Social Policy in Southern Africa

Vusi Gumede is a professor and dean in the Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences at the University of Mpumalanga.Neo Mokone is a postdoctoral fellow in the Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences at the University of Mpumalanga. He holds a PhD in Development Studies from the University of South Africa.Emmanuel Ndhlovu is a research fellow at the University of Johannesburg. He holds a PhD in Development Studies from the University of South Africa.Takalanga Maziya is a lecturer at the University of Mpumalanga. She holds a PhD in Law from Rhodes University.Cleopas Sambo is a lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Sociology at the University of Zambia and a postdoctoral fellow in Social Policy at Oslo Metropolitan University in Norway. He holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford.

• 1. Introduction: The Case for Social Policy in Southern Africa. 2. Development Approaches in Africa. 3. Socio-Economic Development in Southern Africa. 4. Social Policy as an Instrument for Poverty Reduction. 5. Land Reform as a Transformative Social Policy Intervention in Southern Africa. 6. Financial Inclusion in Agriculture as a Social Policy Agenda. 7. Social Policy and Gender Inclusion. 8. Informal Sector and Social Protection in Southern Africa. 9. Southern Africa’s COVID-19 Social Protection Interventions. 10. Social Policy and the Economy. 11. Social Policy in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Case Study. 12. Conclusion: Towards a Comprehensive Social Policy in Southern Africa.

“This book, written by Professor Vusi Gumede and four other colleagues, offers a timely and welcome insight into the dynamics of social policy in the Southern African region. It is a welcome addition to a very thin body of scholarly works that takes a regional approach to social policy. The book’s wider vision of social policy is a welcome departure from the mainstream approach in the field. This is particularly so in the context of a transformative approach to social policy, which aims to deliver inclusive development. This book offers a compelling case for social policy beyond the prevailing poverty-centric Social Protection approach. Written in an accessible language, the book’s messages will be well-received by a broad audience, including scholars, policymakers, and civil society activists.”Jimi AdesinaProfessor and South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) Chair in Social Policy, University of South Africa.