Task 3

Title of the Article: An integrated developmental model for poverty reduction in South Africa: An
NGOs perspective.
Publisher: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Date of Publication: 2012
Authors: The authors of the article are Antoninette Lombard, Marieta Kemp, Nelie Viljoen-toet, and
Martie Booyzen from Department of social work and criminology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria,
South Africa
Critical Review
According to United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (2010), poverty is a global problem
especially in sub-Saharan Africa and it has been reported that 51% of the people used to live in worst
poverty conditions at times when the poverty line was 1.25 per day. United Nations Development
Programme (2010) states that in South Africa, as a middle-income country, 26.2% of the people
spent their life in poverty when the same line of poverty was used. (Davids and Gouws, 2013)

The author of the article An Integrated Developmental Model for Poverty Reduction in South Africa:
An NGOs Perspective points out the concern of South Africa fighting the poverty for last of its 17
years of democracy. He mentions South Africas social developmental framework for poverty
reduction adopted in 1997 and acknowledges the poverty reduction model designed by a non-
government organization called South African Womens Federation (SAVF). It is explained that
poverty reduction model presented is comprised of six pillars which are as follows: promotion of
economic well being, improvement of health, improvement of education, empowerment toward
positive self-Assertion, promoting personal status and dignity, and promoting the protection of the
most vulnerable. Moreover, the author claims that these six pillars in this integrated model shall
bring change in the life of poor communities and help in reducing the poverty promoting social
welfare development.

In this article, main focus is given to social work and developmental policy framework and then the
focus is shifted to SAVF, having seven years of experience working with poor and marginalised
people, to implement the poverty reduction model through a project called Thuthukani. The
author gives a strategic point of view and mentions that African government view poverty reduction
through many initiatives in a collective approach as there are many other factors contributing to
reduce poverty and improve the life of poor instead of focusing on one perspective. Lack of socio-
economic capacities in individuals, which include good income, access to basic services, resources,
communication and information and uplifting the livelihood to a good extent have been stated
strategic factors contributing to minimize the poverty. Similarly, the above six pillars presented in an
integrated model covers several aspects of life which may be needed by deprived communities in a
society to live a poverty free and sustainable life.

This article is well focused on the topic and justifiably explains the perspective of an NGO by
implementing different social work initiatives in one project to uplift and improve the life of poor;
however, author also explains the challenge that social work role in poverty reduction is not
acknowledged. He further states that social workers are the change agent and they, with good social
capacities, can bring the change in community and consistently contribute to the development of
communities.

References:

Lombard, A., Kemp, M., Viljoen-toet, N., and Booyzen, M. (2012). An integrated developmental
model for poverty reduction in South Africa: An NGOs perspective. Journal of Community
Practice, 20(1), 178195. doi: 10.1080/10705422.2012.644201
Davids, Y. D., & Gouws, A., (2013). Monitoring perceptions of the causes of poverty in South Africa.
Social indicator research, 110(3), 1201-1220. doi: 10.1007/s11205-011-9980-9