By Vuyo Msizi, Programme Officer

SCAT is part of a group of civil society organizations that have seen a need to robustly engage our government about the socio – economic situation of the South Africa citizens who have little or no income.

We forged a strategic collaborative partnership with Black Sash and Community Advice Offices of South Africa(CAOSA) specifically to address this gigantic problem.  In the past three months we started a process of active monitoring of social relief grants paid out to citizens.  Monitors and volunteers assisted a great number of unemployed citizens with the process of application.  Our approach to development is unique because we monitor, identify gaps and offer solutions.  We participate in the process of rebuilding and implementing solutions for the betterment of rural South African futures.  We see social relief of distressed citizens as fertile ground to plant a seed for the basic income grant to address absolute poverty in our society.  The Basic Income Grant campaign is not a new campaign, it is a resuscitation of our effort towards making sure millions of South Africans have food on their table. We cannot continue ignoring the fact that millions in South African are trapped in the vicious cycle of poverty and powerlessness.  

The Covid-19 pandemic is a health crisis but it has revealed the socio and economic weaknesses in our society and that we have failed dismally to create viable sustainable livelihoods.  In the past 26 years economists and political leaders deliberated about concrete plans for creating jobs.  Our experience informs us that economic growth does not always access economic benefits and that the trickle down system does not work.  While we grapple with ways to rejuvenate economic growth and inclusion we must ensure that citizens who are unable to support themselves have access to food as a basic human right.

The basic income grant campaign is a second phase  that is aiming at intensifying a drive to ensure citizens who are unable to support themselves have access to social security as it is enshrined in the bill of rights of the South African constitution.  

The project commences in September 2020 and will focus on monitoring and reporting on access to social security. The campaign will collect a minimum of 3000 petition signatures that will be used to persuade the government to make the Basic Income Grant a reality in our lifetime. 

We are aware that the Covid-19 social relief grant is a temporary measure to mitigate against economic effects of the pandemic.  We are saying that the state must introduce a permanent Basic Income Grant that will provide social security for citizens between the ages of 18 and 59 years of age who are unable to support themselves.