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Disability Cash Transfers in the Context of Poverty and Unemployment: the Case of South Africa

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  • Sophie Mitra

    (Fordham University, Department of Economics)

Abstract

South Africa's Disability Grant program has been widely criticized for its poor administration and the dependency culture it promotes. This paper attempts to assess the Disability Grant program's targeting effectiveness and its effects on labor market behaviors. Using disability self reports and standard measures of economic well being, results suggest that the Disability Grant is relatively well targeted. Exclusion and inclusion errors are substantial but are comparable to those found in developed countries' disability programs. Increased leniency in disability screening in the program in selected provinces does not appear to have altered labor market behaviors between 2001 and 2003.

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  • Sophie Mitra, 2009. "Disability Cash Transfers in the Context of Poverty and Unemployment: the Case of South Africa," Fordham Economics Discussion Paper Series dp2009-08, Fordham University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:frd:wpaper:dp2009-08
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. Sabina Alkire, 2011. "Multidimensional Poverty and its Discontents," OPHI Working Papers 46, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    2. Lena Morgon Banks & Shaffa Hameed & Sofoora Kawsar Usman & Calum Davey & Hannah Kuper, 2024. "The Impact of the Disability Allowance on Financial Well-Being in the Maldives: Quasi-experimental Study," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 36(2), pages 411-427, April.
    3. Stephen Devereux & Edoardo Masset & Rachel Sabates-Wheeler & Michael Samson & Althea-Maria Rivas & Dolf te Lintelo, 2017. "The targeting effectiveness of social transfers," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2), pages 162-211, April.
    4. Leibbrandt, Murray & Lilenstein, Kezia & Shenker, Callie & Woolard, Ingrid, 2013. "The influence of social transfers on labour supply: A South African and international review," SALDRU Working Papers 112, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    5. Deon Filmer & Louise Fox, 2014. "Youth Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa [L’emploi des jeunes en Afrique subsaharienne - Rapport complet]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 16608, August.
    6. George Mutasa, 2012. "Demographic, Community and Macroeconomic Effects on Disability Grant Programme Participation," Working Papers 12155, University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit.
    7. Bhorat, Haroon & Köhler, Timothy, 2025. "The labour market effects of cash transfers to the unemployed: Evidence from South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    8. Palmer, Michael G. & Nguyen, Thi Minh Thuy, 2012. "Mainstreaming health insurance for people with disabilities," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(5), pages 600-613.
    9. Gaiha, Raghav & Mathur, Shantanu & Kulkarni, Vani S., 2022. "Rural poverty and disability in Ethiopia: Formidable policy challenges," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(5), pages 1000-1015.
    10. Ahrens, Achim & Casalis, Marine & Hangartner, Dominik & Sánchez, Rodrigo, 2024. "Cash-based interventions improve multidimensional integration outcomes of Venezuelan immigrants," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    11. Akerkar, Supriya & Joshi, P.C. & Fordham, Maureen, 2016. "Cultures of Entitlement and Social Protection: Evidence from Flood Prone Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 46-58.
    12. Kelly, Gabrielle, 2017. "Patient agency and contested notions of disability in social assistance applications in South Africa," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 109-116.
    13. repec:osf:socarx:5sh8a_v1 is not listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

    Cash transfers; disability; targeting; labor supply; Africa; South Africa;
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