South Africa’s social protection system is often framed as an unproductive cost to the state, particularly as calls increase to extend social assistance to working-age adults. 

But what has been the economic impact of previous expansions to social grants, and what can that reveal about the affordability of future expansions?

New research from the Institute for Economic Justice finds that social protection spending between 2000 and 2025 had a 4.25 multiplier on economic output, while social grants specifically have a 5.53 multiplier. This is substantially higher than the 0.18 multiplier for general government expenditure. The research also finds that social grant spending generates a tax revenue multiplier of 2.99 (purely due to an expanded tax base, rather than tax rate increases), indicating that increased social grant spending can strengthen (rather than deplete) government revenue. 

Join us for a discussion on what these findings mean for the future of social protection in South Africa, the debate over fiscal space, and the potential for social spending to support both household welfare and broader economic growth.

DATE: Monday, 19 October 2026

TIME: 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM

ONLINE: Zoom