The politics of social assistance in South Africa: How protests and electoral politics shape the Child Support Grant

Governance ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erdem Yörük ◽  
Alper Şükrü Gençer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Electoral Politics ◽  
Child Support Grant

The Relationship between the Child Support Grant and Teenage Fertility in Post-Apartheid South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 505-519
Author(s):  
Eric O. Udjo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Teenage Pregnancy ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Social Assistance ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Child Support Grant ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Governments often provide some form of social assistance to vulnerable groups. The right to social security is enshrined in the South African Constitution and the Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004. The country provides for a child support grant to single parents or caregivers who are low-income earners. The impact of the child support grant on teenage pregnancy in South Africa has aroused interest in the last couple of years, sparking debate that it may be encouraging teenage pregnancy. However, empirical evidence has been produced to confirm this relationship. This study examines the relationship between receiving the child support grant and being pregnant with another child in two national data sets using logistic regression analysis and empirical data. The results indicate that teenagers who receive the child support grant are significantly less likely to be pregnant with another child compared with teenagers who do not receive the child support grant.

scholarly journals ‘To be a woman is to make a plan’: a qualitative study exploring mothers’ experiences of the Child Support Grant in supporting children’s diets and nutrition in South Africa

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. e019376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanga Zembe-Mkabile ◽  
Rebecca Surender ◽  
David Sanders ◽  
Rina Swart ◽  
Vundli Ramokolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Child Support Grant ◽  
Mothers Experiences

scholarly journals Child Support Grant access and receipt among 12-week-old infants in an urban township setting in South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 25310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanga Zembe-Mkabile ◽  
Tanya Doherty ◽  
David Sanders ◽  
Debra Jackson
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Child Support Grant ◽  
Urban Township

scholarly journals Does The Unconditional Cash Transfer Program in South Africa Provide Support for Women After Child Birth? Barriers To Accessing The Child Support Grant Among Women in Informal Work in Durban, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silondile Luthuli ◽  
Lyn Haskins ◽  
Sphindile Mapumulo ◽  
Christiane Horwood
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Working Women ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Transfer Program ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Informal Workers ◽  
Child Support Grant ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfer

Abstract Background The child support grant (CSG) is the largest unconditional cash transfer program in Africa and aims to alleviate poverty and improve child health and nutrition in low-income families in South Africa. Among informal working women, the CSG is an important source of income after childbirth when informal workers are unable to work, but reports suggest that women experience delays in accessing the CSG. We explore experiences and challenges accessing the CSG among informal workers in Durban, South Africa Methods We undertook a longitudinal mixed-methods cohort study. Women informal workers were recruited during pregnancy and followed-up for up to one year after the baby was born. Quantitative questionnaires and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to collect data about women’s plans for applying for the CSG, the application process, use of the CSG in the household, and household food insecurity. Interviews were conducted in IsiZulu by experienced researchers. Descriptive analysis of quantitative data used SPSS v26, and framework analysis using NVIVO v12.3 was used for qualitative analysis. Results Twenty-four informal working women were enrolled. The CSG received for older children was reported as an important and reliable source of income for mothers after childbirth. However, delays receiving the CSG for the new baby meant this support was unavailable to first-time mothers. The complex application process for the CSG required mothers to go to various government departments to complete the required documentation, often taking the baby with them. This was costly and time-consuming for mothers who were already vulnerable, and led to delays in obtaining CSG funds. Many women experienced moderate or severe food insecurity before and after the baby was born. As a result, some mothers had to return to work earlier than planned, disrupting childcare and breastfeeding. Conclusion Cash transfer programmes can effectively support low income households and improve outcomes for mothers and children. In South Africa there is a need for innovative approaches to streamline CSG applications, so women can access the funds immediately post-delivery to fill a resource gap and provide support at a vulnerable time for mothers and their children.

scholarly journals Does the unconditional cash transfer program in South Africa provide support for women after child birth? Barriers to accessing the child support grant among women in informal work in Durban, South Africa

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silondile Luthuli ◽  
Lyn Haskins ◽  
Sphindile Mapumulo ◽  
Christiane Horwood
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Working Women ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Transfer Program ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Informal Workers ◽  
Child Support Grant ◽  
Unconditional Cash Transfer

Abstract Background The child support grant (CSG) is the largest unconditional cash transfer program in Africa and aims to alleviate poverty and improve child health and nutrition in low-income families in South Africa. Among informal working women, the CSG is an important source of income after childbirth when informal workers are unable to work, but reports suggest that women experience delays in accessing the CSG. We explore experiences and challenges of accessing the CSG among informal workers in Durban, South Africa. Methods We undertook a longitudinal mixed-methods cohort study. Women informal workers were recruited during pregnancy and followed-up for up to one year after the baby was born. Quantitative questionnaires and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used to collect data about women’s plans for applying for the CSG, the application process, use of the CSG in the household, and household food insecurity. Interviews were conducted in IsiZulu by experienced researchers. Descriptive analysis of quantitative data used SPSS v26, and framework analysis using NVIVO v12.3 was used for qualitative analysis. Results Twenty-four informal working women were enrolled. The CSG received for older children was reported as an important and reliable source of income for mothers after childbirth. However, delays receiving the CSG for the new baby meant this support was unavailable to first-time mothers. The complex application process for the CSG required mothers to travel to various government departments to complete the required documentation, often taking the baby with them. This was costly and time-consuming for mothers who were already vulnerable, and led to delays in obtaining CSG funds. Many women experienced moderate or severe food insecurity before and after the baby was born. As a result, some mothers had to return to work earlier than planned, disrupting childcare and breastfeeding. Conclusions Cash transfer programmes can effectively support low income households and improve outcomes for mothers and children. In South Africa there is a need for innovative approaches to streamline CSG applications, so women can access the funds immediately post-delivery to fill a resource gap and provide support at a vulnerable time for mothers and their children.

Caregivers’ perspective of the child support grant in South Africa: An exploratory study

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 176-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Calvin Mudzingiri ◽  
Emmanuel Moyana ◽  
Fungai Mbengo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Child Support ◽  
Child Support Grant
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