DIGITAL MIGRATION OF SERVICES STRENGTHENS SOCIAL PROTECTION AND RESTORES DIGNITY OF BENEFICIARIES

By Xolisa Phillip and Justice Malapane.

The Department of Social Development closed its two-day Social Protection Colloquium on 29 October 2025 in Sandton, Gauteng, with strong calls to advance digital innovation in the delivery of social protection services. The discussions highlighted how technology can expand access to support systems, enhance efficiency, and protect the dignity of millions of South Africans who rely on social assistance.

The colloquium, held under the theme “From Grants to Growth: Integrating Social Protection and Income Generating Opportunities,” brought together policymakers, government leaders, academics, practitioners, informal traders, and young people not in employment, education, or training (NEET). The engagement was hosted in partnership with the Presidency’s Digital Innovation in the Public Sector, the Digital Services Unit (DSU), and supported by Genesis Analytics and the Centre for Social Development in Africa (CSDA) at the University of Johannesburg.

Participants shared first-hand experiences of how social grants, skills programmes, and digital access have transformed their lives. Informal trader Mme Lulama Mali spoke about the network of solidarity that has emerged among traders and the unhoused in Johannesburg’s inner city. She explained how traders employ the unhoused to guard stock overnight and how government training and support helped her start a small business.

“I attended a Small Traders Summit organised by the Gauteng Provincial Government to learn how to trade. After completing our training, government provided R10 000 to purchase stock. The funds were paid directly to wholesalers on our behalf,” said Mme Mali, who also receives an Old Age Grant.

Another participant, Ms Dikgapi Michelle Susane, shared how the COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant supported her during her period of unemployment and how she transitioned into the Basic Package of Support (BPS) Programme, where she gained skills to start her own business. Similarly, Mr Mmankwane Marutle, a former SRD recipient, described how joining the BPS Programme helped him rebuild confidence and find employment in a supply chain management company.

The discussions underscored the importance of digital transformation in advancing social protection and income-generation opportunities. Policymakers emphasised the need for collaboration across government departments to ensure that beneficiaries are not only supported but also empowered to become self-reliant.

South Africa’s Digital Transformation Roadmap, led by the Presidency, envisions a unified digital ecosystem that allows citizens to access multiple services through a single point of entry and a Digital ID. The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is pioneering this model as part of its efforts to modernise service delivery and improve accessibility.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, SASSA successfully used digital platforms to provide relief to more than 20 million beneficiaries, demonstrating the potential of technology to streamline processes and reduce long queues at local offices. Currently, SASSA pays social grants to 19 million South Africans, most of whom live in townships and rural areas.

The Agency continues to modernise its systems to reduce administrative errors, digitise internal processes, and strengthen linkages with other institutions such as NSFAS, enabling easier access to tertiary education funding.