A renewed argument for the designation of Social Security Law as a module in the LLB curriculum

• Published in: South African journal on human rights 2023-07, Vol.39 (2-3), p.171-188
• Main Authors: Malherbe, Kitty, Ncube, Swikani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attention; Basic income; COVID-19; Curricula; Democracy; Economic rights; Government; Graduate attributes; LLB curriculum; National health insurance; Pandemics; Security; Social security; Social security law; socio-economic rights; Socioeconomic factors; Teachers; Transformation
• ISSN: 0258-7203; 1996-2126
• DOI: 10.1080/02587203.2024.2320429

AbstractThe Covid-19 pandemic and the government’s response thereto has shifted socio-economic rights to the forefront of the nation’s attention. Social security measures formed the vanguard of measures to address the dire economic consequences of the lockdown and subsequent restrictions on breadwinners and their dependants. More than two years after the government’s temporary interventions, the discourse has morphed into a debate on the need and viability of more comprehensive and long-term measures. All the proposed measures – whether it be a national social security fund, national health insurance or even a basic income grant – point towards social security becoming ubiquitous in South Africa. However, very few LLB graduates have been exposed to the Social Security Law module as part of their law degree. This underscores the need for equipping LLB graduates with the fundamentals of this branch of law. This article makes three arguments. First, it argues for the inclusion of the Social Security Law module in the LLB curriculum of all law faculties in the country, preferably as a core module. Second, it posits that it is time, almost 30 years into the country’s democracy, to shift our attention towards an aggressive pursuit of socio-economic rights, and in doing so, there is a corresponding need to equip LLB graduates with the tools to play a