ERIN TORKELSON

  • About
  • Research
  • Teaching
  • Impact
    • Digital Profiteers
    • Covid-19 & Grants
    • Debt & Grants
    • Net1's Payment System
    • Land & Housing
  • Events
  • Contact
  • About
  • Research
  • Teaching
  • Impact
    • Digital Profiteers
    • Covid-19 & Grants
    • Debt & Grants
    • Net1's Payment System
    • Land & Housing
  • Events
  • Contact

Current Project

debt and social grants

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In mid-2018, the delivery of South Africa's social grants was brought under the Post Office's remit. And yet, even though grants are now distributed by a public entity, debt continues to be implicit in the system. Deborah James, David Neves and I researched how social grantees remain a significant market for formal and informal money-lenders. We found that creditors use government grants as collateral for credit because such payments are regular and secure incomes. We also found they charge extremely high (though legal) interest rates based on the erroneous perception that grant recipients are a "risky" market. Given these findings, we are advising the National Credit Regulator, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Social Development, and the South African Social Security Agency on how to protect social grantees from reckless lending.

Advocacy agenda

Reduce THE cost of credit

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Read: Our report on how debt continues to be part of the social grant payment system.
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Read: Our updated manual for paralegals on debt, credit and consumer rights.

Report launch

Challenging Reckless Lending

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NEWS ARTICLES

UWC NEWS     MYOLISI GOPHE, "LENDING TO SOCIAL GRANTEES IS EXPLOITATIVE." 2 NOVEMBER 2020.
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GROUND UP    ​ERIN TORKELSON, DEBORAH JAMES & DAVID NEVES, "LEGAL BUT RECKLESS." 29 OCTOBER 2020.
DAILY MAVERICK     UFRIEDA HO, "THE DEBT TRAP FOR SOCIAL GRANT RECIPIENTS." 22 OCTOBER 2020.
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CAPE ARGUS     MWANGI GITHATHU, "LOAN SHARKS FEASTING ON THE POOREST." 20 SEPTEMBER 2020.

GROUND UP     JAMES STENT, "REPORT SHOWS HOW LENDERS PREY ON GRANT RECIPIENTS." 16 SEPTEMBER 2020.

​Radio and tv

VOICE OF THE CAPE     ERIN TORKELSON, "THE BURNING ISSUE." 29 SEPTEMBER 2020. ​

PRESENTATIONS

Expert Meeting    with dtI, NCR, DSD, SASSA, Black Sash, "Funding free Debt Advice in SA." 15 April 2021.
JSAS Colloquium    Deborah James, David Neves & ERIN TORKELSON, "Debt as Thrift." 31 March 2021.

STELLENBOSCH LEGAL CLINIC*     ERIN TORKELSON, "CHALLENGING RECKLESS LENDING." 26 NOVEMBER 2020.
Expert Meeting*     DTI, NCR, DSD, SASSA, BLACK SASH, "CHALLENGING RECKLESS LENDING." 17 NOVEMBER 2020.
BLACK SASH WEBINAR*     ERIN TORKELSON, "CHALLENGING RECKLESS LENDING." 10 SEPTEMBER 2020.
Black Sash teach-in*     eRIN TORKELSON, "CHALLENGING RECKLESS LENDING." 26 AUGUST 2020.
NATIONAL CREDIT REGULATOR*    ERIN TORKELSON. "POST OFFICE GRANT PAYMENT AND DEBT." 6 MARCH 2020.
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* I gave the Primary presentation

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