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1.UnisaSocialSecurityMovement(USSM)isagroupofstudentsthatsharenotesandideason
SouthAfrica’ssocialsecuritylaw.Thismovementarguesthatduetoitssensitivenature,the
righttohaveaccesstosocialsecurityisabsoluteandnotsubjecttoanylimitations.The
movementfurthersubmitsthatbecauseofitsimportance,thisrightmustberealised
immediately.WithreferencetotherelevantprovisionsoftheConstitution,brieflydiscussthe
correctnessofthesetwosubmissions.
Essay1
Introduction
TherighttohaveaccesstosocialsecurityisafundamentalaspectofSouthAfrica'slegalandsocial
framework.TheUnisaSocialSecurityMovement(USSM)arguesthatduetoitssensitivenature,this
rightisabsoluteandmustberealizedimmediately.Thisessaywillcriticallyanalyzetheseclaims
withreferencetorelevantprovisionsoftheConstitutionofSouthAfrica.
ConstitutionalFramework
Section27oftheConstitutionoftheRepublicofSouthAfrica,1996,explicitlyrecognizestheright
tohaveaccesstosocialsecurity.Subsection(1)(c)states:"Everyonehastherighttohaveaccessto
socialsecurity,including,iftheyareunabletosupportthemselvesandtheirdependants,appropriate
socialassistance."However,subsection(2)qualifiesthisrightbystating:"Thestatemusttake
reasonablelegislativeandothermeasures,withinitsavailableresources,toachievetheprogressive
realisationofeachoftheserights."
AnalysisoftheUSSM'sSubmissions
1.AbsoluteRighttoSocialSecurity:
Thenotionthattherighttosocialsecurityisabsoluteisnotentirelycorrectwithinthecontextof
SouthAfricanconstitutionallaw.Whiletherighttohaveaccesstosocialsecurityisfundamental,it
isnotabsoluteinthesensethatitisimmunetolimitations.Section36oftheConstitution,known
asthelimitationclause,allowsfortherightsintheBillofRightstobelimitedbylawofgeneral
applicationtotheextentthatthelimitationisreasonableandjustifiableinanopenanddemocratic
societybasedonhumandignity,equality,andfreedom.Moreover,section27(2)emphasizesthe
principleof"progressiverealization,"indicatingthatthefulfillmentofthisrightiscontingentupon
thestate'savailableresources.Thisprogressiveapproachacknowledgespracticalconstraintsand
economicrealities,suggestingthatwhilethestatemuststrivetowardsfullrealization,immediate
fulfillmentoftherightisnotalwaysfeasible.
2.ImmediateRealizationofSocialSecurity:
Theargumentfortheimmediaterealizationoftherighttosocialsecurityoverlooksthe
constitutionalmandateforprogressiverealization.Thisconceptisrootedintheunderstandingthat
certainsocio-economicrights,includingsocialsecurity,requireaphasedandsystematicapproach
toimplementation.ImmediaterealizationmaybedesirablebutisnotmandatedbytheConstitution.
Instead,thestateisrequiredtotakereasonablemeasures,whicharebothlegislativeandother,to
progressivelyachievethefullrealizationoftheserights.
