Civil society group Black Sash has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to take concrete steps to expand social security measures in South Africa. They believe this requires the government to align its policies with the country's constitutional and human rights principles.
Earlier this month, the President delivered his 2025 State of the Nation Address. During the annual speech, the President vowed to make social support more accessible.
Ramaphosa believes the introduction of an integrated social security system will ensure vulnerable people can apply for and receive all the social assistance they require without the burden of approaching different government entities.
Rather than the need for those individuals to approach several government entities separately, a citizen should be able to go to one place to receive all the support that they need.
Black Sash cautioned that this digital strategy could exclude some people, saying "While digitisation holds the potential to improve efficiency in social services, it must not come at the cost of excluding those without digital literacy, stable internet access, or identity documentation".
Currently, 60% of the national budget is allocated to the social wage, which includes state-provided benefits and services aimed at reducing poverty and inequality.
This safety net covers social grants for vulnerable groups like the elderly, disabled, and children, as well as free basic services such as water, electricity, and sanitation for low-income households. It also ensures free basic education and subsidized or free healthcare, particularly for pregnant women, children, and those in poverty.
The President noted that over 28 million vulnerable and unemployed people receive social grants from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), and more than 10 million children attend no-fee public schools. Additionally, in 2024, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is funding over 900,000 students for further education.
Despite the millions of people relying on social grants, Black Sash labelled them inadequate to meet basic needs.
We remain deeply concerned about the inadequacy of existing grants to meet basic needs, particularly as inflation continues to erode their value.
During the SONA, the President announced that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant would be used as a basis for the introduction of a sustainable form of basic income support.
Introduced in 2020, the SRD grant is the only financial support available to unemployed adults in South Africa. However, not every unemployed adult automatically qualifies for the grant. The checks used by Sassa to determine SRD grant eligibility were declared unconstitutional.
Black Sash called for the fast-tracking of the Basic Income Grant development.
The long-term vision for a Universal Basic Income Grant (UBIG) must be fast-tracked with a clear financing model.
Black Sash called on the government to deliver a social grant system free of corruption and one that is dignified. They warned that problems with South Africa's SRD grant applications and payments underscore the urgent need for a more people-centred system.
The ongoing challenges in the SRD grant application and payment processes highlight the dangers of a system that is not people-centred.
Black Sash is calling for a hybrid approach to service delivery, combining online access with readily available walk-in centres staffed with personnel to assist those in need. "We call for a hybrid service delivery approach that ensures accessibility for all, including walk-in centres with human assistance," said the organisation.
The organisations further called on the president to honour promises he made during his election campaign.
Ramaphosa has made commitments before on the eve of elections that he would prioritise Basic Income Grant, when he gets elected into office and we expect him to hold that promise. Social security is a real right and we need to do that.
