Social Protection Law in the Republic of South Africa

Abstract

The South African social protection system makes provision for all the nine standard branches contained in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention 102 of 1952, namely: medical care, sickness, unemployment, old age, employment injury, family, maternity, invalidity, and survivors’ benefit. Provision for the aforementioned branches is established and regulated by law. The article critically assesses the social protection legislative framework in the Republic of South Africa. It does that by largely focusing on the constitutional foundation of the social protection system, the design of the legal entitlements to social benefits, and pertinent administrative procedures and accountability mechanisms. This is followed by some concluding observations.