---
title: "Good manifesto: Social and spatial justice, an income grant and no bullying"
description: "Good has presented a clear idea of what it would focus on if it wins the election. But because that is unlikely, this should rather be treated as a guide to the kind of coalition partner Good could be."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "ROAD TO 2024 ELECTIONS"
author: "Ferial Haffajee"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/ferialhaffajee/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-04-07-good-manifesto-social-and-spatial-justice-an-income-grant-and-no-bullying/"
published: "2024-04-07T15:00:26"
updated: "2024-04-08T01:03:22"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 698
---

# Good manifesto: Social and spatial justice, an income grant and no bullying

> Good has presented a clear idea of what it would focus on if it wins the election. But because that is unlikely, this should rather be treated as a guide to the kind of coalition partner Good could be.

By Ferial Haffajee · Published 7 April 2024, 17:00 SAST · Updated 8 April 2024, 03:03 SAST

## Key points
- The Good party launches a manifesto advocating for a basic income grant, climate change action, crime prevention, inclusive economic growth, and social justice principles, with a nod to potential coalition partnerships and a clear focus on LGBTQIA+ rights.
- Simple and well-targeted manifesto with a focus on social justice.
- Basic income grant proposed for those below poverty line, funded through efficiencies and tax reforms.
- Strong commitment to climate change action and energy production.
- Emphasis on crime prevention, corruption detection, and inclusive economic growth policies.

## Content

#### **All about…**

- A simple and well-targeted manifesto;
- It’s good; and
- It’s the most overtly committed to the constitutional principle of social justice.

#### **Basic income and social policy**

- A basic income grant of R999 per month for people living below the poverty line;
- It can be funded through efficiencies –restructuring government, professionalising the public service and some tax reforms. (*That probably means tax increases. Ed.*); and
- The old-age pension grant should work more like a pension fund, with funds invested in a universal pension fund.

#### **Climate change and the environment**

- The party sees climate change action as a “moral obligation”; and
- The primary way to mitigate climate change is through energy production.

#### **Crime and corruption**

- A focus on crime prevention;
- Psychosocial support rather than policing for substance abuse, mental health and economic stress;
- A “Don’t shut up, speak up” campaign against gender-based violence to encourage and support its reporting;
- Eliminating corruption is an ethical leadership requirement. Focused on detecting and preventing corruption, because too often it is discovered after it has been committed;
- Proposes multi-agency anti-corruption task teams;
- Supports a fully transparent digital procurement task team; and
- Incentivise whistleblowers and fund the National Prosecuting Authority and the Special Investigating Unit better.

#### **Economy**

- Inclusive economic growth policies to form pathways out of poverty;
- Reduce income inequality between the CEO and the worker;
- Eradicate the gender pay gap, where women earn 23%–35% less than men for the same work, according to the World Economic Forum;
- Cut red tape;
- Invest in green energy, tourism, manufacturing, ICT and infrastructure; and
- Public works programmes: cleaning river banks, parks, beaches and other recreational areas. Cleaning roads, pavements, storm water drains and culverts. Upgrade and maintain sidewalks.

#### **Education**

- Invest in early childhood education;
- Completely eradicate pit toilets at schools;
- More social services in schools for learners and educators; and
- More vocational and artisan skills training.

#### **Global policy**

- Support reform of the global UN Security Council, International Money Fund and World Bank;
- Aligned with the Global South; and
- Forthright on support for Palestine and a two-state solution.

#### **Governance**

- Rethink the role and size of the national and provincial governments.
- Political leaders should not be involved in the recruitment of a professional public service.
- Increased public service set-asides for people living with disabilities.

#### **Jobs**

- Sees investing in public infrastructure (electricity, transport, water, housing, digital communication) as the basis for real economic growth, resulting in more jobs.
- Jobs also created by providing financial support for small businesses and investing more in public employment programmes.

#### **Land**

- A focus on spatial justice in cities;
- More subsidised and affordable housing on land that is close to job opportunities in cities, or bring jobs closer to people;
- Release public land for land reform, black empowerment, poverty alleviation and job creation; and
- Proper restitution for victims of apartheid through land or monetary compensation.

#### **Housing**

- Increase the supply of social and community housing connected to critical infrastructure with better free supplies (electricity, water, sanitation, etc);
- Access to title deeds: transfer rental stock to long-term tenants; regularise the informal market with title transfers in the RDP housing market;
- Make urban informal settlements formal; and
- Temporary housing for homeless people.

#### **Power cuts**

- Actively supports renewable energy as the way to end load shedding because ”green energy is the cheapest and most effective form of energy production”;
- A rapid transition to renewable energy in the private sector; and
- Supports a just transition for coal industry workers and nearby communities in coal belts.

#### **LGBTQIA+**

- Safe, happier lives for LGBTQIA+ people;
- Anti-bullying campaign in schools; and
- A culture of love for the LGBTQIA+ community.

#### **Transport**

- Integrated and affordable transport through a single local government transport authority; and
- Integrate land use and development with public transport.

#### **Reality check**

- It’s a small and focused manifesto with a clear view of the world and of what the party would do.
- Good is unlikely to win the election, so it gives a sense of what kind of partner it would be in coalition governments.

#### **What’s good**

- The focus on the LGBTQIA+ community is essential, and the proposal for a basic income grant is clear. **DM**

*This article first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick newspaper, DM168, which is available countrywide for R29.*

![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DM-06042024-001.jpg)