Social Policy Initiative (SPI) is delighted to be launching its new Strategic Position Paper: The Economics of Implementing Basic Income in South Africa on 14 February 2024 at Fountains Hotel, Cape Town.
The paper was authored by renowned financial journalist Duma Gqubule. It advances data to evidence that a decent Universal Basic Income benefit of R1500 paid to everybody per month without conditions could self-fund itself by 96%. The policy reform would also lead to higher growth rates and employment creation on a scale no other policy reform by government has come close to.
“We are very pleased to be launching this report,” said SPI Executive Director, Isobel Frye. “As a feminist think- tank we see our role as putting evidence on the table of ways in which the realities of millions of women in South Africa can be aligned to the promises made in the Constitution. The reality is, with more than 11,7 million people unemployed, most of them in a permanent state of unemployment, the state needs to be embracing policy solutions that equal the size of the crisis”. “Means- testing and targeting the ‘poorest of the poor’ is inefficient. The multiplier potential of the grant transfer is diluted when so many people have to survive off incomes that are not designed for everybody in need”, Frye continued.
The research paper will be presented by author Duma Gqubule at the AIDC Conference on Alternatives to Debt and Austerity at Fountains Hotel, 1 St George’s Mall, Cape Town City Centre, between 17h30 and 19h00 on 14 February 2024. Brenda Sibeko, DDG of Social Development and Aliya Chikte of AIDC will be respondents.
This research was made possible by ACTSA.
Enquiries
Moses Kas, Head of communications design@spi.net.za | 0840658158
