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Introduction
The route from policy-making at the national government sphere to the implementation of a policy in the local sphere is long and complex (Brynard 2006a:837). Students of public policy therefore need to spend more time investigating policy implementation issues to assist the government in carrying out the policies under its jurisdiction.
It is usually assumed that policies are automatically applied – that whatever those who formulate a policy want is, in fact, implemented. However, in reality, the implementation is seldom straightforward, and the consequences of public policies are not always those that were intended. The mere formulation of a policy, such as the Child Support Grant (CSG) policy, does not necessarily mean that the purpose of the policy will be realised (Brynard 2006a:837).
After coming into power in 1994, the African National Congress (ANC) committed the government to specific goals in the area of social policy. These include eliminating poverty, achieving an acceptable distribution of income, lowering unemployment levels and increasing social assistance programmes (Guthrie 2002:11). The right to social assistance was entrenched in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (RSA 1996a, hereafter the Constitution). In South Africa, according to section 27(1)(c) everyone has the right to access “social security, including, if they are unable to support themselves and their dependants, appropriate social assistance” (RSA 1996a). Since 1994, the right to access social security should perhaps be seen as every citizen’s most important socio-economic right, by virtue of its historical and actual association with poverty alleviation, economic and political ideology, and morality. South Africa has therefore significantly extended its system of social grants in the last decade (DSD, SASSA and UNICEF 2012:3; Malan 2005:549).
The CSG is a tool of social protection in South Africa, and it reaches more than 12 million South African children directly or indirectly each month (DSD, SASSA and UNICEF 2012:3). This development coincided with a global trend of increasing transfers of publicly funded cash to the poor and vulnerable. Moreover, although there has been an increase in the global economy, the numbers of children suffering as a result of poverty have also increased both across and within countries. The extent of the suffering of children because of poverty in developing countries requires appropriate policy responses. In tackling the problem, the South African government introduced the CSG in 1998. Its purpose is to serve as the main cash transfer to assist children suffering as a result of poverty. In the last two decades (1994 – 2014), South Africa’s social grant programme has evolved into one of the most comprehensive social protection systems in the developing world. Expansions to the CSG’s criteria for eligibility over the same period include an increase in the age limit from seven to 18 years, and adjustments to the income threshold to take inflation into account (DSD, SASSA and UNICEF 2012:3).
1 Chapter 1: Outline and introduction to the study
1.1 Introduction
1.2 History of South Africa: facing the future
1.3 Background of social security in South Africa
1.4 Conceptualising monitoring and evaluation (M&E)
1.5 Rationale for the research
1.6 Research problem
1.7 Research questions
1.8 Research objectives
1.9 Significance of the research
1.11 Research methodology
1.12 Ethical consideration
1.13 Clarification of concepts and terms
1.14 Outline of the study
2 Chapter 2: Theoretical constructs in Public Administration
2.1 Introduction
2.3 Public Administration and public administration
2.4 The functions of public administration
2.5 Public policy models
2.6 Policy implementation
2.7 Approaches to the study of implementation
2.8 Policy implementation: The 5C protocol
2.9 Conclusion
3 Chapter 3: Social security – an international perspective: The BRIC countries
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Origin and formalisation of BRICS countries
3.3 The importance of BRICS
3.4 Social security in Brazil
3.5 Social security in the Russian Federation
3.6 Social security in India
3.7 Social security in China
3.8 Social security challenges in BRIC
3.9 Conclusion
4 Chapter 4: The implementation of the Child Support Grant policy
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Concept: Developmental state
4.3 The history of social security in South Africa
4.4 From welfare to social development in South Africa
4.5 The development of social security policy
4.6 Legislative framework for social security .
4.7 Public contributory schemes
4.8 Private contributory schemes
4.9 Non-contributory programmes
4.10 Overview of social security by grant type
4.11 Social security beneficiaries
4.12 Social security challenges in South Africa
4.13 Conclusion
5 Chapter 5: Analysis and interpretation of the study findings
6 Chapter 6: Findings, recommendations and conclusion
7 References
8 Appendix A: Interview schedule for officials
9 Appendix B: Interview schedule for beneficiaries
