SEEDS OF SELF-RELIANCE: HOW GOVERNMENT IS REWRITING THE POVERTY STORY

By Cuma Pantshwa.

• Paradigm Shift in Social Development: The GBL programme is moving beneficiaries from passive reliance on grants to active economic participation through entrepreneurship and skills development.
• NDA’s Transformative Role: The NDA is positioning itself as a central force in combating poverty by fostering sustainable, community-driven enterprises.
• National Scale-Up on the Horizon: Government is working on a blueprint to institutionalise GBL nationwide, informed by global best practices and aimed at reducing grant dependency.

Day Two of the Generating Better Livelihoods (GBL) strategic planning session, currently underway in Durban, opened with powerful reflections from the previous day’s site visit to Ntuzuma Hall. There, participants of the GBL pilot programme showcased their products and shared moving stories of personal and community transformation.

“What we witnessed yesterday was authentic community development,” one delegate noted during the morning plenary. From homemade cleaning products to spices to beautifully tailored garments, the site visit offered more than just inspiration; it illustrated that government’s vision of linking social protection beneficiaries to sustainable livelihoods is not only attainable but already delivering measurable impact.

Hosted by the Department of Social Development in partnership with FinMark Trust and BRAC International, the program has now entered a pivotal phase, designing strategies to scale the pilot into a sustainable national model. While enterprise development and financial inclusion have shown promising results, delegates acknowledged a persistent challenge: market access.

“Yes, it’s easier to start a business today,” one attendee reflected, “but making that business sustainable and ensuring there’s a market for your product is where the real test lies.”

NDA at the Helm of Change

The National Development Agency (NDA), a key GBL partner, reaffirmed its leadership role in combating poverty. Acting CEO Mr Thabani Buthelezi delivered a keynote address that anchored the work in policy and human dignity.

“Poverty should not be reduced to a lack of income; it is, at its core, a lack of opportunity,” he asserted. “This is not merely a programme, it is a paradigm shift. The GBL bridges the gap by equipping individuals with skills, fostering entrepreneurship, and opening employment pathways. It’s about restoring self-determination and dignity.”

Buthelezi emphasised the NDA’s mandate to strengthen the capacity of civil society and support community-based enterprises. “We are proud to be an integral partner in the GBL initiative. It not only aligns with our mission to create enabling conditions for poor and vulnerable communities to thrive, but also exemplifies the kind of collaborative, cross-sector work that we are deeply committed to advancing.”
He continued:
“Through the GBL project, we are transforming grant recipients from passive beneficiaries of assistance to active participants in their economic futures.”

A System Under Pressure—But Brimming with Potential

Echoing Day One’s deliberations, Director-General of Social Development Mr. Peter Netshipale highlighted the urgency of innovation as South Africa’s expanding population exerts mounting pressure on the social safety net. “With more people dependent on grants for survival,” he said, “it becomes even more critical to create sustainable ways out of poverty.”

The GBL project is one such pathway; a deliberate transition from dependency to self-sufficiency, enabling beneficiaries of the Child Support Grant (CSG) to secure income-generating opportunities. While still small in scale, the collective enthusiasm of participants and the coordinated support from government and partners underscore its scalability and transformative potential.

As Buthelezi reiterated, “linking social protection to sustainable livelihoods is more than a policy objective. “It is a moral imperative and a developmental necessity.”

From Pilot to National Blueprint

As the session progressed, delegates were focused on finalising a national scale-up strategy, aligning policy frameworks, and developing a coordinated stakeholder engagement plan. These elements will form critical components for embedding GBL within South Africa’s social development architecture.

Delegates will also examine global best practice, drawing lessons from countries where graduation models have delivered sustained economic inclusion.

As delegates engage in robust discussions aimed at strengthening the pathways from social protection to sustainable livelihoods, one delegate observed, “We can see that people do not want handouts, they want independence and a chance to end generational poverty”
This sentiment captures the spirit of the GBL initiative and reinforces why efforts to scale and sustain it must remain a national priority.