STRENGTHENING SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR A RESILIENT SOUTH AFRICA POST-COVID-19

By Precious Mupenzi

• A webinar looking at how South Africa’s social security sector performed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic took place recently under the theme “Advancing social security: Exploring pathways to resilience post-COVID-19”.
• The webinar, however, went beyond the COVID-19 response to provide insights for future programme development, particularly in the light of emerging challenges such as economic restructuring, climate change, and population shifts.
• Participants heard that the lessons learned during COVID-19 provide a clear roadmap to enhance inclusivity, improve service delivery, and ensure long-term sustainability.

A webinar, part of an ongoing series of interactions focused on strengthening South Africa’s social security system, was held recently under the “Advancing social security: Exploring pathways to resilience post-COVID-19”.

The event, hosted by the Department of Social Development in partnership with the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on 18 March 2026, forms part of the department’s ongoing knowledge-sharing series examining evidence-based research, policy dialogue, and strategic partnerships.

It also drew from insights contained in the department’s Social Security Review Volume 2: Social Security in the Time of COVID-19 (2024).

Evidence-based insights

The session on evidence-based information featured a presentation by Dr Stewart Ngandu, a social policy researcher specialising in social protection systems; Shirin Motala, an expert in social policy and governance at the HSRC; and Dr Bongiwe Mncwango, a senior researcher focusing on social development and policy analysis.

The presentation provided a comprehensive, systems-based assessment of South Africa’s social protection response to the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting that more than 32.6 million people were supported through cash-based interventions during the pandemic.

This scale of reach demonstrates the government’s decisive and people-centred response in protecting vulnerable households during an unprecedented crisis.

The study also showed that South Africa performed strongly in areas such as policy alignment, responsiveness, and evidence-based decision-making, with interventions like the provision of Social Relief of Distress and the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme playing a critical role in mitigating the socio-economic impact of the pandemic.

Constructive reflections to drive progress

Reflecting on the findings and recommendations from the chapter, discussants Dr Anna McCord – Independent Social Protection Specialist
and Jasmina Papa – Social Protection Specialist DWT Southern and Eastern Africa, ILO emphasised the value of adopting a systems approach in understanding social protection.

The Core Diagnostic Instrument framework offers an important platform for dialogue between government, researchers, and development partners, enabling a more integrated view of the system rather than focusing on individual programmes.

The findings are not only relevant to the COVID-19 response but also provide insights for future programme development, particularly in the context of emerging challenges such as economic restructuring, climate change, and population shifts.

The discussions highlighted the need for systems that are flexible, integrated, and capable of adapting to future shocks, reinforcing the importance of continuous innovation in social protection.

A strong foundation for reform and innovation

While the assessment identified areas for strengthening, particularly in institutional capacity, coordination, and delivery efficiency, the overarching message from the webinar was one of progress and opportunity.

The findings show that South Africa has built a solid policy foundation, and the lessons learned during COVID-19 provide a clear roadmap to enhance inclusivity, improve service delivery, and ensure long-term sustainability.

The engagement also reinforced the importance of collaboration across government, academia, and international partners, positioning the department to strengthen its developmental mandate.

As the Department of Social Development continues to advance its programmes, these insights will play a critical role in shaping a more resilient, inclusive, and responsive social protection system, one that upholds dignity, promotes equality, and leaves no one behind.

In closing the webinar, Anthony Makwiramiti from the Comprehensive Social Security Branch indicated that the department is currently working on the Social Security Review Volume 3.

A webinar series will be rolled out once the publication is completed in the new financial year, 2026/2027.