA have prevented the payment of April and May 2022 SRD grants, affecting up to 10 million people. The letter proposes emergency measures, such as payment based on applicant declarations or prioritizing previously verified beneficiaries, to prevent widespread hunger.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) challenges the Centre for Development and Enterprise's (CDE) opposition to a basic income grant (BIG) in South Africa. The IEJ argues that social protection, rather than austerity or market-led structural reform, is essential for economic growth. It asserts that cash transfers stimulate labor demand, entrepreneurship, and grassroots productivity, while progressive taxation to fund these grants can lead to positive GDP changes and employment surges without causing economic crises.

A press statement by the Institute for Economic Justice and other civil society organizations denouncing the South African government's failure to pay Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grants in April and May 2022, citing administrative chaos and restrictive new eligibility criteria.

The Institute for Economic Justice evaluates the draft South African Climate Change Bill against the 2022 IPCC WGII report. While the Bill aligns with IPCC definitions of adaptation and vulnerability and acknowledges the risks of extreme weather, the author finds it insufficient in several areas. Key gaps include the lack of a formal climate emergency declaration, missing definitions for 'resilience' and 'exposure', insufficient transparency and accountability mechanisms, and a lack of specific timeframes and responsible parties for implementation. The document argues that the Bill must better integrate socio-economic rights and traditional knowledge to effectively protect vulnerable groups, including women, youth, and rural communities.

The authors argue that South Africa's vulnerability to climate change is rooted in its political economy, specifically the fossil-fuel-dependent 'minerals-energy complex' (MEC). To move beyond simple coping strategies toward 'transformative resilience,' the paper outlines three pillars: a Green Decent Work Agenda (GDWA) to create sustainable livelihoods, social protection (specifically a universal basic income guarantee) to provide safety nets, and radical, state-led land reform to reduce exposure to risk and enhance adaptive capacity.