The role of religious values in extending social protection: a South African perspective

This article reflects critically on the role played by religious networks – in particular the African Independent Churches or African Initiated Churches (AICs) – in enhancing social protection by means of informal coping mechanisms in the South African context. It also examines various factors that...

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Main Author: L. G. Mpedi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2008-06-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2189
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author L. G. Mpedi
author_facet L. G. Mpedi
author_sort L. G. Mpedi
collection DOAJ
description This article reflects critically on the role played by religious networks – in particular the African Independent Churches or African Initiated Churches (AICs) – in enhancing social protection by means of informal coping mechanisms in the South African context. It also examines various factors that contribute towards informal social security dependency in AICs, namely the influence of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the limited scope of social security coverage, the restricted family concept (underlying much of the formal system which does not reflect the family context in South Africa), African traditional values, and Christian principles. In addition, the article investigates the nature of the relationship between informal coping mechanisms (such as those in AICs) and formal social security, i.e. whether informal social security strengthens or weakens formal social security. It finally explores ways and means of strengthening informal social security, in particular in the wake of challenges such as HIV/AIDS, urbanisation and migration.
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spelling doaj-art-715dd48465004ecab9f70721218541402025-02-11T10:07:44ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892008-06-0128110.38140/at.v28i1.2189The role of religious values in extending social protection: a South African perspectiveL. G. Mpedi0University of Johannesburg This article reflects critically on the role played by religious networks – in particular the African Independent Churches or African Initiated Churches (AICs) – in enhancing social protection by means of informal coping mechanisms in the South African context. It also examines various factors that contribute towards informal social security dependency in AICs, namely the influence of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, the limited scope of social security coverage, the restricted family concept (underlying much of the formal system which does not reflect the family context in South Africa), African traditional values, and Christian principles. In addition, the article investigates the nature of the relationship between informal coping mechanisms (such as those in AICs) and formal social security, i.e. whether informal social security strengthens or weakens formal social security. It finally explores ways and means of strengthening informal social security, in particular in the wake of challenges such as HIV/AIDS, urbanisation and migration. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2189
spellingShingle L. G. Mpedi
The role of religious values in extending social protection: a South African perspective
Acta Theologica
title The role of religious values in extending social protection: a South African perspective
title_full The role of religious values in extending social protection: a South African perspective
title_fullStr The role of religious values in extending social protection: a South African perspective
title_full_unstemmed The role of religious values in extending social protection: a South African perspective
title_short The role of religious values in extending social protection: a South African perspective
title_sort role of religious values in extending social protection a south african perspective
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/2189
work_keys_str_mv AT lgmpedi theroleofreligiousvaluesinextendingsocialprotectionasouthafricanperspective
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