SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT TO LAUNCH SOCIAL SECURITY REVIEW VOLUME 2 IN CAPE TOWN

• The Department of Social Development, in collaboration with the HSRC, is launching Social Security Review Volume 2 in Cape Town, focusing on social security during the COVID-19 era.
• The publication, authored by experts and peer-reviewed, offers critical analysis of national social security systems and international trends, serving as a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, and advocates.
• By examining COVID-19’s social protection measures, the review aims to inform South Africa’s path toward a comprehensive social security system, aligned with Vision 2030 goals.

The Department of Social Development, in partnership with the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), will officially launch the Social Security Review Volume 2 publication in Cape Town on Monday, 28 October, under the theme “Social Security in the Time of COVID.” First published during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, the Social Security Review provides in-depth discussions and critical comparative analysis of current issues and studies on national social security systems, alongside international trends in policy and administration.

Authored by social security experts and peer-reviewed, the Social Security Review is an essential resource for policy advocates, researchers, policymakers, civil society, academia, and practitioners in the social security field. The Department aims to foster new knowledge, information, and critical analysis through this publication to support evidence-based decision-making and policy formulation in social security.

At the onset of COVID-19, which led to widespread national lockdowns, governments worldwide—including South Africa—implemented various social protection measures to safeguard lives, incomes, jobs, and livelihoods. The pandemic highlighted the importance of social protection, not only as a fundamental human right but also as a social, economic, and political stabiliser during crises.

Social Security Review Volume 2 offers a thorough analysis of some of the social protection measures introduced as part of South Africa’s response to COVID-19, as well as recommendations for building on these efforts to achieve the comprehensive social security system envisioned in the National Development Plan (Vision 2030).