South Africa
Publications
Situation and Priorities
Social protection situation
In South Africa, social protection coverage rates are above the region’s average and comparable to other BRICS countries. Access to health care is granted either through the public health system, funded through general taxes, or through contributory medical schemes, which cover employees in the public or private sectors. The latter cover 17% of the population (2018). Health outcomes are low due to inequities between the public and private sector.Tax-financed social assistance is mainly provided through the Child Support Grant (means-tested, covers over 12 million children), the Disability Grant for working-age persons, and the Older Person’s Grant (means-tested grant for pensioners over 60, covered 3.2 million in 2016). Mandatory social insurance covers unemployment, sickness, maternity benefits, invalidity, and employment injury, although workers in the informal economy are largely excluded. Contributory pensions are provided through private providers.
COVID-19 and other crises
The social protection measures taken by the government to respond to the COVID-19 crisis include:- Temporarily increasing the benefit level of all social assistance grants for 4-6 months.
- Implementing a COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress grant for an initial 6 months (later extended another 3 months to January 2021) for unemployed persons who are not covered by other social protection programs, reaching at least 600,000 workers.
- Reserving R40 billion (US$ 2.9 billion) for income support payments for formal sector workers whose employers cannot pay their wages due to lockdown.
Government and social partner priorities
- Expand social protection coverage by extending current social security schemes and increasing tax-financed social protection for the non-covered population.
- Establish a National Social Security Fund to pay pensions, disability and survivor benefits, and unemployment benefits.
ILO Projects and Programmes
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Country envelopes 2023 global project – Accelerating progress on HIV and AIDS and ending inequalities in the world of work
01.01.2023 - 31.12.2024 USD 890,196 UNAIDS
Results
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In February 2023, the Government of South Africa presented the 2023 National Budget with significant increases to fiscal allocations for investments in social protection, including an additional ZAR 36 billion (USD 1.9 billion) for the extension of the ...
2023 ZAF177
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An actuarial valuation report has been accepted
2021 ZAF177
ILO Experts
Jasmina Papa
Social Protection Specialist
Phomelelo Makondo
National Project Coordinator