Alleviating poverty through retirement reforms

Abstract

Older persons in South Africa may be described as a sizeable but vulnerable group requiring specific protection. One of the ways in which the country can provide for the socio-economic needs of its older population is through social security benefits. This chapter provides an overview of the current deficits in the provision of social security to older persons. The aims of this chapter are to explain why reforms of the current retirement income system are necessary and to illustrate how retirement reforms may be utilised to address poverty not only of older persons, but other members of their households as well. The argument is made that this goal can only be achieved if retirement reforms form part of comprehensive social security reforms that are based on the realisation of the right of access to social security