Social protection in South Africa – recent achievements and future prospects

Kruger, John

doi:10.4337/9781781953952.00026

Cited by 3 publications

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“…In South Africa, the pension system was extended at key points throughout the 20th century. This was in direct response to a perceived need to satisfy politically salient groups, from exploited miners in the 1920s, through the increasingly organised working class in the 1940s and, finally, the de‐racialisation of social protection since 1994 and the rapid expansion of social assistance in response to persistently high rates of poverty, unemployment and inequality (Kruger, ; Pelham, ; Seekings & Nattrass, ).…”

Section: Political Settlements and Social Protectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptualising the politics of social protection expansion in low income countries: The intersection of transnational ideas and domestic politics

Lavers

Hickey

2016

Int J Soc Welfare

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The growing literature on social protection in low income developing countries has tended to focus on definitional debates, policy design and impact evaluations, with relatively little consideration of the ways in which politics shape policy. This article argues that politics needs to be at the centre of efforts to understand social protection and outlines a new conceptual framework for investigating this, with a particular focus on explaining the variation in progress made by low income countries in adopting and implementing social protection. We propose that an adapted ‘political settlements’ framework that incorporates insights from the literatures on welfare state development – notably ‘power constellations’ theory, discursive institutionalism and global policy networks – can help frame political commitment to social protection as flowing from the interaction of domestic political economy and transnational ideas. Importantly, this approach situates social protection within a broader political and policy context, and highlights the influence of underlying power relations at multiple levels.

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Section: Political Settlements and Social Protectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptualising the politics of social protection expansion in low income countries: The intersection of transnational ideas and domestic politics

Lavers

Hickey

2016

Int J Soc Welfare

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Social Security and Social Development in South Africa

Patel¹

2021

The Oxford Handbook of the South African Economy

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South Africa has made significant strides in growing its social security and social development system to reduce poverty and inequality since the advent of democracy in 1994. The country’s rights-based and redistributive social protection system builds on earlier social policies and was substantively refashioned to address the country’s colonial and apartheid legacy. This chapter documents the South African case with reference to the following themes: first, it sets out the social and economic challenges facing the country in relation to poverty and inequality. Second, it demonstrates the conceptual and policy significance of the South African case in relation to the rise of social protection policies to promote inclusive development in countries in the Global South. The South African welfare regime is the third theme. It focuses on the evolution of social security and social development, discusses the features of the approach, the nature and scope of social protection policies and their impacts. Finally, the chapter concludes by considering the policy issues and future trajectory of social protection in South Africa.

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Family resilience in low income communities: A case study of an informal settlement in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa

Raniga

Mthembu

2016

Int J Soc Welfare

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Many of the people who are most vulnerable to the effects of poverty and deprivation reside in informal settlements in Africa. While there is growing evidence of the importance of family resilience, there is little documented evidence of how collective actions undertaken by families in African communities can contribute to this. In‐depth interviews and focus‐group sessions were conducted with single mothers residing in an informal settlement in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa to delineate the factors that contributed to their resilience. We examined the influence of social ties, self‐efficacy and networks they had established beyond their immediate community on enhancing family resilience. Three key themes are discussed: determination to survive, rising above harsh economic conditions and establishing networks within and outside the community. We conclude that the foundation for building strong female‐headed families lies in positive social ties, self‐empowerment initiatives and tapping on established networks within and outside low income communities.

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Social protection in South Africa – recent achievements and future prospects

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Conceptualising the politics of social protection expansion in low income countries: The intersection of transnational ideas and domestic politics

Conceptualising the politics of social protection expansion in low income countries: The intersection of transnational ideas and domestic politics

Social Security and Social Development in South Africa

Family resilience in low income communities: A case study of an informal settlement in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa

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