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On 15 May the Universal Basic Income Coalition (UBIC), of which the IEJ is a partner, released a Basic Income Policy Elections Scorecard which assessed the major political parties positions on social protection, in advance of the South African elections on May 29. The scorecard has been widely cited and commented on in the media, as basic income was one of the major issues in the election, with over 60% of the population supporting the introduction of basic income to address South Africa’s deep crisis of hunger and poverty.
The Coalition reached out to all major parties, and some parties amended or improved their positions on basic income, in response to this engagement. In responding to the scorecard, the ANC, the largest party in South Africa, released a far-reaching statement committing to a universal and redistributive basic income grant (BIG), and to expanding and improving the value of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant for adults in the interim, as a basis for the introduction of a BIG. This builds on and deepens commitments in their manifesto and policies. Read more
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