This review explores how the state in fact - and in stated objectives - has sought to provide universal access to basic education. It also explores how basic education is defined.

Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII) with the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) hosted a high level seminar on 6 July 2012 to debate how the ANC policy conference might shape the immediate and longer term interests for South Africa's unemployed, working poor, working middle class, business elite and political elite respectively around the following three issues: 1) access to basic services and the notion of the 'Developmental State'; 2) economic transformation a nd the ANC's version of a 'mixed economy'; 3) incomes: employment and access to key assets.

Policy brief on transformation 2013.

This research report has two broad thrusts. It firstly reviews some of the main policies which seek to alleviate and eventually eradicate poverty and its causes and , secondly , the report provides a budget and benefit incidence analysis which puts a spotlight on the figures behind the policies. Five departments were chosen as the subject of the poverty audit review and they are the national and provincial departments of education, health, housing , social development and transport. The reasons for the choice of the latter department are set out elsewhere in this report.

This issue of the ESR Review features Hannah Dawson’s examination of new methodologies and tools for measuring,
monitoring and evaluating the progressive realisation of socioeconomic rights, and Charles Lwanga-Ntale’s analysis of the barriers to social protection uptake in East Africa. Updates are provided on recent developments on socio-economic rights in Africa and at the United Nations.