Abstract

MPEDI, Letlhokwa George. Code on social security in the Southern African development community. De Jure (Pretoria) [online]. 2011, vol.44, n.1, pp.18-31. ISSN 2225-7160.

The Code on Social Security in the Southern African Development Community (Code) was approved by the Integrated Committee of Ministers in June 2007 in Windhoek Namibia. This contribution critically examines how the Code attempts to develop sound social security systems in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. It pays special attention to the approach adopted by the Code in its quest to address pertinent issues such as the right to social security, social protection framework, and social risks as well as vulnerable groups and categories of persons protected. It concludes by observing that the ratification record of SADC member states of the officially current conventions in the field of social security is unsatisfactory. Accordingly, member states must be encouraged to ratify these important instruments. Secondly, preventative and (re)integrative measurers are a part and parcel of a social security system. Thus, the call by the Code for the introduction of these measures is to be welcomed. Furthermore, social security coordination is an integral part of regional integration and the free movement of labour and persons. To this end, the provisions in the Code aimed at these matters are timely. Finally, the Code is not legally binding. Nonetheless, its adoption is commendable for it is a right step towards the improvement of social security systems in the SADC region which are largely undeveloped and, in some instances, underdeveloped.

        · text in Other     · Other ( pdf )