South Africa’s social assistance system is better developed
than those of most middle-income countries. This is in line
with section 27(1) of the Constitution which states that
“everyone has the right to have access to … social security,
including, if they are unable to support themselves and their dependants,
appropriate social assistance”. It is also in line with the
Constitution that social grants are provided primarily for categories
of individuals who are likely to be unable to provide for their own
needs, namely the elderly, people with disabilities and children.
Most social grants aim to reduce poverty and include a means
test that is intended to ensure that the grant reaches only those
with income and assets below a given threshold. But to what
extent do these grants also reduce inequality?