The lack of budgeting skills in Government Social Grant recipients has significantly added to an inability in many of the grant recipients to address the existing poverty in their households. This situation has been exacerbated due to exploitation of social grant recipients by illegal money lenders charging excessively high interest rates trapping grant recipients in a vicious cycle of perpetuating debt. In remote rural areas poverty and lack of literacy and numeracy skills go hand in hand. Psycho-social and economic factors play a role in grant recipients’ poor budgeting and financial decision making skills, contributing to them falling into debt in the first place. Aggravating the situation is legislation that limits access to financial resources of those without employment, rendering illegal money lenders the financial entity providing finance by default. The research was conducted in a poor rural area around Tarkastad, Eastern Cape and sought to identify challenges caused by, amongst others, the lack of decent education, poverty and poor budgeting skills, all negatively influencing different social grant holders. Analysis of data from this qualitative study took place by means of a thematic classification against the background of a critical theoretical framework. The researcher believes that this study shed light on issues surrounding exploitation by illegal, unregistered money lenders and that the suggested recommendations, if implemented, may bring about a change in lending patterns and saving behaviour of communities in remote areas.

The study was intended to assess the impact of social grants on beneficiaries with specific focus on Buffalo Municipality. The challenge of social injustice and inequality in the management and distribution of resources is challenge of any responsive government globally in providing social securities in different forms to secure the vulnerable and under privileged within the society. The South African government has introduced a comprehensive liberally inclusive social welfare scheme to address social injustice and economic inequality of excluded in the former apartheid government, which characterises the historic past of racial exclusive government of the majority black and the coloured. In other to assess the impact of grants in addressing inequality and social exclusiveness, the research was conducted using Desk Top Analytical approach and also explored ANOVA Two-ways and One-way, to test the degree of association and standard deviation to establish the contrast of effects based on spatial difference and social development of the urban, semi-urban and rural settlements which beneficiaries are living. Also, to establish whether or not the policy is achieving social cohesion, human development and transformation, which should be taken, place within the concept of social welfare. The theoretical frame work adopted is a multi-theoretical approach in dealing with the complexity around social welfare. The research is specifically looking for a theory of change in social grants administration in other to understand the impact and extent of the intervention in bringing about desired and motivated change as the scheme main priority of developmental social welfare in South Africa. Pearson correlation, Chi-square correlation and Tukey”s Post hoc Test are some of the instrument used in assessing the impact of grants on beneficiaries. The outcome of the study showed a highly significance p-value =.019, p<0.05 in spatial variance between Urban and Rural and the in between variance of .025, p<0.05 for Rural –Urban- Semi-urban (Fig.23 and Tab 8a). The study also, revealed an association between Child dependency and Sexual crime to be .009, p<0.01 (Fig 24 and Tab 6), Public violence in Rural area shows Post Hoc Test result of Mean= 2.6, SD= 2.07 for rural, Mean=1.40 SD= 1.52, for urban and a Mean=0.3, SD=0.54 for semi-urban in a descending order as it relate to social crime statistics (Fig.20). This implies that there are more frequent public violence in rural areas than that of the urban and semi-urban. The overall result shows a very strong correlation among all the variables of grants beneficiaries to be statistically relevant. This implies that the social grants intervention scheme is achieving its desired goals but in an unevenly form in term of spatial distribution and impact due to various factors that interdependent with each other.

The study was intended to assess the impact of social grants on beneficiaries with specific focus on Buffalo Municipality. The challenge of social injustice and inequality in the management and distribution of resources is challenge of any responsive government globally in providing social securities in different forms to secure the vulnerable and under privileged within the society. The South African government has introduced a comprehensive liberally inclusive social welfare scheme to address social injustice and economic inequality of excluded in the former apartheid government, which characterises the historic past of racial exclusive government of the majority black and the coloured. In other to assess the impact of grants in addressing inequality and social exclusiveness, the research was conducted using Desk Top Analytical approach and also explored ANOVA Two-ways and One-way, to test the degree of association and standard deviation to establish the contrast of effects based on spatial difference and social development of the urban, semi-urban and rural settlements which beneficiaries are living. Also, to establish whether or not the policy is achieving social cohesion, human development and transformation, which should be taken, place within the concept of social welfare. The theoretical frame work adopted is a multi-theoretical approach in dealing with the complexity around social welfare. The research is specifically looking for a theory of change in social grants administration in other to understand the impact and extent of the intervention in bringing about desired and motivated change as the scheme main priority of developmental social welfare in South Africa. Pearson correlation, Chi-square correlation and Tukey”s Post hoc Test are some of the instrument used in assessing the impact of grants on beneficiaries. The outcome of the study showed a highly significance p-value =.019, p<0.05 in spatial variance between Urban and Rural and the in between variance of .025, p<0.05 for Rural –Urban- Semi-urban (Fig.23 and Tab 8a). The study also, revealed an association between Child dependency and Sexual crime to be .009, p<0.01 (Fig 24 and Tab 6), Public violence in Rural area shows Post Hoc Test result of Mean= 2.6, SD= 2.07 for rural, Mean=1.40 SD= 1.52, for urban and a Mean=0.3, SD=0.54 for semi-urban in a descending order as it relate to social crime statistics (Fig.20). This implies that there are more frequent public violence in rural areas than that of the urban and semi-urban. The overall result shows a very strong correlation among all the variables of grants beneficiaries to be statistically relevant. This implies that the social grants intervention.

This study seeks to investigate the efficiency and effectiveness of the process for providing government social grants to people with disabilities in the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) Amathole District Municipality in order to determine the need for any improvement measures. Taylor’s scientific management theory and the Total Quality Management (TQM) concept were used to interpret efficiency in the functional activities of the officials working in the Disability Grant Unit in Amathole District. The study also sought to answer the question of whether exit programmes existed that were designed to assist the beneficiaries to support them and cater for their needs related to their disabilities. The study followed a qualitative method. Face-to-face interviews were conducted and the sample of this study consisted of ten participants who are working at Grant Administration. These participants included one General Manager; one District Manager; one SASSA doctor; one Head of Grants Administration in the district and six officials who are at lower levels of the hierarchy at Amathole District Municipality in East London service office. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes from the interviews. The findings of this study revealed that the majority of the respondents experienced challenges such as lack of assessment doctors, turn around-time, corruption, poor consultation, lack of managerial commitment and doctors regarding the assessment of applications. In this regards, the study made a set of recommendations on the measures and strategies that could improve efficiency in the provision of this service.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research focuses on social assistance within the context of the developmental state. In South Africa, the Social Assistance Act, 2004 (Act No.13 of 2004) makes provision for the administration of social assistance and the payment of social grants. The Act provides for the payment of eight grant types including the payment of the Old Age Grant (OAG). The research focuses on the OAG and the payment methods exercised by OAG beneficiaries. The South African Social Security Agency is established in terms of the South African Social Security Agency Act, 2004 (Act No. 9 of 2004) and the payment of social assistance has been transferred to the Agency. The literature review revealed that African countries in particular have followed a different path to the rest of the development world with regard to social security. There is a strong reliance on community management involvement of social protection programmes in middle Africa. The South African system is more advanced and is legislated. South Africa’s social security system is a system of targeted social grants. It makes access to social security a basic human right, as it is contained in the Bill of Rights. The rise of the developmental state after World War 11 was championed by Japan, in particular, and this rise gave effect to the Asian Miracle. A comparison of different systems in the developing context is undertaken in the study. One of the criteria from the comparison of systems is that developmental decisions should be informed by a country’s vision or longterm strategy. The research is being undertaken at a pinnacle point in the history of South Africa, in particular of the Agency responsible for the administration and payment of these grants. The SASSA introduced the SASSA debit card (Appendix I) in 2012. Beneficiaries can use this card at any store with a point of sale device to make purchases and withdraw money at selected vendors published in the SASSA merchant list on the website of the Agency. The implementation of this decentralised system is however not without disagreement about the ideal path – questions about the advantages of electronic versus cash payments; and SASSA as ‘Paymaster’ versus the use of external service providers, is still being debated. This research attempts to assist in this debate through an investigation of alternative methods to disburse social grants, with specific focus on the old age grant recipients. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsing fokus op maatskaplike ondersteuning in die konteks van die ontwikkeling-gerigte staat. In Suid-Afrika, maak die Wet op Maatskaplike Bystand, 2004 (Wet No.13 van 2004) voorsiening vir die administrasie van maatskaplike bystand en die betaling van maatskaplike toelae. Die wet maak voorsiening vir die betaling van agt soorte toelae, insluitend die betaling van die ouderdomstoelaag . Hierdie navorsing was gerig op die ouderdomstoelaag en die betalingsmetodes wat vir ouderdomstoelaag begunstigdes beskikbaar is. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Maatskaplike Sekerheidsagentskap is in terme van die Suid- Afrikaanse Sosiale Sekerheidswet, 2004 (Wet No. 9 van 2004) ingestel en die betaling van maatskaplike bystand is aan hierdie agentskap oorgedra. Die literatuurstudie het getoon dat lande, veral in Afrika, ‘n ander pad as die res van die ontwikkelende wêreld ten opsigte van maatskaplike sekerheid gevolg het. Daar is ‘n groot afhanklikheid van gemeenskapsbestuur betrokkenheid by die ontwikkeling van sosiale programme in middel Afrika. Die Suid-Afrikaanse maatskaplike sekerheidstelsel is meer gevorderd en word deur wetgewing onderbou. Dit maak toegang tot maatskaplike sekerheid ‘n menslike reg, deur dit in die Handves van Menseregte te onderskryf. Die bevordering van die ontwikkeling-gerigte staat na die Tweede Wêreld Oorlog is veral deur Japan aangevoer, en die aanneem hiervan het die Asiatiese Wonderwerk bewerkstellig. ‘n Vergelyking van die verskillende stelsels in die ontwikkeling konteks word onderneem in die studie. Een van die kriteria met betrekking tot die vergelyking van die verskillende stelsels is dat die ontwikkelingsbesluite ondersteun moet word deur middel van ‘n visie of lang termyn strategie. Die navorsing vind plaas op ‘n kritieke tyd in die geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika, veral ten opsigte van die agentskap wat vir die administrasie en uitbetaling van hierdie toelae verantwoordelik is. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Maatskaplike Sekerheids agentskap het die SASSA debietkaart in 2012 uitgereik. Begunstigdes kan die kaart by enige winkel met ‘n verkooppunttoestel, soos op die lys van uitgesoekte handelaars op SASSA se webtuiste bekendgestel is, gebruik om aankope te doen of geld te onttrek. Die inwerkstelling van die gedesentraliseerde stelsel is ongetwyfeld nie bepalend en gesprekke rondom die ideale stelsel is steeds onderweg – vra rondom die voordele van ‘n elektroniese stelsel teenoor ‘n kontantstelsel; sowel as vrae om SASSA as die ‘betaalmeester’ teenoor die gebruik van eksterne diensverskaffers, duur steeds voort. Die navorsing onderneem om hierdie debat te bevorder deur ‘n ondersoek na alternatiewe betaal metodes om sosiale toelaes te versprei, met spesifieke fokus op die betaling van die begunstigdes van die ouderdomstoelaag.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines local understandings and use of the Disability Grant in The Symphony Way Temporary Relocation Area, locally referred to as Blikkiesdorp (tin can town). The study takes an ethnographic approach and focuses particularly on a group of people accessing or seeking to access Disability Grants who formed a support group as a result of the study. Findings reveal that in a context of social and economic marginalisation, there is a high reliance on government grants for survival and a particularly high demand for Disability Grants by the unemployed in Blikkiesdorp. As social assistance in South Africa is categorically targeted at particular vulnerable groups, the majority of the unemployed of working age are not eligible for social assistance. As a result, Disability Grant recipients face significant pressure from their households and the community at large to share their grants with those who cannot find unemployment but are not catered to by the social security system. It also means that disability or illness is often valued over health. Given the use of the Disability Grant as a livelihood strategy within households and the related importance of Disability Grants to individuals and families, those who receive their grants on a temporary basis engage in a struggle to reapply for grants through performances of disability and humanitarian appeals to medical doctors who, as a result, are not only burdened by high numbers of grant applications, but also pressured to make decisions that go beyond their role as medical professionals. The analysis draws on the concept of biological citizenship to explore the relationship created between illness or disability of the bodies of marginalised citizens and the potential to access to social citizenship rights, enabled through the receipt of the Disability Grant. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis ondersoek aan die hand van ʼn etnografiese benadering plaaslike begrippe en gebruike van die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag in Die Simfonieweg Tydelike Hervestigingsgebied, plaaslik bekend as Blikkiesdorp. Die studie fokus op ʼn groep mense wat die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag ontvang of probeer om daartoe toegang te verkry en wat as gevolg van hul deelname aan die studie, ʼn ondersteuningsgroep gevorm het. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat in ʼn konteks van maatskaplike en ekonomiese marginalisering, daar vir oorlewing tot ʼn groot mate op staatstoelaes staatgemaak word en dat daar spesifiek onder werkloses in Blikkiesdorp ʼn groot aanvraag vir die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag is. Maatskaplike ondersteuning in Suid-Afrika word op spesifieke kategorieë kwesbare groepe gerig en die meerderheid werkloses kwalifiseer nie vir maatskaplike ondersteuning nie. Om die rede verkeer die ontvangers van die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag onder besondere druk van lede van hul huishouding en ook van ander gemeenskapslede om hul toelae te deel met werkloses wat nie deur die maatskaplike sekuriteitsisteem gedek word nie. In dié konteks gebeur dit dikwels dat ongeskiktheid of siekte bo gesondheid van waarde geag word. As gevolg van die belangrikheid van die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag vir individue en hul gesinne is diegene wat hierdie toelaag op ʼn tydelike basis ontvang, betrokke in ʼn stryd om heraansoek deur die voorstelling van ongeskiktheid teenoor en humanitêre beroepe op mediese beroepslui. Hierdie beroepslui word derhalwe nie slegs belas met ʼn groot aantal aansoeke nie, maar verkeer ook onder druk om besluite te neem wat verder as hul rol as medici strek. Die konsep biologiese burgerskap word gebruik om die verband wat geskep word tussen siekte of ongeskiktheid van die liggame van gemarginaliseerde burgers en die potensiaal vir toegang tot maatskaplike burgerskapsregte deur die ontvangs van die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag, te ontleed.

Thesis (Mnutr)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Objectives: To describe the mothers/ primary caregivers’ (PCGs) and children’ anthropometric status; their household food security and poverty in relation to type of housing; and compare households receiving and not receiving a Child Support Grant (CSG) in relation to mothers/ PCGs’ anthropometric status, their dietary diversity, age, employment, educational level, monthly household income, size, food security and children’s anthropometric status. Design: Cross sectional, descriptive study. Subjects: Mothers/ PCGs (443) and their children from 211 households in Avian Park and 242 Zweletemba in Worcester, Western Cape Province. Methods: Data collected by interviewer administered questionnaires included socio-demographic data, Lived Poverty Index, Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and dietary diversity score (DDS). Anthropometric measurements included weight, height and waist circumference (WC) of mothers/ PCGS and weight, height and mid-upper-arm circumference of children. Households living in formal (brick houses, town houses, flats) and informal (squatter shacks, huts) houses, and households receiving CSGs and those without CSG, were compared using X2-test for categorical data and the independent t-test for continuous data. Results: Prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting in children was 20.7%, 5.6% and 1.2% respectively. Overweight and obesity occurred in 27% and 37% of mothers/PCGs respectively and together with a mean WC (89.5 cm; SD 16.7) indicated an increased risk for non-communicable diseases. Food security existed in 63.1% households. Formal households were more food secure than informal households (68% versus 50%; p=0.0004) and fewer mothers/ PCGs of formal households had a DDS < 4 (52.2% versus 64.7%; p = 0.0157). The healthier socio-economic situation in formal households compared to informal households was shown by the higher monthly income (R3 479 versus R2 316; p = 0.0009) and Household Asset Index (2.24 versus –5.31; p <0.0001). Age, marital status, education level and employment status of mothers/primary caregivers in CSG households and non-CSG households were similar. Household size was larger (p<0.0001) in CSG (median = 5 persons) versus non-CSG households (median = 4 persons); CSG households had more people per room (2.7 [SD 1.5] versus 2.3 [SD 1.2]; p=0.0037). CSG households had lower monthly income than non-CSG households (R2 723 [SD R3 297] versus R4 520 [SD R6 464]; p=0.0033). Mean HFIAS scores showed more food insecurity in CSG households than non-CSG (3.55 versus 2.37; p= 0.0178), but dietary diversity was similar. Stunting in children was higher in CSG (34.9%) versus non-CSG (22.7%) households. CSG mothers/PCGs had larger (p = 0.021) waist circumferences (90.0 cm; SD = 16.8) than non-CSG mother/PCGs (88.5 cm; SD = 16.5) Conclusion: Childhood malnutrition and maternal overweight /obesity co-existed. Dietary diversity of all mothers/ PCGs was low. The assessment of type of housing and social security showed children in informal housing households had a poorer socio-economic situation and children in CSG households also experienced more monthly income poverty and household food insecurity. The level of stunting was higher in CSG households. Improving low dietary diversity should be a priority in interventions addressing food insecurity, taking into consideration this may be more difficult to achieve in informal households and CSG households. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Doel: Om die antropometriese status van moeders/ primêre versorgers en hul kinders; hul huishoudelike voedselsekerheid en armoede met betrekking tot tipe behuising waarin hul woon, te beskryf; asook om huishoudings wat ‘n kindersorgtoelaag ontvang te vergelyk met die daarsonder in terme van die antropometriese status van moeders/ primêre versorgers, hul dieetdiversiteit, ouderdom, indiensneming/ werkstatus, opvoedkundige vlak, huishoudelike maandelikse inkomste en grootte, voedselsekerheid en die antropometriese status van hul kinders. Ontwerp: ‘n Beskrywende, deursnit studie. Deelnemers: Moeders/ primêre versorgers (447) en hul kinders van 211 huishoudings in Avian Park en 242 in Zweletemba. Metodes: Data-insameling is gedoen met onderhoudvoerder geadministreerde vraelyste insluitend sosio-demografiese inligting, die belewing-van-armoede-indeks, huishoudelike voedselonsekerheid-en-toegangskaal en dieetdiversiteitstelling. Antropometriese metings van moeders/ primêre versorgers het behels gewig, lengte en middelyfomtrek en gewig lengte en bo-armomtrek van kinders. Huishoudings woonagtig in formele (baksteenhuise, meenthuise, woonstelle) en informele huise (plakkershutte), en huishoudings wat die kindersorgtoelaag ontvang en nie, is vergelyk met behulp van die X2-toets vir kategoriese data en ‘n onafhanklike t-toets vir aaneenlopende data. Resultate: Die voorkoms van dwerggroei, ondergewig en uittering in kinders was onderskeidelik 20.7%, 5.6% en 1.2%. Oorgewig en vetsug het onderskeidelik voorgekom by 27% en 37% van moeders/ primêre versorgers en hul gemiddelde middelyfomtrek was 89.5 sentimeter (SA 16.7), wat aanduidend is van ‘n verhoogde risiko vir nie-oordraagbare siektes. Voedselsekerheid het voorgekom in 63.1% van huishoudings. Formele huishoudings het meer voedsekerheid ervaar as informele huishoudings (68% versus 50%; p=0.0004) en minder formele huishouding moeders/ primêre versorgers het ‘n dieetdiversiteitstelling < 4 (52.2% versus 64.7%; p = 0.0157) gehad. Beter sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede van formele huishoudings in vergelyking met informele huishoudings was sigbaar in hul hoër maandelikse inkomste (R3 479 versus R2 316; p = 0.0009) en huishoudelike bates-indeks (2.24 versus –5.31; p <0.0001). Die ouderdom, huwelikstatus, opvoedkundige vlak en werkstatus van moeders/ primêre versorgers in huishoudings wat ‘n kindersorgtoelaag ontvang en die huishoudings daarsonder was soortgelyk. Huishoudingsgrootte was groter (p<0.0001) in kindersorgtoelaag- (mediaan = 5 persone) versus geen-kindersorgtoelaaghuishoudings (mediaan = 4 persone); In kindersorgtoelaaghuishoudings het meer persone ‘n kamer gedeel (2.7 [SA 1.5] versus 2.3 [SA 1.2]; p=0.0037). Die maandelikse inkomste in kindersorgtoelaaghuishoudings was laer as in dié daarsonder (R2 723 [SA R3 297] versus R4 520 [SA R6 464]; p=0.0033). Die huishoudelike voedselonsekerheid-en-toegangskaal-tellings het meer voedselonsekerheid (p = 0.0178) getoon in kindersorgtoelaaghuishoudings as in huishoudings daarsonder (3.55 versus 2.37; p= 0.0178), maar hul dieetdiversiteit was dieselfde. Dwerggroei was meer in kindersorgtoellaagkinders (34.9%) versus geen-kindersorgtoelaagkinders (22.7%). Die gemiddelde middellyfomtrek van kindersorgtoellaagmoeders/ -primêre versorgers was groter (t-toets: p = 0.021) (90.0 cm; SA = 16.8) as die van moeders/ primêre versorgers wat nie ‘n kindersorgtoelaag (88.5 cm; SA = 16.5) ontvang het nie. Samevatting: Wanvoeding in kinders, tesame met oorgewig en obesiteit in moeders/ primêre versorgers is waargeneem Die dieetdiversiteit van die moeders/ primêre versorgers was laag. Die ontleding van die rol van behuising en sosiale sekerheid het getoon dat die sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede van kinders woonagtig in informele behuising, asook die waarvoor moeders/ primêre versorgers ‘n kindersorgtoelaag ontvang het, is blootgestel aan meer inkomste-armoede en voedselonsekerheid in hul huishoudings. Die verbetering van lae dieetdiversiteit moet ‘n prioriteit wees in intervensieprogramme om voedselsekerheid aan te spreek, met inagneming dat die bereiking daarvan moeilker mag wees om in informele en kindersorgtoelaag-huishoudings.

In 1994, racial domination in the form of apartheid ended in South Africa and the first postapartheid government was elected through a non-racial and democratic franchise. The new government inherited an entrenched system of racial inequality as well as widespread poverty amongst the formerly oppressed population, and it sought to address these challenges through policies of redistribution based on a new progressive constitution which emphasised the realisation of socio-economic rights. At the same time, and despite its redistributive measures, the post-apartheid government has pursued a macro-economic strategy with pronounced neoliberal dimensions. One of its critical redistributive measures focuses on social assistance to poor blacks, and this has entailed the construction and expansion of a massive social grant system including the child support grant which is received by millions of black South Africans on a monthly basis. The objective of this thesis is to examine and understand the livelihoods of child support grant recipients (or caregivers) in the context of conditions of extreme vulnerability marked by poverty. It does so by focusing on the small town of Riebeek East located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Though undoubtedly child support grant caregivers are victims of poverty, the thesis demonstrates that they are not without agency. They exist in structural conditions of vulnerability and poverty, but they nevertheless seek to manoeuvre and negotiate their way in and through their conditions of existence. This does not necessarily alleviate their poverty in any significant manner but it does show evidence of reflexivity, decision-making and responsibility in the pursuit of livelihood practices and outcomes. In making this argument, I draw upon the mega-theory of Margaret Archer (specifically, her morphogenetic approach) and the more middle-level perspective of the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. Beyond contributing to the prevailing academic literature on the child support grant in South Africa, this thesis also hopefully makes a small contribution to controversies about structure and agency within sociology.

MSCPNT / Department of Nutrition / Objectives: The study objectives were to determine demographic and environmental factors that can affect nutritional status of children receiving CSG, to assess the nutritional knowledge of caregivers, to determine the proportion of CSG spent on food and to determine the nutritional quality of food bought from CSG. Design: Cross-sectional descriptive with an analytical component Subjects: PCG of children under the age of 5 receiving CSG in Mogalakwena Municipality. 189 caregiver-child pairs were interviewed, in their households. Methods: Data collected by the interviewer included demographic data, Use of CSG, nutritional knowledge and the HHFI and anthropometric measurements were done by a 3rd year Nutrition student. Results: About 36.5% of participants were in the age 26-35 years, 75.7% were unmarried, 84.1% were unemployed and 72% had no matric. Mean age for children studied was 2.84±1.33, 77.8% of participants stayed in a household of more than 5 people. In terms of types of housing, 56% had formal houses, 55% had access to pit latrines and 52.9% used communal taps to access water, 41.3% used electricity for energy while 23.3% used wood to stretch the availability of electricity. Mean CSG received was R386.22 ±R208.75. Majority of participants (56.1%) indicated that CSG supports the whole family and 64.6% of the families depended solely on CSG for survival, while 27% of families had elderly people receiving pension grant which was supplementing the CSG. The CSG was used for different items, majority of families used 94.2% of the money for food at a mean of R171.55±159.25, followed by toiletry (71.6%) at a mean R61.89±69.24, then clothing (68.9%) at a mean of R70.77±97.14. Stokvel was also mentioned as one of the items contributed for by CSG, 32.3% of participants used more than R50.00 for stokvel. Different food items were purchased using CSG, 80.5 % of the money was used to purchase starchy food, mealie meal being the highest commodity at 43.7%. Offal (35.8%) was the highest protein source purchased followed by poultry at 26.4% and soya soup at 20%. Potatoes (19.6%) were mentioned as the most purchased vegetable, followed by cabbage (14.8%). There was a 53.5% of prevalence of stunting, of this 19.6% of children were severely xiii stunted, 5.3% underweight, and 32.3% of wasting. There were 22.1 % of PCG who were overweight and 12.1% were obese. The PCG BMI was negatively associated with WAZ (r= -0.48, p=0.515). There was a positive association between PCG BMI and HAZ (r=0.103, p=0.158), however when caregivers BMI was correlated to BAZ the association was strongly negatively significant (r=0.206, p=0.004). Most PCG received nutrition education from relatives, 71.1% were never educated on nutrition, 57.9% of children were fed 3X/ day. Conclusion: It is apparent from the study that malnutrition, precisely stunting is still a problem in South Africa, however this does not disregard the impact that CSG has on the lives of the poor. It affords the families to access basic needs in the household such as food, toiletry, electricity and even stokvel. The role of nutritionists/ dieticians is paramount in helping mothers to choose healthier economic food for the children in order to curb the burden of malnutrition. / NRF

The child protection system includes foster care. Yet some foster children are neglected, physically or emotionally abused and are used to obtain Foster Care Grants. The essence of this study is to develop a thorough and comprehensive understanding from the frame of reference of social workers on the factors that contribute to the neglect and abuse of foster children as well as their suggestions about possible interventions. The qualitative research approach was applied. The researcher utilised purposive sampling to select social workers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather information and data was analysed. It is clear from the findings that the foster care system needs to be reviewed to minimise or stop neglect and abuse of foster children. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)