Outlining the transformation of the discriminatory welfare system under apartheid, this South African study explains the more progressive and developmental social welfare system that has emerged in the postapartheid era. It provides a broad overview of the context of policy reform at the time of South Africa's transition to democracy, identifies the patterns of poverty and inequality that the first democratically elected government of South Africa had to address, and delves into the welfare sector, focusing on the move towards developmental social welfare and the long-lasting societal benefits of using social security payments for children through the 1998 Child Support Grant.