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The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) critiques a scrapped 2025 National Budget proposal for South Africa, specifically opposing a proposed two percentage point VAT increase. The IEJ argues that the National Treasury's focus on debt stabilisation through expenditure cuts and regressive taxes ignores the country's high unemployment and poverty levels. The statement proposes several progressive revenue-raising alternatives, including taxing wealth and luxury items, reducing tax breaks for high earners, and improving tax collection capacity.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) issued a statement on 19 February 2025 regarding the Cabinet's decision to postpone the national budget to 12 March 2025. The IEJ criticizes the withdrawn budget for proposing a regressive VAT increase and failing to adequately resource government priorities, while urging the National Treasury to adopt progressive revenue-raising measures and a developmental fiscal policy.

This research paper by the Institute for Economic Justice argues for a state-led, assertive fiscal approach to South Africa's climate response, critiquing the current reliance on the blended finance model. The author proposes the creation of a Climate Response Fund, financed through a combination of carbon tax reforms, earmarked levies, and public sector efficiency savings, to ensure a worker-centric and equitable transition.

This research paper by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) examines the role of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in providing climate finance for South Africa's Just Energy Transition (JET). It focuses on the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), arguing that its current self-financing model and commercial risk appetite hinder its ability to provide the 'patient capital' necessary for green industrialisation and worker transitions. The paper proposes a shift toward recapitalisation via fiscal and monetary instruments, more concessional lending, and democratised governance to align the IDC with socially just and worker-centred climate goals.

This policy brief analyzes the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) in South Africa, finding that its self-financing model, risk-averse lending, and private-sector-biased governance prevent it from effectively funding a just energy transition. Despite a mandate for green industrialization, the IDC remains heavily invested in carbon-intensive sectors and lacks the transparency and patient capital necessary for long-term climate goals.

This policy brief by the Institute for Economic Justice argues that South Africa must adopt a more assertive domestic fiscal policy to address the climate crisis, rather than relying primarily on blended finance models. The author proposes a suite of domestic resource mobilisation (DRM) measures to generate approximately R100bn annually for climate priorities, focusing on state-led infrastructure, carbon pricing, and the creation of a dedicated climate response fund to ensure equity for workers and vulnerable households.

This briefing from the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) outlines the organization's efforts to advocate for reformed development finance to support a green and just transition, particularly in the Global South and South Africa. The IEJ emphasizes the need for state-led development strategies, democratic oversight of international loans, and human-rights-based approaches to sovereign debt restructuring.

The North Gauteng (Pretoria) High Court ruled in favor of the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and #PayTheGrants, finding that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is a permanent social grant rather than a temporary measure. The judgment declares several government barriers to grant access as unlawful and unconstitutional, potentially expanding access to up to 18.3 million people.

This factsheet by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) critiques South Africa's social grant anti-fraud measures, arguing that current surveillance and biometric checks disproportionately penalize vulnerable beneficiaries while failing to target systemic fraud by government officials and private third parties.

This factsheet by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) examines the systemic failures and high exclusion rates associated with South Africa's Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, arguing that narrow targeting and administrative barriers prevent eligible vulnerable individuals from accessing support.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) expresses concern over contradictions between the South African President's commitment to a permanent basic income support system and the actions of the National Treasury. The IEJ highlights issues including budget cuts to social grants, the potential imposition of an exclusionary online-only application system on other grants, and Treasury's legal claims that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant was only a temporary Covid-19 response.

This fact sheet from the Institute for Economic Justice argues that a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) is a critical tool for South Africa to ensure a Just Energy Transition (JET), providing a financial safety net for workers and communities displaced by the shift from coal to renewable energy.

A report by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and the Social Policy Initiative (SPI) analyzing the debate over social assistance for working-age adults in South Africa, specifically the transition of the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant into a permanent, universal basic income system.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) examines the mechanisms and consequences of exclusion from South Africa's COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. Through a mixed-methods study, the IEJ finds that narrow poverty targeting and flawed automated verification systems lead to high rates of erroneous exclusion, disproportionately affecting the most marginalized populations, including women, rural dwellers, and those with limited digital or financial access.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) submitted a critique of the Revised Fiscal Framework and Revenue Proposals presented on 30 October 2024, arguing that the framework's focus on austerity and debt stabilisation undermines inclusive growth and poverty reduction in South Africa.

The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) criticizes the 2024 Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) as a continuation of austerity measures that prioritize debt stabilization over social needs. The IEJ argues that the budget fails to support the Government of National Unity's (GNU) goals of inclusive growth and poverty reduction, specifically citing cuts to social grants and underfunding of public services and industrial development.

This discussion document examines South Africa's care regime, arguing that both paid and unpaid care work are fundamental to economic stability and societal well-being, yet remain undervalued and underfunded, particularly affecting women.

This factsheet by the Institute for Economic Justice argues against replacing South Africa's R370 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant with a work-seekers' grant, asserting that work-seeking conditionalities are costly, counter-productive, and unjust.

An open letter dated 24 October 2024, signed by a coalition of South African civil society, labour organisations, and policy experts, addressed to President Cyril Ramaphosa. The letter argues that the National Treasury is exercising disproportionate authority over government policy, specifically by obstructing the transition of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant into a permanent basic income system through an ideology of austerity.

The Institute for Economic Justice argues that job-search conditionality for social grants in South Africa is bad policy because unemployment is structural, the costs of searching for work exceed the grant value, and such requirements violate constitutional rights and risk driving workers into exploitative, low-wage employment.