Severe poverty and high unemployment in South Africa threaten social stability and long term growth prospects, underscoring the compelling need for social security reform. Recent research particularly that commissioned by the Committee of Enquiry for Comprehensive Social Security, raises the question of whether a basic income grant could serve as an instrumental tool for raising living standards and improving the efficiency of social delivery. This paper reviews and summarises several recent research papers focusing on social security reform in South Africa, with an emphasis on the proposal for a basic income grant.