Policy Briefs

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Open Access
ACESS submission on the report of the Committee of Inquiry into a Comprehensive Social Security System
(Children's Institute, 2002-06) Proudlock, Paula
Written submission on behalf of the Alliance for Children's Entitlement to Social Security to the Department of Social Development, June 2002.
Open Access
Africa's growth dividend? Lived poverty drops across much of the continent
(2016-01) Mattes, Robert; Dulani, Boniface; Gyimah-Boadi, E
Though Africa has recorded high levels of economic growth over the past decade, previous Afrobarometer surveys of citizens found little evidence that this growth had reduced levels of poverty in any consistent way (Dulani, Mattes, & Logan, 2013). However, new data from Afrobarometer Round 6, collected across 35 African countries, suggest a very different picture. While “lived poverty” remains pervasive across much of the continent, especially in Central and West Africa, we now see evidence that the decade of economic growth seems to have finally delivered broad-based reductions in poverty. “Lived poverty” (an index that measures the frequency with which people experience shortages of basic necessities) retreated across a broad range of countries. In the roughly three-year period between Round 5 (2011/2013) and Round 6 (2014/2015) surveys, our data suggest that “lived poverty” fell in 22 of 33 countries surveyed in both rounds. However, these changes show no systematic relation to recent rates of economic growth. While growing economies are undoubtedly important, what appears to be more important in improving the lives of ordinary people is the extent to which national governments and their donor partners put in place the type of development infrastructure that enables people to build better lives.
Open Access
Africa's Jobs Challenge
(2013-10) Bhorat, Haroon; Naidoo, Karmen
There is great opportunity for potential growth in Africa, however, there is also the increasing challenge of promoting growth that is job-creating. It is evident that the continent has much potential to achieve the long-term growth that is necessary for reducing inequality and alleviating poverty. In order to do this, there are key pitfalls that need to be addressed, most importantly, infrastructure development and improved governance and rule of law.
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After a Decade of Growth in Africa, Little Change in Poverty at the Grassroots
(2013-10) Dulani, Boniface; Mattes, Robert; Logan, Carolyn
New data from Round 5 of the Afrobarometer, collected across an unprecedented 34 African countries between October 2011 and June 2013,1 demonstrates that “lived poverty” remains pervasive across the continent. This data, based on the views and experiences of ordinary citizens, counters projections of declining poverty rates that have been derived from official GDP growth rates. For the 16 countries where these questions have been asked over the past decade, we find little evidence for systematic reduction of lived poverty despite average GDP growth rates of 4.8% per year2 over the same period. While we do see reductions in five countries (Cape Verde, Ghana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe), we also find increases in lived poverty in five others (Botswana, Mali, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania). Overall, then, despite high reported growth rates, lived poverty at the grassroots remains little changed. This suggests either that growth is occurring, but that its effects are not trickling down to the poorest citizens (in fact, income inequality may be worsening), or alternatively, that actual growth rates may not match up to those being reported. The evidence also suggests, however, that investments in infrastructure and social services are strongly linked with lower levels of lived poverty.
Open Access
Analysing Wage Formation in the South African Labour Market: The Role of Bargaining Councils
(2009-07) Bhorat, Haroon; van der Westhuizen, Carlene; Goga, Sumayya
This policy document was compiled from the DPRU Working Paper 09/135, Analysing Wage Formation in the South African Labour Market: The Role of Bargaining Councils by Haroon Bhorat, Carlene van der Westhuizen and Sumayya Goga.
Open Access
An Analysis of Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration Awards
(2008-11) Macun, Ian; Lopes, Daniel; Benjamin, Paul
The paper reflects the analysis of 873 CCMA arbritation awards sampled from unfair dismissal and unfair labour practice cases for the years 2003 to 2005.
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Autonomy as a Social Compact
(2007-02) du Toit, André
This paper by André du Toit of the University of Cape Town (UCT) is one in a series of research papers on the topic of academic freedom, institutional autonomy and public accountability in contemporary South African higher education. These perspectives have been commissioned as part of the enquiry of an independent Task Team, convened by the Council on Higher Education (CHE), to investigate the past decade of regulation of South African higher education by government and other agencies, and to promote debate on conceptions of autonomy, freedom and accountability, in general, and in the specific context of higher education transformation. Amid concerns and claims by some that the nature of government involvement in South African higher education in the second decade of democracy is in danger of moving from ‘state steering’ to ‘state interference’, the CHE believed it important to undertake a sober and rigorous investigation of the issues, so giving effect to the CHE’s responsibilities independently to advise the Minister of Education, to monitor and evaluate higher education, and to contribute to higher education development. Specifically, the Higher Education, Institutional Autonomy and Academic Freedom (HEIAAF) Task Team investigation – ongoing between 2005 and 2007 – has aimed to: • stimulate research and writing; • build shared understandings of institutional autonomy, academic freedom and public accountability, through the creation of various public fora, public discussion and debate on these important principles; and • develop consensus, as far as is possible, on the nature and modes of government involvement in higher education transformation, and on the relationships between government and other regulatory bodies, and higher education institutions.
Open Access
Body Mapping: to explore the embodied experiences of contraceptive methods and family planning with women in South Africa
(2018-09-15) Harries, Jane; Solomon, Jane
In this booklet we share some of the body mapping images and stories which formed part of a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded study titled: A multidimensional approach to inform family planning needs, preferences and behaviours amongst women in South Africa. The body mapping images and visual stories provide an innovative and participatory research method to uncover women’s lived and embodied experiences of their reproductive systems including reproduction, fertility, conception, contraception and family planning. The booklet is intended for policy makers, health care providers, researchers, academics and community and non- governmental organisations working in the sexual and reproductive health arena.
Open Access
Children and inequality: closing the gap
(Children's Institute, 2012) Hall, Katharine; Woolard, Ingrid; Lake, Lori; Smith, Charmaine
Policy brief accompanying the South African Child Gauge 2012, published by the Children's Institute, UCT.
Open Access
Children's Institute submission on the Children's Amendment Bill
(Children's Institute, 2006-06) Proudlock, Paula
Submitted to the Department of Social Development, June 2006.
Open Access
Children's Institute submission on the Children's Amendment Bill [B19-2006]
(Children's Institute, 2007-02) Proudlock, Paula
Submitted to the Western Cape Provincial Legislature, 13 February 2007.
Open Access
Children's Institute submission on the Children's Amendment Bill to the Gauteng Provincial Legislature 2006 - summary
(Children's Institute, 2006-10) Jamieson, Lucy; Mahery, Prinslean; Proudlock, Paula
Open Access
Children's Institute submission on the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act Amendment Bill [B 18-2014]
(2015) Jamieson, Lucy; Mathews, Shanaaz
A submission by the Children’s Institute to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services, Parliament, on the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act Amendment Bill [B 18-2014]. In the submission, the CI addresses concerns around the requirements for reporting sexual offences and the ethical dilemmas posed by the requirement to report sexual activities between consenting adolescents. The CI submits that: 1. Consensual sexual activities between adolescents should not be a crime. 2. Children convicted of sexual offences should be assessed before their names are added to the National Register of Sex Offenders. 3. Once found to be a risk and placed on the National Register of Sex Offenders children convicted of sexual offences should be assessed before their names are removed.
Open Access
Children's Institute submission on the draft regulations to the Children's Act 38 of 2005
(Children's Institute, 2008-08) Proudlock, Paula; Meintjes, Helen; Moses, Sue
Written submission to the national Department of Social Development, 11 August 2008.
Open Access
Children's Institute submission on the Firearms Control Amendment Bill
(Children's Institute, 2006-03) Jamieson, Lucy
Submitted to the South African Police Services, 31 March 2006.
Open Access
Children's Institute submission to Parliament on the Draft Policy on Financial Awards for Service Providers
(Children's Institute, 2011-08) Budlender, Debbie; Proudlock, Paula; Jamieson, Lucy
Written submission for the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Parliament, endorsed by a number of children's sector organisations and presented to Parliament by Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect and Molo Songololo, September 2011.
Open Access
Climate change vulnerability and risk analysis in the Bobirwa sub-district, Botswana: towards Improving livelihood adaptation to climate
(2016-04-01) Chandapiwa, Molefe; Hillary, Masundire
In November 2015, ASSAR ’s southern Africa researchers– from the University of Botswana, The University of Cape Town, University of Namibia and Oxfam GB– conducted a two-day Vulnerability Risk Assessment (VRA) workshop in Bobirwa, Botswana. The workshop was attended by various government officials, Village Development Committee members, local community members, and representatives from farmer committees, collectively known as the VRA Knowledge Group. The VRA process aims to develop a common understanding among various stakeholders (government officials, village committees and local communities) of the main hazards and issues affecting those living in a given social-ecological landscape. This is done so as to design measures that reduce risk, enhance wellbeing and promote resilience to hazards in the landscape.
Open Access
Conditions of Employment and Small Business: Coverage, Compliance and Exemptions
(2007-04) Godfrey, Shane; Maree, Johann; Theron, Jan
This Policy Brief is based on DPRU Working Paper 06/106, Conditions of Employment and Small Business: Coverage, Compliance and Exemptions by Shane Godfrey, Johann Maree and Jan Theron.
Open Access
Consumer Price Inflation across the Income Distribution in South Africa
(2008-02) Oosthuizen, Morne
This policy document was compiled based on the DPRU Working Paper 07/129, Consumer Price Inflation across the Income Distribution in South Africa by Morné Oosthuizen. Funding for this research from the United Nations Development Programme and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung is hereby gratefully acknowledged.
Open Access
Costing, Comparing and Competing: Developing and Approach to the Benchmarking of Labour Market Regulation
(2008-06) Benjamin, Paul; Theron, Jan
This report was submitted to the Development Policy Research Unit for the Department of Labour and forms part of the Employment Promotion Programme managed by the DPRU.