SPII in the Media

Hunger does not allow for a decent life. Hunger prevents children from optimal development and learning and prevents adults from being fully productive members of society. It is not a ‘nice to have’ for the realisation of the SONA’s full vision, but a basic necessity. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment to ensuring no one goes to bed hungry within 10 years is welcome. To begin to […]

https://spii.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ANALYSING-THE-ECONOMICS-IN-THE-SONA.mp3 Eusebius had a robust debate with policy and economic experts Duma Gqubule , Busisiwe Radebe and Isobel Frye about the economic data and ideas in the recent state of the nation address delivered by president Ramaphosa.

Public contracting is the meeting point of significant power and money and in most countries, these systems are characterised by convoluted, opaque planning. According to a recent report by the Open Contracting Partnership, up to 20% of state procurement budgets for infrastructure may be wasted. Opening procurement data will help support public participation and foster accountable governance. In February 2018, the erstwhile Minister of Finance […]

  As the country digests the low GDP figures, we continue to look at the impact this has on poverty.We are now joined by Isobel Frye who is the director at The Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute.

https://spii.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/SOLUTIONS-TO-THE-JOBS-CRISIS.mp3 Eusebius hosted a discussion with Dr Thabi Leoka (economist), Neil Coleman (policy analyst and co-director of Institute for Economic Justice) and Isobel Frye (director of Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute) about what needs to be done to decimate the country’s unemployment figures.

South Africa’s sixth post-apartheid administration under President Cyril Ramaphosa needs to hit the ground running in relooking at how to address poverty and inequality. Conventional solutions to unemployment are simply not working, and it is time to start looking at non-conventional means. The mantra of addressing the triple ills of poverty, unemployment and inequality in South Africa held by the ruling party and the State […]

It is remarkable that South Africa’s social security laws are still based on the pre-1994 Social Assistance Act, with tweaks. These laws were aimed at the well-being of white South Africans in the context of virtual full employment for white men. They do not accommodate the lifelong income poverty of millions marginalised from decent work. The catch is that destitution or poverty, while it may […]

South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, according to a World Bank 2018 study of 149 countries.  Inequality is rising globally as the 2018 World Inequality Report sets out, but there are historic and current drivers of inequality in South Africa that must be understood to be arrested and turned around. Listen to this Podcast of the Radio 702 interview hosted by […]

Cape Town, 25 October 2018 – Rather than taking bold steps to stimulate the economy and embark on a more inclusive growth path, the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) tinkers at the margins. While the statement focused on improving governance and strengthening institutions such as SARS, it is the view of the Budget Justice Coalition (BJC) that an economic recovery and turnaround will come only […]

South Africa risks continued failures to fulfil its human rights obligations to people if the government’s austerity policy is maintained, civil society organisations have warned at the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (the UN Committee) in Geneva. The organisations outlined the systemic challenges that impede access to adequate health care, housing, education, work, social security, food and land to the Committee and urged […]