THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT TO HOST A COLLOQUIUM ON INTEGRATING SOCIAL PROTECTION AND INCOME GENERATING OPPORTUNITIES
The Department of Social Development (DSD), in collaboration with the Presidency’s Digital Innovation in the Public Sector (DIPS) and the Digital Services Unit (DSU), supported by Genesis Analytics and the Centre for Social Development in Africa (CSDA) at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), will host a two-day policy colloquium on 28 – 29 October 2025 in Gauteng under the theme “From Grants to Growth: Integrating Social Protection and Income Generating Opportunities.”
The colloquium will bring together senior policymakers and government partners to explore how social protection can be effectively linked to income-generating initiatives that foster inclusive economic growth. Discussions will examine how social grants can serve as a foundation for employment creation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable livelihoods, rather than existing as stand-alone interventions. The engagement will explore policy reforms, practical innovations, and programmes that bridge social protection with pathways into work and income generation, while strengthening coordination across government entities.
It will showcase ongoing initiatives and collaborations that connect grant beneficiaries to economic opportunities, highlighting digital platforms, active labour market programmes, and other complementary efforts aimed at enhancing access to employment and skills development. The colloquium will also present new research and digital innovations that enhance programme integration and inform evidence-based policy decisions. It aims to build a shared vision for income support that combines social protection with pathways to sustainable livelihoods, contributing to a more coordinated and fiscally sustainable social protection system. Members of the media are invited to join the colloquium virtually through the following
link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NjI4OTU1OTgtNDI4NC00ZGJlLWEyNDctNjdlZjM2NjgxZmE5%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22ee10e5b2-7a1b-47f7-8d14-93921f3bfc4c%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2207475c58-3d05-491a-9ab7-a68ce78e8e24%22%7d
