The Impact and Effectiveness of the Child Support Grant in Gugulethu, South Africa

Abstract

For the first time in South Africa’s history, the Constitution compels the state to ensure the progressive realisation of a social security grant. The country’s constitution commits the state to developing a comprehensive social security system for all South Africans. This study investigates the impact and effectiveness of the Child Support Grant in Gugulethu, Western Cape Province, South Africa. Data used was collected using direct interview schedules with the respondents. The findings suggest that the Child Support Grant is more effective if it is incorporated into the household income, that recipients of the grant mainly spend it on food and in paying school fees for their children. Although the recipients share the same sentiment with regards to the amount of the grant (small), they all agree that it has a positive impact on children’s lives, especially when it is combined with the household income.

Keywords: Child support grant, social security, poverty alleviation,
effectiveness, impact, Gugulethu