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It would also diminish the yawning gap between rich and poor—one
of the largest in the world—that remains one of apartheid's
most enduring legacies. And it would respond to the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission's call for a programme of general reparations
for the millions of South Africans who were disadvantaged by apartheid.
The BIG Link was designed not only to draw attention to the BIG
proposal, but also to highlight the more general need for sustainable
development to address questions of poverty and economic justice.
Supporters planned to form a human chain stretching from the plush,
heavily-guarded Sandton Convention Centre, where government officials
from around the world were meeting, to Alexandra, a poverty-stricken
black township just a stone's throw away. The participants were
to line the streets along the route wearing T-shirts that spelled
out "BIG BEATS POVERTY".
All of which explains how I came to find myself standing on a
busy street corner just outside the Sandton security cordon one
sunny September morning, keeping an eye on a stack of T-shirts.
As usual, things were running a bit behind. As I stood there,
waiting for the other participants to arrive, I noticed a young
man who was obviously a groundskeeper for the office building
on that corner watching me curiously. Eventually, he wandered
over and asked what was happening. I told him that we were getting
ready for a demonstration in support of the Basic Income Grant
and asked if he had heard of the proposal. He hadn't, so I gave
him a quick summary.
He seemed very excited by the proposal and asked if he could
join in. I told him that he would be welcome, but he would have
to be prepared to stand with us for most of the morning. He said
he would see if he could take time off work to do so. He disappeared
inside the building. About 15 minutes later, he was back, having
changed out of his uniform. He had gotten the morning off and
was ready to join the link.
We continued chatting as we waited for the line—which by
now had reached the corner at the bottom of the hill—to extend
the last few blocks up the street to where we stood. He introduced
himself as Herbert. I asked why he had been willing to take the
morning off to join the demonstration. He told me that he thought
the grant would make a big difference to his family. He earns
about $100 a month from his groundskeeping job. Although he had
no children of his own, his brother had died and his five nephews
and nieces now lived with him. He was not the only person responsible
for looking after them, but nevertheless, his small salary did
not go very far. Since everyone would be eligible for the grant,
even children, the household income would increase by at least
60%. They would be able to afford more food, school fees for the
children, maybe even improvements to their home to give them more
room.
There are many South Africans in Herbert's position. In fact,
he is relatively lucky: he has a job (at a time when the unemployment
rate is approaching 40%), and he is earning far more than the
18 million (of 42 million) South Africans who live below the World
Bank poverty line of $2 a day. But Herbert is typical in that
he must make his limited income stretch to support members of
his extended family who have even less than he does. It is the
working poor who provide the primary social security net for the
destitute, not the tiny percentage of the population who control
most of the nation's wealth. The AIDS pandemic has placed additional
stress on family networks because young adults—potential
breadwinners—have been hardest hit.
The BIG Link got a fair amount of attention, both from passers-by
(several of whom joined the chain) and from the media. The chairperson
of the ruling African National Congress party came out to receive
a memo from the demonstrators. The government continues to consider
the proposal and has pledged to respond more fully to it early
next year. In October, the SACC decided to make the BIG the subject
of its annual Christmas Campaign, so I've spent much of the past
two months arranging for the production and national distribution
of a range of educational and advocacy materials (some of which
you can see on the SACC Web site, www.sacc.org.za). In December,
there will be a number of meetings with government officials to
discuss the grant further.
It is appropriate as we enter Advent, a season rich with expectation
and hope, that South African churches redouble their efforts to
promote economic justice and reconciliation, so that all may enjoy
Christ's promise of life abundant.
With best wishes for a blessed holiday season,
Doug Tilton
The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 46
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