The South African Social Policy and the Role of Green Social Work: COVID-19 and beyond

Abstract

The main aim of this chapter is to assess the South African social policy and the role of Green Social Work during COVID-19 and beyond, considering social help programs and structural inequality. The Social policy of South Africa is governed by the Bill of Rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The Constitution guaranteed the rights of human beings. However, COVID-19 has violated human rights considering the South African economic growth, which was sluggish with a high rate of unemployment even before the pandemic. It has aggravated the structural inequalities that characterize the country’s economy. However, South Africa’s ‘powerful social protection programs’ played a vital role to vulnerable people in meeting their basic needs, particularly during COVID-19, even though some communities experienced limited fiscal resources. The paper will use secondary sources to assess social policy adjustments and innovations that can be used for improvement.