In response to the government’s proposal that the Social Relief of Distress Grant will be replaced by an alternative form of household support, we are looking to contribute to policy development on this topic. As part of an ongoing research project, we will be releasing several Discussion Documents and engaging with the relevant authors in the coming months, on the topic of Basic Income Support in South Africa.

Through a combination of events and the submission of Discussion Documents, contributions will advance the current debate on development, growth, and the economics of basic income support.

The Discussion Documents will address the following questions:

• What can we learn from the international experience on basic income support or universal income?
• What learnings from other developing countries can we impart on South Africa?
• What impact do social transfers have on structural poverty, and how can this be used in a South African landscape?
• What does empirical research say about the basic income support debate, and what potential future research questions can we identify to assist South Africa’s policy design?