The Star reports that the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) has recommended the extension of maternity benefits to women working in the informal economy.

Currently, only women in formal employment are eligible for at least four consecutive months of maternity leave. This is paid leave and the expecting mothers receive part payments from their employers and from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). It amounted to unfair discrimination that the maternal benefits were only extended to formally employed women, the SALRC said in a discussion paper published last week. The discussion paper stated: “A gap currently exists in the state’s social protection system, in that self-employed workers in the informal economy are excluded from receiving maternity and parental benefits when the mother enters confinement. This situation exacerbates the socio-economic problems of poverty and inequality between women and men, prevents women’s full economic participation, and impacts on their reproductive choices.” The SALRC’s discussion paper followed work that began in 2017 to find ways to extend maternity benefits to women who were self-employed and employed in informal sectors. The commission held workshops in parts of the country ahead of publishing the discussion paper.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bongani Nkosi at The Star

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page