Advocacy
For budget justice
Budgets for People not profits
For years, National Treasury have cut much needed resources to health, education, social development, local government and housing but all the while prioritizing expensive extractive infrastructure projects, predatory private public partnerships as well as the prioritisation of debt repayments.
The BJC offers alternative budget proposals that place the fulfilment of human rights first and replaces austerity with a long-term plan for socio-economic development that will ensure inclusive and sustainable development, and address poverty, inequality and unemployment.
Our advocacy runs across these themes:
1
Budgets shape power. Right now, that power leaves women behind.
We view the national budget as a powerful tool to address gendered inequalities. Our gender budget advocacy highlights how austerity deepens the burden on women, especially those navigating the intersecting challenges of poverty, unemployment, and inequality. Women, who carry the bulk of unpaid care work, are often hardest hit by budget cuts to essential public services. Through research, advocacy, and coalition-building, we push for budgeting that recognises the care economy and centres the needs of those most affected, so that the budget becomes a lever for building an economy that works for all.
2
We don’t just ‘consult’ communities, we organise with them.
The BJC Community Mobilisation builds and strengthens relationships with grassroots communities and civil society organisations across South Africa by hosting community gatherings and workshops. Our goal is to support and uphold the right of communities to meaningfully participate in national, provincial, and municipal budget processes. Through capacity building on budget submissions and amplifying community voices in Parliament, we aim to ensure that the country adopts a truly pro-poor budget—one that intentionally addresses inequality and advances social justice for poor and marginalised communities.
3
Public Education: enabling community participation
Public education is essential for building meaningful community participation in South Africa’s budget processes. We aim to demystify complex budget documents and help communities understand how government spending decisions directly impact their lives. Through activities such as learning sessions, post-budget townhall briefings, and popular education materials, we work to break down barriers to budget literacy and empower the public to engage meaningfully in budget advocacy. Our educational work seeks to build the collective capacity needed for communities to hold government accountable and contribute to creating a truly pro-poor budget that addresses inequality and advances social justice.
4
Submissions
By providing evidence-based analysis and recommendations, the BJC holds government accountable, ensuring that gender, social justice, and equity considerations are integrated into fiscal planning. The BJC further advocates for more transparent and participatory decision-making. Engaging with Parliament and key stakeholders in the budget process also allows the Coalition to influence the distribution of resources toward underfunded social services, highlight the impacts of austerity or debt-driven policies on vulnerable communities, and contribute to shaping a budget that better reflects the needs and rights of all citizens.