
South African Startup Social Justice Revolutionizes Maintenance Obligation Reporting with Legal-Tech Innovation
Social Justice, a South African startup, has developed a groundbreaking digital platform to facilitate the reporting of maintenance obligations. These obligations ensure the provision of essential needs, such as housing, food, clothing, education, and medical care, particularly for minors.
Founded by family mediation practitioners and trainers, Social Justice aims to transform the way legal services are delivered to families in South Africa. At the heart of this mission is the “Coparent App,” a neutral, feature-rich platform designed for separated parents. The app includes customizable contact schedules, instant messaging with a language filter, secure document storage, a space to share positive moments, and a maintenance obligations tracker.
Anneke Greyvenstein, Chairman of the Social Justice Foundation NPO and CEO of Coparent, highlighted the app's transformative potential. “The development of the Coparent App and digital maintenance portal is designed to disrupt the traditionally conservative legal market. By leveraging legal-tech, we aim to revolutionize the client experience, offering families more efficient, accessible, and effective legal services,” she said.
Greyvenstein also emphasized the critical gap in the credit information ecosystem. “Although industry stakeholders are aware of the need for maintenance obligations data integration, this issue remains unaddressed. Our platform aims to fill this void.”
A Proven Legacy of Advocacy and Impact
The Social Justice Foundation began collecting arrear maintenance in 2006, assisting over 10,000 families within three years. This experience underscored the need for legislative reform. As a result, in March 2015, National Credit Regulator (NCR) regulations were amended to include maintenance obligations in affordability assessments for credit applications.
To expand its impact, Social Justice transitioned into a for-profit organization, training over 2,000 attorneys, psychologists, and social workers in mediation and alternative dispute resolution. “Our national network of family professionals in Gauteng alone assists an average of 12,000 families per quarter, positively impacting approximately 48,000 families annually,” said Greyvenstein.
A Holistic Approach to Maintenance Obligations
The Coparent App offers a comprehensive solution for maintenance obligation reporting, creating a secure space for stakeholders to share and access critical information. Greyvenstein explained the platform’s integration with credit providers, ensuring maintenance obligations are included in financial assessments. “This isn’t just about compliance. It’s about building an interconnected financial ecosystem. By partnering with the Consumer Profile Bureau, one of South Africa’s leading credit bureaus, we ensure maintenance data is accurate, verifiable, and protected. This will not only enhance the financial stability of single-parent families but also support the socio-economic well-being of their children.”
Scaling for Greater Impact
Social Justice has self-funded the development of its solution but recently participated in the UCT Venture Launch programme to scale its operations. The Coparent App has been successfully tested with 500 families and is supported by key industry stakeholders, including the National Credit Regulator.
While the initial launch is focused on South Africa, Greyvenstein shared the startup’s vision for global expansion. “We aim to integrate our solution with countries that are signatories to the Hague Convention. The non-payment of maintenance is a global issue, and credit providers must recognize its societal impact.”
Social Justice’s innovative approach exemplifies the power of legal-tech to address critical social challenges, setting a new standard for maintenance obligation management worldwide.