Unisa hosts strategic dialogue on the future of social security in South Africa

From left: Prof Ophillia Ledimo, Unisa SBL Academic Director; Themba Matlou, SASSA CEO; and Prof Walter Matli, Unisa SBL Executive Dean and CEO

The Unisa Graduate School of Business Leadership (SBL), in partnership with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the National Press Club, recently hosted a media roundtable examining the evolving role of social security in shaping a more inclusive and equitable South Africa.

Framed around SASSA’s 20-year milestone, the engagement moved beyond commemoration to interrogate the realities of poverty, dignity, digital transformation and public trust within one of the country’s most critical social support systems.

Anchored around the theme "Two Decades of Social Security in South Africa: Challenges and Opportunities", the roundtable examined the role of social protection in confronting poverty, inequality and exclusion, while exploring how public institutions can modernise without losing sight of the people they serve.

Welcoming delegates, Unisa SBL Executive Dean and CEO, Prof Walter Matli, positioned social security within the broader responsibility of ethical and people-centred leadership. He reminded attendees that social grants are not acts of charity, but a constitutional right and a lifeline in an economy still marked by deep inequality.

"Millions of South Africans rely on social grants, not as a privilege, not as charity, and not as a favour, but as a constitutional right and a vital lifeline in an economy still marked by poverty, inequality, unemployment and exclusion," said Matli.

He further emphasised that the true measure of public service efficiency lies not only in systems, processes and technology, but in the dignity experienced by citizens at the point of need. As institutions embrace digital transformation, he cautioned that innovation must remain accessible, humane and grounded in lived realities. "When systems become too complicated, too digital, too distant or too cold, the people most in need are often the first to be excluded," he said.

Delivering the keynote address, SASSA Chief Executive Officer, Themba Matlou, reflected on the agency’s journey since its establishment in 2006 and its evolution into one of the largest social protection systems on the African continent. Today, SASSA provides social grants to approximately 19 million beneficiaries across urban centres, rural villages, farms and informal settlements.

For Matlou, the impact of social security is best understood through the lives it touches every month. "Behind every grant payment is a human story, a grandmother feeding her grandchildren, a young child able to attend school, a family finding stability during difficult times. This is the true meaning of social security: restoring dignity and expanding opportunities," he said.

The panel discussion unpacked the evolving challenges shaping South Africa’s social security landscape, including governance, accessibility, financial inclusion, digital transformation and the sustainability of public support systems. Discussions also explored how social protection can be better aligned with economic participation, skills development and inclusive growth.

The engagement concluded with a renewed call for leadership that is ethical, collaborative and responsive to the realities of vulnerable communities. It reinforced the importance of building public institutions that are not only efficient and technologically advanced, but also humane, accessible and trusted by the people they serve. 

* Submitted by the Graduate School of Business Leadership