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Who Benefits—Or Does not—From South Africa’s Old Age Pension? Evidence from Characteristics of Rural Pensioners and Non-Pensioners

Author

Listed:
  • Margaret Ralston

    (Department of Sociology, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box C, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA)

  • Enid Schatz

    (Department of Health Sciences, University of Missouri, 535 Clark Hall, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
    Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0483, USA
    MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa)

  • Jane Menken

    (Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0483, USA
    MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa)

  • Francesc Xavier Gómez-Olivé

    (MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
    INDEPTH Network, P.O. Box KD213 Kanda, Accra, Ghana)

  • Stephen Tollman

    (MRC/Wits Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
    INDEPTH Network, P.O. Box KD213 Kanda, Accra, Ghana
    Umeå Centre for Global Health Research, Umeå University, Umeå 90001-90850, Sweden)

Abstract

Social protection grants play a critical role in survival and livelihoods of elderly individuals in South Africa. Rarely is it possible to assess how well a social program reaches its target population. Using a 2010 survey and Agincourt Health Demographic Surveillance System census data we conduct multivariate logistic regression to predict pension receipt in rural South Africa. We find only 80% of age-eligible individuals report pension receipt. Pension non-recipients tend to be male, have poor socio-economic status, live in smaller households, be of Mozambican origin, and have poorer physical function; while older persons living in households receiving other grants are more likely to report pension receipt. We conclude that a reservoir of older persons exists who meet eligibility criteria but who are not yet receiving pensions. Ensuring that they and their households are properly linked to all available social services—whether for child or old-age social grants—is likely to have beneficial and synergistic effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Margaret Ralston & Enid Schatz & Jane Menken & Francesc Xavier Gómez-Olivé & Stephen Tollman, 2015. "Who Benefits—Or Does not—From South Africa’s Old Age Pension? Evidence from Characteristics of Rural Pensioners and Non-Pensioners," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:13:y:2015:i:1:p:85-:d:61347
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Esther Duflo, 2003. "Grandmothers and Granddaughters: Old-Age Pensions and Intrahousehold Allocation in South Africa," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 17(1), pages 1-25, June.
    2. Marianne Bertrand & Sendhil Mullainathan & Douglas Miller, 2003. "Public Policy and Extended Families: Evidence from Pensions in South Africa," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 17(1), pages 27-50, June.
    3. Lloyd-Sherlock, Peter, 2000. "Old Age and Poverty in Developing Countries: New Policy Challenges," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(12), pages 2157-2168, December.
    4. Case, Anne & Deaton, Angus, 1998. "Large Cash Transfers to the Elderly in South Africa," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 108(450), pages 1330-1361, September.
    5. Justine Burns & Malcolm Keswell & Murray Leibbrandt, 2005. "Social Assistance, Gender, And The Aged In South Africa," Feminist Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2), pages 103-115.
    6. Peter Lloyd-Sherlock & Sutapa Agrawal, 2014. "Pensions and the Health of Older People in South Africa: Is there an Effect?," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(11), pages 1570-1586, November.
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