Stay updated with breaking news from Development Research Unit. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
At almost 35%, the unemployment rate as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people have prompted government to build a policy document that will justify why South Africa needs a basic income grant.
The Covid pandemic has greatly exacerbated existing poverty and unemployment in South Africa. What are the best policies to alleviate it? Targeted social grants may aim to reach the poorest of the poor but there are many inefficiencies in the targeting method. A Universal Basic Income Guarantee is more costly, yet simpler to implement, will reach those in need more quickly, and is financially feasible. The Covid Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is set to end in March 2022, and with it, the only source of income support for more than 9 million people. The burning question is what, if anyth...
The government describes the family grant as the ‘best’ in terms of impact and efficiency, but civil organisations are having none of it.
Civil society condemns it as infeasible, but government document claims it is the best option