I don't usually comment on politics, but I feel this is worthy of some context: https://businesstech.co.za/news/finance/435855/taxpayers-should-foot-the-bill-for-a-r1500-basic-income-grant-in-south-africa-unions/

Paying every South African R18k/year would cost less than the consolidated social services spending.

50 million recipients @ R1500/month would be R900 billion. The projected consolidated social services spending for 2020/21 is sitting at R1150 billion.

What would SA look like if you just flat out gave that money to people in the form of a grant?

One immediate effect I can see: Education. If the state is no longer paying teacher salaries, and schools survive based on what parents are paying for their kids, they're going to demand maximum return on that investment. The power would shift solidly to the people.

The next: Corruption shield. South Africans are no strangers to group saving. That same mechanism can just as easily pay for roads, water, lights, etc. No central procurement == communities decide what the priorities are.

With the absence of central funding for social services, and instead having that be in the hands of the communities, local government would be forced to adapt in a lot of ways. Civil servant salaries necessarily become a function of performance, not patronage.

It would actually be pretty transformative on a huge scale. Which is likely why it won't see the light of day