The poor are punished for demanding our constitutional rights
S’Bu Zikode The word ‘democracy’ has often been misunderstood. It has been misused to legitimise certain projects in a way that is incorrect and misleading. For many shack dwellers and other poor people in South Africa, democracy has meant free corruption for members of the ruling party, a life mired in the mud and fire […]
Over eight million pupils exempt from paying fees: Zuma
By SAPA More than eight million pupils are exempted from paying school fees in South Africa, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday. “It is our strong view that poverty must not prevent South African children from gaining an education,” Zuma said in a speech prepared for delivery at the national teaching awards gala dinner in […]
Increase in disposable income slower than inflation
By SAPA Bankserv Africa’s Disposable Salary Index (BDSI) released on Friday indicated that the increase in disposable income would again be slower than inflation this year. Although South African consumers had some financial relief over December as their take-home pay was higher… indications are that the increase in disposable income will once again be slower […]
How to avoid the resource curse & promote local development
By Dr. Marianne S. Ulriksen Many African countries have, or are about to have, access to natural resource wealth. The assumption is that wealth from resources should benefit the country as a whole. Yet access to natural resources such as oil, gas and minerals can be accompanied by a resource curse, where local markets are […]
Malawian Poor in Need of Effective Social Protection Measures
By Mathias Burton Kafunda Malawi’s population is estimated at 14.8million. More than 46 percent of the country´s population is younger than 25 years old. Malawi´s real GDP growth has averaged about 7 percent since 2005, with a peak of 9.7 percent in 2008, and decreased to 2.5% in 2013. Nearly two-thirds of the population still subsists […]
Social Protection through the Mirror Glass
By Daniel Kumitz Thankfully social protection has been talked about a lot more recently. But not all parties refer to the same understanding of social protection. Social protection is a rather broad concept and begs clear definition. Social protection is about providing for those in society unable to provide for themselves, the poor, the incapacitated; […]
How to dismantle a (ticking) time bomb? Policy solutions for a volatile South Africa
By Hannah Dawson Poverty, unemployment and growing inequality remain South Africa’s greatest challenges in undoing the legacy of Apartheid. The ‘triple challenge’ has revealed itself increasingly in ongoing protest and strike action. Militant local protests are a frequent occurrence across South Africa with aggrieved residents protesting against poverty, corruption, joblessness and inadequate and uneven provision […]
Sovereign Wealth Fund: Key to SADC Basic Income Grant
By Thabileng Mothabi Despite the numerous false starts, sovereign wealth funds are particularly relevant to Southern Africa as resource-funded SWFs present a potentially viable strategy for the funding and implementation of a Basic Income Grant (BIG) at a SADC level. A BIG is best understood as an unconditional and universal cash transfer or grant available […]
SADC Basic Income Grant Analysis
By Taku Fundira The overall objective of this analysis is to demonstrate, based on economic analysis, the costs involved in introducing and institutionalising a SADC-wide Basic Income Grant (SADC BIG) that is wholly or predominately funded through the extractive industries to promote economic justice, reduce poverty and inequality, and stimulate human and economic integration and […]
SADC BIG E-Newsletter Issue 1 March 2014
The Southern African Development Community member states are characterized by high levels of poverty and some of the highest levels of inequality globally, albeit endowed with high levels of mineral resources. It is against this background that the SADC BIG Coalition is calling for the introduction of a SADC – wide universal cash transfer in […]
