What a privilege and milestone to share the first blog from our SA side on the Grape platform of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC).
In this blog we will give a short background of how we got here and especially the road to our launch in Cape Town. We therefore invite you to celebrate with us the historic launch of the GRAPE program with member churches of South Africa. Lastly, we focus on the road ahead and all the exciting adventures that lie ahead.
So please come on board and join this timeous and most urgent Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG) journey with us.
Background
The Global Reformed Advocacy Platforms for Engagement (Grape) is a five-year WCRC training and advocacy programme for economic justice. The SA Grape programme started in December 2022 and has been busy ever since, putting churches' advocacy into practice by building a network to lobby for a Universal Basic Income Guarantee in the country.
Let us explain how:
On the 25th of July 2024, the efforts of the Grape teams bore fruit as church leaders from no less than eight different denominations gathered in Cape Town with coalition partners to launch the churches’ campaign for the implementation of a Universal Basic Income Guarantee (UBIG). Calls for implementing a UBIG have been forthcoming for at least 25 years. During the build-up to the national elections held on 29 May 2023, several political parties pledged their support for a universal grant. This grant will be for all adults between the ages of 18-59 with a minimum value of R760pm. Given the triple threat of poverty, unemployment, and inequality, there is a great deal of consensus that the social security net needs to be broadened. Independent research suggests that a UBIG will assist in kick-starting local economic development and combat extreme hunger.
The Launch
The launch aimed to validate support from the church leaders from reformed churches. The church leader endorsed the pledge to advocate for the UBIG in South Africa by raising awareness in their churches that the UBIG is a practical expression of our faith and commitment towards social and economic justice. The member churches and others in attendance fully supported the UBIG initiative. The churches such as the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, Volkskerk Africa, Presbyterian of Africa, United Congregational Church of Southern Africa, Calvin Protestant Church of SA, Rhenish churches in South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church and the Uniting Reformed Church. The launch was attended by the WCRC Vice President, who fully supported the UBIG project. The other objective of the launch was not solely to get support from member churches but also to educate and promote the UBIG advocacy to widen the religious circle of support and to work with civil society on this. The local, regional and national levels in societies will be involved in promoting the concept and moreover, the educational interventions will be conducted in conferences and in all fellowships within churches. Social media in the form of television and radio interviews were involved in enhancing the launch.
At the launch, the current Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town and President of the Southgate African Council of Churches said via video message: “ A universal basic income is the yardstick of the new government to achieve tangible results and to improve the lives of many millions of South Africans. A universal basic income is the starting line and a prerequisite which provides a platform to kickstart equitable and sustainable development for all South Africans”.
The road ahead
What is important at this stage is to engage churches at all levels, from local levels and presbytery to regional and national levels, regarding UBIG. To educate our churches and congregations regarding GRAPE and its UBIG mission through theological and biblical reflection as we intend to formulate material that assists through biblical scripture reading to bring a better clarity when it comes to theology and the UBIG. We will be visiting various conferences of the various churches within the WCRC member churches and the broader church in South Africa, continuing to engage church leaders and the South African Council of Churches.
What are the chances of a UBIG in South Africa?
Recently, our government indicated that it will implement the UBIG in South Africa. Our focus will be to ensure this happens and to influence the formulation of the policy and the amount that the recipients will receive. The strategy is to follow the lead of the UBI Coalition and engage advisors and the board of the ministers of Social Development and Finance.
In conclusion, our successful launch in July 2024 is only the beginning of the UBIG Grape campaign in South Africa. We look forward to engaging government and civil society at various levels, including churches that have signed the pledge to keep moving the baton forward in fighting the triple threat of poverty, unemployment and inequality facing South Africa.