Friday, March 18, 2022
Since South Africa adopted its post-apartheid constitution in 1996, the country has made important strides in realising the right to social security and in reducing poverty and inequality.
Policies, legislation and administrative infrastructure have...
Tuesday, January 4, 2022
“This should provide the much-needed income support to cushion against the economic hardship occasioned by the advent of Covid-19 pandemic for the 18- 59 years.” The R350 social relief of distress grant is set to conclude at the end of March 2022.
Thursday, November 4, 2021
There has been a furious response from several research and lobbying organisations to rumours of a reform of the welfare system in South Africa. Apparently, the South African government is considering a local version of the Bolsa Familia, the Brazilian...
Thursday, October 7, 2021
The World Bank, in collaboration with the Government of South Africa, released a new report assessing the country’s social assistance programs and systems. In an environment of high unemployment, persistent poverty, weak economic growth and shrinking...
Monday, August 30, 2021
In this post, Sherwin Gabriel and colleagues present results from modeling the economic effects of short-term social protection measures in South Africa, especially targeted at lower income households, in the face of new waves of infection and pressure...
Thursday, August 26, 2021
Poverty and unemployment are out of control, especially for young people. With more than 19 million beneficiaries, the social security grants system is also not sustainable from a cost point of view. The system has a budget allocation of R250-billion if...
Sunday, August 1, 2021
The basic income grant debate has been rumbling in South Africa for two decades, ever since the grant was recommended by the Committee of Inquiry into a Comprehensive System of Social Security for South Africa in 2002. The reintroduction of the...
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Sunday 25 July was a historic day for social protection in South Africa. It is the day that Basic Income might well have arrived. During his regular televised ‘family gathering’ to update the nation about Covid-19, President Ramaphosa announced: ‘we...
Saturday, June 5, 2021
Social development minister Lindiwe Zulu has admitted that terminating relief programmes, including the R350 Covid-19 social relief of distress (SRD) grant, will increase hunger, exacerbate social and political stress and slow down economic recovery.
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Social development minister Lindiwe Zulu says that her department has allocated R195.5 billion to the monthly payment of grants for the 2021/2022 financial year. Presenting her departmental budget on Tuesday (25 May), Zulu said that the money will be...