As for the public works programme, the study shows that the majority of South Africans are unaware of the programme and only modest amounts of income are transferred to a few households via this scheme. Thus, the initiative does not seem to be fulfilling its stated objectives and meeting its targets of employment creation and poverty alleviation. Chapter 3 deals predominantly with social assistance grants, and shows that consolidated expenditure on welfare and social assistance has increased substantially in the post-Apartheid period.