DSD Updates

Budget Vote Speech by the Minister of Social Development to the National Council of Provinces

Budget Vote Speech by the Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya, to the National Council of Provinces, 3 June

Honourable Chairperson
Honourable Delegates
Honourable Deputy Minister of Social Development
Members of the Provincial Executive Councils
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

On Sunday, 1st June, we marked International Children’s Day, under the theme --- “listen to children.” We have listened, with our heads bowed down in shame, as children of foreign nationals screamed for help on account of what has been called xenophobic attacks. Speaking to us during the ‘Take a Girl Child to Work’ campaign, the girls of Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College in Mamelodi pleaded with the DG and I to go beyond listening by acting decisively to root out this societal anomaly. Over the past two weeks I have moved from settlement to settlement in order to better appreciate the situation. I have noted the positive actions of people from all walks of life who have given their time and resources to lend a helping hand to our brothers and sisters from across the continent and elsewhere. Ndithi Ningadinwa Nangamso!!

Long after the aid has dried up and the tents have been folded, shall the emotional scars of this unfortunate turn of events remain with these children and their caregivers. Consequently we will over the next few days work with social workers from various provinces and organisations to ensure that we begin to provide psycho-social support to these children. This we believe will reverse the tide and build for us a more caring society.

This we believe sits squarely within the mandate of the Department. Together with the provinces we remain determined to create islands of hope amidst the sea of poverty that surrounds us. Our efforts have been challenged by the rising food and energy prices. To address this and the root causes of poverty and inequality we remain determined, more than ever before, to ensure that:

            “Our responses to poverty…empower people to access economic opportunities, while creating a comprehensive social safety net to protect the most vulnerable in our society.”

This is reflected in both the Apex Priorities of Government as well as the Vote 16 provincial allocations. Central to the objectives of the Apex priorities is the war against poverty, which is anchored on quality education and health as an objective measure of building a caring society. Given that poverty has both spatial and gender dimensions, we have allocated just under sixty percent of our resources to the largely rural and impoverished provinces of Kwa Zulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Limpopo. We are also actively engaged in reversing the descriptive of poverty of a rural woman with a child on her back.

For us the passing of the Children’s Amendment Act holds the promise of reversing this picture and is the dawn of a new era in the care and protection of children. To advance this prospect we are relying on national, provincial and local government as well as all relevant stakeholders to implement the Act in a coordinated manner so as to maximize the minuscule resources available. It was with this in mind that last week during Child Protection Week, we hosted a conference on ‘Getting South Africa ready to implement the Children’s Act.’ We have allocated over R22 million to this end.

Over the last ten years we have been progressively widening the safety net for children through the care dependency, child support and foster care grants. The Child Support Grant has been fundamental to these efforts and currently 8, 6 million children are in receipt of this grant. R19, 3 billion has been allocated to the CSG, which has been increased to R210 per month and will further increase to R220 from October. The remaining challenge is the linking of social grant recipients to economic opportunities as well as other public services and goods. Consequently, we are currently examining proposals to link certain child related grants to health and education outcomes, as displayed in internationally acclaimed programmes such as the Bolsa Familia in Brazil.

Honourable delegates, integral to overcoming the effects of child poverty is Early Childhood Development. Consequently we have renewed our registration drive of ECD centres. Already we have registered close on two thousand ECD sites during the last year. Going forward, we intend to register another 1 thousand new sites by March 2009, this would bring to total over 12 thousand registered ECD sites throughout the country. In order to ensure quality education and reach the objective of ensuring that every child in South Africa receives at least one nutritional meal a day we will subsidise 600 thousand children at a minimum of R9 per child, per day during this financial year. Our ultimate aim is to ensure that our work permeates the lives of the poor by also lending a human face to the work of our Government.

Such a human face requires of us to respond speedily and effectively to the needs and requirements of our people. It is with this in mind that as from the 1st of June this year we have accepted all social grant applications from potentially eligible applicants even if they are not in possession of all the necessary documentation. SASSA will accept sworn affidavits deposed to before a commissioner of oaths testifying to, amongst other details, the names, age, parentage of the child and any other applicant. Since this will go a long way to giving government a more human countenance, I take this opportunity to members of this house to assist in their constituencies with the issuance of such affidavits.

As can be witnessed through our programmes, accelerated and integrated service delivery remains a cornerstone of our war against poverty, as is income support. Consequently we will, amongst other measures, accelerate delivery towards the alleviation of poverty amongst older persons. In this regard the old age grant has increased by 27% since 2004. We are also working towards a progressive realization of age equalization with regards the qualification for Old Age Grant, which we will implement, as follows;

• 63 and 64 year old men in 2008 once the law is amended;
• 61 and 62 years in 2009;
• 60 year olds in 2010.

I urge all those eligible to wait patiently until the Social Assistance Amendment Bill is passed during the course of this year. In the meantime we will ensure that SASSA reaches the poorest of the poor through the Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme which involves the participation of DSD, SASSA together with Home Affairs, Health, Education and the SA Police Service.

Our aim is to enhance the quality of life of all persons including older persons. It is therefore heartening to note the success of initiatives such as the Golden Games in the Western Cape. These initiatives will be enhanced by the establishment of Older Persons Forums in all provinces so as to provide a voice for the elderly.

Honourable delegates, family violence and child abuse continues to eat away the fabric which has bound our communities together. Together with other departments in the JCPS Cluster, we have enhanced measures to tackle family violence and child abuse. Our work has also received the support of the European Union which has supported our service improvement initiatives in the King Sabata Dalindyebo, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City and the Lukhanji localities. These efforts will be complemented by the establishment of some children’s homes as well as places of safety. This will, amongst others, ensure that children in conflict with the law are separated from hardened criminals.

In order to deter young people from a life of crime and engage them in community development we will launch the Masupatsela Youth Pioneer Programme. These Masupatsela youth will form part of our broad National Youth Service Programme. So far we have also trained 198 young people as Voluntary Assistant Probation Officers. I am pleased to announce that the Department has permanently employed 140 of these young people.

Chairperson, our own studies have linked maternal mortality with child birth and have also indicated that there are currently just over 1.5 million maternal orphans in our country. Consequently, we will this financial year improve the number of community based cluster homes in provinces. This will ensure that the likelihood of having to remove orphaned children from their homes is minimized. This requires added support to these households through the various Home Community Based Care programmes. These programmes are beginning to also provide psycho-social support to these children. One such organisation is the Ububele Community Programme in Alexandria, which has innovatively partnered with the University of Witwatersrand to train care givers in the provision of this vital service. In honouring the work of Ububele, the Department will scale up the model, together with the University of Witwatersrand, the Global Fund, and the German Development Bank (through Kfw).

All these actions, and those that are directed towards the upkeep of children, are to be coordinated by functional community based childcare forums. Unfortunately the pace of establishing these forums has somewhat been slow, mainly because childcare skills at that level are scarce. We have therefore, through the generous support of UNICEF, also partnered with the University of Witwatersrand, in order to train child care forum facilitators. These facilitators will be at the frontline of ensuring that children’s needs are ultimately addressed at a community level.

The meeting of these needs requires that we have at our disposal all the necessary information in order to make the right service and policy choices. In order to meet this objective we have allocated R11 million towards the development of a management information system for social welfare services. This will complement our long-term infrastructure plans for welfare infrastructure in provinces which includes the upgrading of Social Development offices in all the provinces and districts.

Chairperson, the addressing of the needs of vulnerable households also requires that we attract, retain, and re-orientate social service professionals. Consequently, the implementation of the Recruitment and Retention Strategy for social workers remains important in realising our long term objective of building a caring society. We will in the coming weeks finalise our negotiation processes with labour so as to implement the proposed Occupation Specific Dispensation for social service professionals in the public sector.

The finalization of these negotiations will enable us to also pay greater attention to conditions of service for social service professionals outside the public service.  In the meantime we have already trained over 1 126 social auxiliary workers and supported 1 428 student social workers in the last academic year. Through the bursary scheme we will reach an additional 1 917 social work students with a view of guaranteeing employment to five thousand of them by 2010.

These initiatives have also offered us an opportunity to complement the international work we have conducted in the context of the UNESCO Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Programme. This initiative seeks to build solid bridges between communities, academics and policymakers in the social sector. The realization of the objectives of MOST requires, amongst others, the strengthening of South-South collaboration. This has motivated us to establish the Social Development Working Group of the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) trilateral. These collaborations will also strengthen and guide the proposed national anti-poverty strategy. The strategy will, amongst others, address the multi-dimensional aspects of poverty through government and societal wide actions.

Given this multidimensional nature of poverty, we must also implement multidimensional partnerships. Such partnerships require the involvement of all sectors of society. This was our principal motivator in setting up the National Development Agency (NDA). Through supporting projects directed at meeting the developmental needs of poor communities the NDA has developed expertise in social facilitation and community development.  Through strengthening institutional capacity of civil society organizations providing services to these communities, the NDA is beginning to ensure sustainable forms of community mobilization and asset management. Despite these excellent examples of groundbreaking work, the NDA continues to receive resources that are disproportionate to its mandate. I therefore take this opportunity to recognize the efforts of the Board and staff at the NDA, and also wish to invite the donor and corporate sector to offer its support to the NDA. 

In concluding let me recall the words of former President Nelson Mandela, who in reaction to the so called xenophobia attacks said; “Remember the horror from which we come from. Never forget the greatness of a nation that has overcome its divisions. Let us never descend into destructive divisiveness."

Budget Vote 16 reaffirms our commitment to ensuring a united South Africa and Africa with a more human face which is emancipated from the brutality of poverty and inequality. I urge all members gathered here to lend their support to Vote 16.

I thank you.

ISSUED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
PRETORIA

Partnership to provide Assistance to Foreign National Exposed to Violence

Media Statement

2 June 2008

Partnership to Provide Assistance to Foreign Nationals Exposed to Violence

Social Development, Minister Dr Zola Skweyiya today met with a group of social work educators and practitioners representing the Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA); the African Federation of Social Workers; the Association of South African Social Work Education Institutions (ASASWEI); the National Association of Social Workers, South Africa (NASWSA) and the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) in Pretoria, to discuss how these organisations can assist with social work services for all victims of the recent attacks on foreign nationals.

The social work organisations proposed that, the department of Social Development collaborate with these groups to form crisis teams that will see the provision of professional trauma counseling and debriefing services to the displaced families and individuals.

The long term objective of this structure will be to implement programmes to prevent xenophobic violence as a result of socio-economic exclusions in the day to day lives of people within South African communities and also to create space for dialogue around all forms of exclusions and oppressions.

The team will also call on expertise from other African countries which have experienced race or ethnicity based violence.

“We welcome the proposals and as I have repeatedly said government cannot work alone in such situations, the department of social development will advance any form of engagement that will ensure a better and secure life for our people and those that have taken refuge in our country”, said Minister Skweyiya.

The organisations will meet with the department on Wednesday to present a comprehensive plan to realize the proposal.

Enquiries: Zingaphi Jakuja on 074 197 8383
Issued by the Department of Social Development

Budget Vote Speech by the Deputy Minister of Social Development

Budget Vote speech by the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Dr Jean Swanson-Jacobs, to the National Assembly, Cape Town, 30 May 2008

Madam Speaker
Honourable Minister of Social Development
Honourable Members of Parliament
MECs for Social Development
Distinguished guests
Representatives of civil society and members of the community present here today
Ladies and gentlemen

The aim of the Department of Social Development is to ensure the provision of comprehensive, integrated sustainable and quality social developmental services against vulnerability and poverty, and to create an enabling environment for sustainable development, in partnership with those committed to building a caring society. Vote 16 reaffirms the commitment of this government to build a South Africa that cares for all those who are vulnerable, including women, children, unemployed youth and the elderly.

Madam Speaker, yesterday in celebration of Child Protection week, I was invited to speak at the launch of a campaign by Childline and the SABC aimed at encouraging boys to speak out about abuse. I want to commend Childline and the SABC for this initiative which recognizes the reality that the protection of the rights of children is indeed a national challenge which cannot adequately be dealt with only by the state. The campaign is informed by research which confirmed that boys are subjected to very abusive behavior such as sexual violence, emotional and physical abuse. It aims to dispel the myths that boys should be macho and should not cry or speak out about their pain. It is a positive campaign meant to celebrate our “freedom generation” and the ways in which many South Africans have embraced the equality concept where race, gender, sexual orientation, class… (and now we have to add national origin), do not feature in their relationships. This campaign served to remind me, that in spite of the recent outbreaks of violence perpetrated by young people “born free” against our brothers and sisters from the rest of Africa, that the majority of South Africans have been shamed by this behaviour and have actively shown their disapproval through peaceful mass demonstrations. In this regard I want to state categorically that nothing justifies violent and criminal behaviour towards fellow human beings.

Many fingers have pointed towards government’s failure to deliver to the poor. However, those in civil society and the private sector who work closely with government in delivering social services will attest to the fact that, although we will continue to face the challenges of poverty, a major part of the policies and programs of this government, at home and on the continent are geared towards the combating of poverty. I want to express my heartfelt sympathy to the families of those who have lost their lives and possessions in recent violent attacks on fellow Africans in our townships which have left many people homeless, and vulnerable. In this regard, government in partnership with civil society and private sector organisations is co-ordinating relief efforts and providing essential welfare services to ensure the welfare of those affected remains a priority. I want to commend all the volunteers who have opened their hearts and continue to work endlessly to bring our country back to normality.

Ladies and gentlemen, Budget Vote 16 under the theme: Giving the world a human face reflects the seriousness with which government has set about addressing poverty in this country. Expenditure trends indicate that total expenditure grew at an average annual rate of 12.1 per cent between 2004/05 and 2007/08 and is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 10.4 per cent over the MTEF period. The provision for social assistance makes up the largest portion of the budget, approx. 93% (R70.7billion) in 2008/09. Other large transfers in 2008/09 include R4.5billion to the South African Social Security Agency, R136million to the NDA, R105 million for social work bursaries and R41 million to Love Life.  In our endeavour to improve developmental welfare services, expenditure for Programme 3: Policy Development, Review and Implementation Support for Welfare Services grew at an average annual rate of 71.3 per cent between 2004/05 and 2007/08, and 2010/11. The strong growth is mainly because of the introduction and rapid expansion of the social work scholarships in 2007/08 and more personnel to do policy and legislation work and to provide oversight and leadership to provinces on welfare service delivery.

Access to social welfare services

Chairperson, welfare programmes creates an enabling environment for the delivery of integrated developmental social services in partnership with all relevant stakeholders. The adoption of the White Paper for Social Welfare signaled the dawning of a new era: the shift from a welfarist to a social development approach. Let me highlight achievements and challenges with regard to welfare services

Services to older persons

Results of the census data (2001) indicates that the majority of older persons predominantly reside in the three provinces that are classified as poor and largely rural areas, namely: KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Eastern Cape provinces. Consequently, the socio-economic conditions within which most of the older persons live are highly unacceptable. To most of them, old age pension is their only source of income.

The Older Persons Act No. 13 of 2006 acknowledges and addresses the changing roles of older persons in families and society. The Act among other things promotes the status and well-being, and protection of older persons, combats abuse of older persons and regulates residential facilities and services to older persons to ensure they enjoy quality of life.

Honourable members, you will agree with me that the provision of old age pension on its own is not adequate. This needs to be complemented by the provision of developmental social services. In this regard, we have developed regulations to the Older Persons Act which will be proclaimed during the course of the current financial year.

The Department is leading a multi-sectoral team to finalise the South African Plan of Action on Ageing. This plan is informed by the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing. To kick start the implementation of the plan, we have allocated 7 million to fast track provision of services. I am concerned that this budget allocation represents only a fraction of resources needed to adequately address the challenges I have mentioned. 

Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is an ever-increasing challenge facing families and communities globally and within the South African context. The complex nature of this phenomenon requires that we move beyond the traditional approach of focusing on treatment only and more on promoting early intervention, prevention and healthy lifestyles. In this regard we have intensified the Ke Moja Anti Drug Awareness Campaign, to include cultural, sports and religious programs which target in and out of school youth and divert them to programmes that will explore their talents. To ensure effective interdepartmental coordination, a National Steering Committee, chaired by the National Youth Commission and made up of key government departments and partners was established by the Central Drug Authority.

The campaign is intended to target 900 primary school learners and 25 000 parents and youth. Accordingly we have allocated R13 million to tackle the scourge of substance abuse. The allocation represents a significant increase of 57.2 % and is commendable.

Honourable Members, crucial to the successful implementation of the National Drug Master Plan is the development of the mini drug master plans of each department and the finalization of the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Bill, which is being processed as I speak. To this end, we hope the Portfolio Committee of the NA and the Standing Committee of the NCOP will move swiftly and decisively to finalise the process before the end of the current financial year.

I take this opportunity to thank all those who have made submissions on the Bill and call for more community based inputs as we strive to finalise the process.

Services to people with disabilities

Madam Speaker, people with disabilities are amongst the most vulnerable members of our communities. Data from the Community Survey (2007) indicates that they constitute 4% of the total South African population. In our quest to give the world a human face and ensure the integration of people with disabilities in the mainstream of society, we have finalized a policy on disability. The ultimate goal of the policy is to ensure universal access and removal of all cultural, physical, social and other barriers that prevent people with disabilities from entering, using or benefiting from the various systems of society that are available to other citizens.

During the course of the current financial year we will roll out training on minimum standards to ensure the provision of quality services that respond to the needs of people with disabilities in residential facilities. For this purpose we have put aside R4 million to speed up the process. The total emancipation, empowerment and provision of developmental social services to people with disabilities requires the concerted efforts of government, civil society, communities and the business sector.

Professionalisation and recognition of Child and Youth Care Workers

Honourable Members, the need to retain the current pool of social service professionals and recruit more is imperative in light of the new pieces of legislation that have been promulgated. Central to the effective implementation of this legislation is the training and employment of a cadre of Child and Youth Care Workers who play a significant role in the lives of orphans and vulnerable children.  In 2006 I had the opportunity to address delegates at the National Association of Child Care Workers’ Biennial Conference and I witnessed their valuable contribution in communities.

The South African Council for Social Service Professions submitted the Regulations regarding the registration of Child and Youth Care Workers, to the Minister of Social Development for consideration and approval. The regulations will allow for the registration of Child and Youth Care Workers at auxiliary level with the Council. I am well aware of some concerns raised regarding this issue and I am convinced that the proposed consultative process that the Council will be embarking on will address these concerns and bring the matter to finality.

HIV and AIDS

Honourable Members, we have strengthened our interventions to mitigate the spread of HIV and AIDS. There are 1 700 Home Community Based Care organizations that render psychosocial support to children and families affected by HIV and AIDS. The Department played a critical role in the National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS and STI 2007-2011 and we have since developed an implementation plan specific to our mandate.

We will transfer R41 million to love Life to implement prevention programmes targeting young people including those in rural and farming areas. In addition, we will strengthen the implementation of Home Community Based Care programmes, especially the provision of psychosocial support services and the roll out of the monitoring and evaluation system. Recognizing the need to address gender dynamics in our interventions, we will finalise and implement prevention programmes that recognize the gender aspect in HIV and AIDS

Gender

Chairperson, South Africa is a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). I am concerned as a woman, that 14 years into democracy we still constitute a large percentage of people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS, victims of domestic violence and the majority of people living in poverty are women. On a positive note, women form the backbone of social development. We are making significant inroads in ensuring the mainstreaming of gender into our intervention programmes such as VEP, HCBC and ECD. Part of our strategy is to develop and implement prevention programs that recognize the gender aspect in HIV and AIDS.

Honourable Members, development is about improving the well being of our people. It is about understanding the experiences of the people behind the statistics on poverty and HIV and AIDS and responding in a humane way that affirms their dignity. Our programmes have restored the dignity of millions of people in this country, from the remote rural areas of Idutywa in the Eastern Cape to the dusty streets of Makwarela village in Limpopo.

Budget vote 16 is the confirmation of our commitment to address the issues at the core of development. Government would certainly not be able to deliver the services, if it were not for the compassion and efforts of civil society with whom we have formed partnerships. Let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude to members of civil society for their tireless efforts in addressing the needs of vulnerable South Africans. I salute these unsung heroes and heroines in our communities who work tirelessly in the endeavour to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and uncared for.

Honourable Members, let me conclude by extending my heartfelt appreciation to my colleague, Dr Zola Skweyiya, Members of the Executive Committee for Social Development, members of the Portfolio Committee, the Director General, the CEOs of SASSA and NDA and all the staff of the Department of Social Development and Public Entities in their respective units and provinces for the positive contribution they have made to our work. I wish to express my thanks for their support in ensuring that our policies make a meaningful contribution to the lives of all our people.

I thank you

Budget Vote Speech by the Minister of Social Development

Budget Vote Speech by the Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya to the National Assembly, Cape Town, 30 May 2008

Madam Speaker
Honourable Deputy Minister
MECs for Social Development here present
Honourable Members of Parliament
Distinguished guests
Representatives of civil society in the public gallery
Ladies and gentlemen 

It has been said that poverty is the worst form of violence against humanity.  In the last few weeks we have witnessed the brutality and dehumanizing effects of poverty in the xenophobic attacks that have plunged our country into the heart of darkness.  At times like these we are reminded of the words of our struggle hero, Steven Bantu Biko.  In ‘I write what I like,’ Biko alludes to the spirit of ubuntu:

“We [should] reject the power-based society…that seems to be concerned with perfecting their technological know how…  We believe that in the long run, the special contribution to the world by Africans will be – giving the world a more human face.”

The recent attacks on foreign nationals and including some South Africans, do not project a humane society.  Whatever the motives and whoever the cynical sources of this violence, we will not tolerate this onslaught meted out against the National Democratic Revolution and its inseparable link to Africa’s renaissance.

This compels us to ask, how far have we progressed?  Have human relations improved or degenerated since the dark days of Apartheid? 

Vote 16 affords us an opportunity to elaborate on our collective contribution towards a more humane world, which is a prerequisite to a caring society.  In taking stock of this contribution, we must also remember the contributions of our fallen heroes and heroines.  These veterans who have lived exemplary lives towards securing a more humane world include those who have left us in this past year, amongst others General Masondo, Sihle Mbongwa, Kevin Qhobosheane, Zoli Malindi and Frances Schoor. 

Vote 16 also offers us an opportunity to take stock of our actions towards halving global poverty by 2015.  For us poverty remains a priority global challenge and an evil which continues in its extreme form to directly affected over 1 billion faceless people around the world.  The January 8th Statement of the African National Congress directs us to do all that is in our collective power to ensure that:

“Our responses to poverty … empower people to access economic opportunities, while creating a comprehensive social safety net to protect the most vulnerable in our society.”

Madam Speaker, in 1999 we committed ourselves to renewing our call for a better quality life for all.  This objective, we believed, could only be pursued and achieved by embarking on a social transformation journey; based on an integrated and comprehensive social welfare system as a basis for a more people centred society. 

At the time of embarking on this journey we made note of the then prevailing state of the nation, which was; “characterised by persistent and deepening poverty which [was] accompanied by social alienation.”  At that time, already, “violence against children, women and the elderly [was] an affront [to our] society”.  These issues were compounded by the objective nature of “the two-way relationship between HIV/AIDS and poverty”. 

What has changed since then?

Our social development outlook as spelt out in the ten-point plan afforded us the opportunity to realise and affirm the worth of the dignity of our people as critical contributors to the nation building and development projects.  In seeking to harness this contribution I have attended over 265 community-based Izimbizo since taking office in 1999. 

The views of these very important members of our society lie at the centre of Vision 2014.  Vision 2014 is premised on the Freedom Charter and provides a framework for a more humane world.  Vision 2014 places people at the centre of all our strategies and integrates economic and social outcomes.  The successful implementation of this strategy promises a country with a more human face.

Vision 2014 has also guided the work of the Department of Social Development and is linked to some of our more notable achievements.  For instance, in April 1999 only 36 thousand children received the child support grant, compared to 334 thousand in March 2000 and 1.9 million children by April 2002.  These are not only numbers, but are also an indication of government’s commitment to reach the poorest of the poor without favour or discrimination.

This, along with the need to address pressing societal challenges, has been responsible for the average expenditure growth in excess of 28.8 percent between 2001/02 and 2003/4.  This expenditure grew at an average of 12.1 percent between 2004/05 and 2007/08, with a projected growth rate of 10.4 percent over the MTEF period leading to 2010.  While the bulk of this incremental expenditure has been on social assistance grants, we remain determined to diversify our strategies.  This would contribute to a more sustained human and community development trajectory.

It was former President Nelson Mandela who once said, “There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.”  Income support to those in need will remain an important contributor to the development of our children, but, it is not the only measure.  Consequently, this Vote seeks to improve our empowerment, prevention and early intervention strategies which lie at the heart of our child care, protection and development approaches. 

Madame Speaker, allow me to take this opportunity to thank the honourable members of this house who have throughout my years in this portfolio embraced these fundamentals.  In particular I wish to thank the previous and current Chairs and Members of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development.  Their most recent act of facilitating for the passing of the Children’s Amendment Act, has indeed ushered in a new era in the protection and care of children. 

For our part, we have allocated over R22 million in this financial year towards the protection of children.  These resources will be directed at standardising and accelerating delivery in the areas covered by the Act.  Since our remaining challenge is the resourcing of implementation, we have also finalised a set of draft regulations for public discussions.  In order to get South Africa ready to implement the Children’s Act we will increase awareness on the legislation and draft regulations whilst accelerating service delivery to children.

As we have illustrated earlier, we have faired reasonably well in the promotion of income security of our children through the Care Dependency, Child Support and Foster Care Grants.  We currently distribute the CSG to over 8,6 million children.  It is also our medium term aim to increase qualification age limit for the CSG up to the 18th birthday, resources willing and enabling.

However, a world with a more human face requires us to guarantee further and sustainable employment and income opportunities for the parents and care givers of these children.  As directed by the People’s Congress in Polokwane, we will table proposals on the phased introduction of conditional basic income support.  Our attention will be focussed on the most vulnerable who survive outside our social security.  This will break the cycle which has made poverty an inevitable intergenerational inheritance based on the station of one’s birth.

Education and health are fundamental to breaking this cycle.  In pursuance of these ideals we are exploring specific conditionalities which would amongst others encourage healthy life styles and quality education for our children.  Because the needs of children are ever increasing we will in the meantime increase the CSG to R220 in October this year.

The conclusions of the State of the World’s Children Report 2008 direct us to strengthen local childcare and development initiatives.  We have therefore launched the registration drive for Early Childhood Development centres.  The implementation of a comprehensive ECD programme is a corner stone of investing in this country’s future and we will strive to ensure an improvement in both the quality and spread of these centres so that they are accessible to as many children as possible.

Honourable members, to deepen these efforts we must also strengthen our measures directed at Orphans and Vulnerable Children.  To date over 237 thousand orphans and vulnerable children have benefited from the department’s OVC programme.  Our OVC programme encourages children from households headed by children to remain and participate within the communities of their birth.  This contributes to integrated community based care which is in the best interests of the children concerned.  It would be remiss if I did not recognise the efforts of thousands of mainly women volunteers in the 1 700 organisations rendering Community Home-Based Care programmes nationally.  Malibongwe!!!

Madame speaker, a humane society requires that society treats the elderly with all the deserved respect and dignity.

This is at the heart of the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing and is what has motivated us to progressively realise age equalise, with regards the qualifications for the Old Age Grant.  The phasing in will be implemented as follows:

• 63 and 64 year old men in 2008 once the law is amended; 
• 61 and 62 years in 2009; 
• 60 year olds in 2010.

I urge all those eligible to wait patiently until the Social Assistance Amendment Bill is passed during the course of this year.  We have, in the meantime decided to increase the old age grant to R940.

A more human world is one where the elderly, upon reaching retirement age, can secure their own livelihood.  This is an essential pillar to overcoming poverty among older persons and the motive behind our desire to introduce a mandatory retirement scheme.  We will continue to explore appropriate retirement reform provisions that address the needs of the poor, together with NEDLAC.  In the meantime we have set aside approximately R8 million, in this financial year, so as to develop and deliver the necessary architecture.

Honourable members, as you can see, Social Security measures form part of an integrated strategy to meet the needs of poor children, youth and older persons.  However, our preliminary reviews also confirm that the impact of inflation has not only eroded the value of the grants, but that those whose income has increased as a result of inflation related wage adjustments have been excluded.  Consequently, government has raised the values of all grants from the 1st of April this year.  The old age, disability and care dependency grants increased from R870 last year to R940.  The foster care grant increased to R650.  These increases will go a long way towards mitigating the impact of inflation.

However, non-adjustment of the means test over the years, including that for the child support and old age grants, has kept many poor people out of the social security system.  This, coupled with beyond prediction higher inflation rates, has led to the erosion of the value of these grants.  Consequently, we have agreed to work towards the removal of the archaic means test on certain grant types.  This will have the consequence of removing the urban/rural qualification divide whilst raising the threshold to R2 200 per month for the Child Support, Old Age, and Disability Grants and R9 400 per month for the Foster Care Grant.  This exercise will however pose a fiscal challenge which may require either a gradual phasing out of the means test or reconsiderations of the tax threshold levels.  All these reforms in our social security system will go a long way towards widening the social security safety net and may see the entry into the system of 2 million deserving people.  To effectively do so, I will promulgate the Regulations to the Social Assistance Act.

In the meantime SASSA has been apportioned a budget of R4.5 billion for the 2008/9 period, in order to facilitate for proactive service delivery.  These initiatives include the Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP).  This flagship programme involves the participation of DSD, the Departments of Home Affairs, Health, and Education as well as the SA Police Service.  The programme has also revolutionised turnaround times for the processing of applications, it is now possible for an application to be approved on the same day.

To complement this work and provide a direct our response to poverty and vulnerability in the context of rising food process, we will do what ever is within our reach to ensure that every qualifying and vulnerable citizen receives the Social Relief of Distress grant ----- irrespective of whether or not they have the appropriate documentation.  The Social Relief of Distress measure is designed to address temporary provision of assistance to those in dire situations.  An amount of R124 million has been allocated in this financial year to meet these needs and to complement our integrated response to these crises.

To improve our capacity to develop policy and deliver services we will be embarking on a number of measures to improve our institutional coherence. These include:

• The streamlining of various boards of management that govern the social relief environment
• The implementation of the Recruitment and Retention Strategy for all Social Service Professionals
• The strengthening of corporative governance in the Department and Agencies through introducing amendments to the SASSA and NDA Acts.  This will be accompanied by the strengthening of our Social Grants Appeals Tribunal processes.

Over the next 3 years, we are going to embark on a youth development programme that seek to transform young people from passive recipients of services to active agents of social and development change.  This programme is known as the Masupatsela Youth Programme.  In the coming months we will take in the first 1 950 Masupatsela Youth.  These youth will be our foot soldiers as we deliver the various programmes targeted at energy efficiency, poverty eradication and early childhood development.  This programme will also complement our National Youth Service Programme wherein we already train young people to be social service support personnel.

The promotion of a more stable and cohesive society is a priority for government and the department.  Our unique contribution is through programmes aimed at preventing social crimes and improving the skills and roles of parents, guardians and others who take care of children, families and households.

In this regard we have published the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse Bill for public comment.  The Deputy Minister will reflect more on this as well as other attached initiatives.

Together with other departments in the JCPS Cluster, the DSD has enhanced measures to tackle family violence and child abuse by facilitating the establishment of shelters and intensifying the Victim Empowerment Programme.  These will complement actions and programme emanating from the Victim’s Charter and the Minimum Standards on Service for Victims of Crime.

We cannot hope to reverse the negative consequences of social crime and underdevelopment unless we strengthen community organisations and the broad civil society sector.  In this regard the National Development Agency continues to play a critical role in ensuring cohesive communities.  Since 2000 the NDA has received a total of R787 million to undertake this enormous task.  Despite these modest resources the NDA has managed to support some 2 100 CBOs, NGOs and FBOs thus directly benefiting over 414 thousand beneficiaries. 

This year the NDA will receive R136.6 million.  If we are to build cohesive communities through the NDA we must do all that is within our power to support the NDA in its efforts to uplift poverty.  In contrast corporate South Africa reached closer to the three billion rand milestone of total annual Corporate Social Investment Spend.  Although we thank and note the contribution of that sector, we also take this opportunity to invite the private sector to explore further strategic partnership opportunities with the public sector through the NDA.  The task to eradicate poverty and give this world a more human face cannot be undertaken by any one sector alone. 

Honourable members, we have pursued all these above measures because we remain firm in our belief that a country with a more human face is the critical foundation for a world with a more human face. 

In order to promote continental peace and security amongst the most vulnerable, we hosted the International Conference on Comprehensive Social Security for Poverty Reduction and Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa, from the 10 – 14 March 2008.  This confirms that our country is becoming a centre of excellence and the destination of choice for many social service professionals.  Consequently we will co-host the 34th Biannual Congress of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (20-24 July 2008) and the International Social Security Association 30th International Conference during 2010.

In pursuance of lasting peace and sustainable development we will continue to work with our brothers and sisters in the DRC, Sudan and Zimbabwe.  This work cannot be possibly undertaken without the support of all local and international partners. 

Madam Speaker, let me conclude by extending my heartfelt appreciation to our Deputy Minister Dr Jean Swanson-Jacobs, the Members of the Executive Committees for Social Development, the Director-General, the Heads of Social Development, the CEOs of the Public Entities and all staff in the national and provincial department and agencies for their hard work and support.

In closing let me remind us all of the words of Chris Hani, who said that:

“A new South Africa would be meaningless if the problems of the millions of poor people were not tackled. The perks of a new government are not really appealing to me. For me what is important is the continuation of the struggle – and we must accept that the struggle is always continuing.”

Today I stand proud and firm in our belief that the Department of Social Development has contributed positively towards this struggle for a world with a more human face.  A feat we could not have achieved without the millions of dedicated officials and volunteers in local authorities and organisations.  I have been honoured to walk the journey from welfare to social development with all of them… qinani maqabane ndithi Nangamso!!! You contributions have already ensured that South Africa and the world have a more human face….all hands on deck!!

 Aluta Continua!!.

I thank you.

----

Ms Zingaphi Jakuja
Deputy Director: Media & National Liaison
Department of Social Development (DSD)
Office: 012 3127381
Mobile: 0741978383/0731223133
Fax to e-mail: 0865202471
email: zingaphim@dsd.gov.za

Update on Substance Abuse

MEDIA STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DR ZOLA SKWEYIYA AT MEDIA UPDATE ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE. CAPE TOWN. 29 MAY 2008

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Welcome to this briefing by the Department of Social Development and the Central Drug Authority (CDA) on the fight against the scourge of substance abuse.

The CDA is a statutory body established by the Department according to the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act, Act 20 of 1992 and its amendment in 1999.  

We feel it is important to update you on the nature of the problem of substance abuse in the country and interventions to combat it, ahead of the Social Development Budget vote tomorrow. We do this because the abuse of drugs and other substances continues to be a serious problem in the country, especially amongst the youth and the poor.

Substance and drug abuse is a major contributor to crime, poverty, reduced productivity, unemployment, dysfunctional family life, the escalation of chronic diseases such as HIV, AIDS as well as injury and premature death.

Alcohol continues to be the substance of first choice in the country and is used by 31% of the total population. The overall prevalence of alcohol abuse is likely to be as much as 30% among certain groups, depending on age, gender, socio-economic status and degree of urbanisation.

Binge drinking especially over weekends amongst the youth is high and stands at more than 25% in many communities. High levels of alcohol abuse are reported amongst persons in certain occupations such as farming and mining, and in disadvantaged communities, where ease of access to alcohol is a contributing factor. Of concern are the home-made concoctions, which are in most cases perceived to be more lethal than conventional substances.

In addressing the substance abuse problem, we follow a two-pronged approach. Firstly, we focus first on supply reduction and secondly on reducing the demand.

In terms of supply reduction the police, South African Revenue Service, Department of Justice and others are already doing excellent work. They liaise closely with other countries and international agencies, in ensuring that the supply of drugs in the country is properly controlled through law enforcement. The country will also continue to participate in strategies to combat the drug problem regionally by implementing the SADC Drug Protocol and the action plans of the African Union.

The Department of Social Development is the lead department in reducing the abuse of legal and illegal drugs. We however work with other departments and NGOs to ensure that we mitigate the impact of the problem through the provision of amongst others, prevention and treatment services.

Amongst key focus areas are schools as we are concerned that the age of first experimentation is around 10 years.

The reality is that learners who use drugs are more likely to drop out of school, be victims or perpetrators of violence and engage in risky sexual behaviour. The Departments of Health and Social Development collaborate in rehabilitating drug-dependent persons.

Our view is that the criminal justice system should adopt restorative justice in respect of drug-induced offences, so that sentences are not punitive but aimed at restoring offenders as full and productive citizens.

This would require collaboration between the Departments of Health, Social Development and Justice, as well as NGOs and treatment centres, to compel offenders to accept treatment, as far as possible within the community, and to re-integrate them into the mainstream of society.

Parliament is currently processing Prevention of and Treatment of Substance Abuse Bill, which will replace the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act of 1992. The 1992 Act has become outdated and is not responsive to current challenges. Amongst other things, the Act focuses primarily on institutional treatment, provides very little provision for prevention, community based and out-patient services; and treatment services are not equally available and accessible to all citizens.

We call upon parents, families, communities and all structures of society to join government in ensuring that we fight the scourge of substance abuse and to strive towards a drug free society.

Thank you.

CDA Presentation (Power Point)

Getting South Africa Ready to Implement the Children's Act

Address by the Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya, at the ‘Getting South Africa ready to implement the Children’s Act’ conference, 27 May 2008

Chairperson,
Honourable delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am singularly honoured and privileged to be given this opportunity to address this conference on ‘Getting South Africa ready to implement the Children’s Act,’ as it brings to fruition work that has been a decade in the making.  Yes, it has been ten long years since work initially began on the Children’s Bill.  In the meantime the conditions facing the children of South Africa have deteriorated, sometimes with added complications.  It is therefore with great gratitude and honour that I stand here today to inform you that the Children’s Act of 2005 and the Children’s Amendment Act of 2007 are ready for implementation. Finally, we are on the home stretch to realizing the constitutional rights of our children. It is thus particularly gratifying to launch this year’s Child Protection Week.

The theme of the Child Protection Week is ‘Getting South Africa ready to implement the Children’s Act.’  This is in acknowledgement of the fact that for a long time we could not protect our children adequately against abuse and violent acts. Therefore we are celebrating a new dawn this week, hoping that this legislation will be properly implemented and we will achieve its intent of protecting the rights of our children.

The protection of children is one of the priorities of the South African Government. The protection of children’s rights lead to an improvement in the lives of other sections of the community.  It is neither desirable nor possible to protect children’s rights in isolation from their families and communities.  South Africa is fortunate in that it does accord constitutional protection to children’s rights in Section 28 of the Constitution and as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) both of which make provision for the survival, health, social security, protection and development of children. The Children’s Act thus gives effect to these national and international instruments binding on our country.

The Freedom Charter as adopted by the people’s Congress in 1955 directs all of us, including our youth to “Love [our] people and their culture, to honour human brotherhood, liberty and peace”.  I am afraid the events over the past two weeks are far from that ideal many of our brothers and sisters paid the supreme price for.  I must therefore pause, bow my head in shame and take this opportunity to reiterate our position that we cannot tolerate the scourge of xenophobia sweeping our country.  It is with added distress that we note that children are once again bearing the brunt of such violence, losing parents and loved ones, as well as their homes and being forced to flee for their lives.

Setting alight the homes of foreigners has also set aflame our Constitution and taken a match to the Children’s Act.  Let me remind you all that Section 1 of the Children’s Act defines a child as a person under the age of 18 years.  It does not add any additional requirements such as SA citizenship or that the child had to be born in SA.  This means that foreign children are offered the same protective measures in terms of this legislation whilst they are in South Africa. Foreign children may be placed in temporary safe care and Children’s Court Enquiries may be opened in order to determine whether the child is in need of care and protection.  If the Court finds a foreign child to be in need of care and protection the Court will have the same options to order the future care situation of the child.  This means that foreign children may be admitted to Child and Youth Care Canters or be placed in foster care in order to serve their best interests. 

We as the Department of Social Development have acted swiftly to provide individuals and families with blankets, food and other necessities as part of the Social Relief of Distress programme. In implementing the Children’s Act it is vital that we reinforce the need to honour this legislation and ensure the protection of all children within our borders.

In its aims the Children’s Act seeks to:

• Stipulate principles relating to the care and protection of children.
• Define parental responsibilities and rights.
• Determine principles and guidelines for the protection of children and the promotion of their well being.
• Regulate matters concerning the protection and well-being of children.
• Consolidate the laws relating to the welfare and protection of children.

In advancing these the Act promotes:

• The preservation and strengthening of families so as to give effect to the constitutional rights and obligations towards children
• Specifically family care or parental care or appropriate alternative care in cases where children are removed from their families,
• The provision of integrated social services for all children,
• The protection of children from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation, and
• The best interest of a child as the most paramount concern of our society

It further makes provision for structures, services and means for promoting and monitoring the sound physical, psychological, intellectual, emotional and social development of children. The strengthening and development of community structures, to assist in providing care and protection to children is also one of the main objectives of this Act.

To advance care and protection the Act provides for a two part child protection register.  Part A of the register has a record of all reports of abuse or deliberate neglect of a child, all convictions of all persons on charges involving the abuse or deliberate neglect of a child, all findings of a children’s court that a child is in need of care and protection. Part B of the register is to have a record of persons who are unsuitable to work with children and to use the information in the register in order to protect children in general against abuse from these persons.

Another important provision is that an alleged offender could be removed with a written notice from the home or place where the child resides. It is in the best interest of the child not to be removed from the home or place where the alleged abuse took place, as the child is in a vulnerable position and should stay in familiar surroundings.

A variety of professional people for example teachers, medical practitioners, psychologists etc, must on reasonable grounds, report a child who has been sexually abused, neglected or abused in a manner causing physical injury.

The legislation also makes provision for any person who believes that a child is in need of care and protection because of abuse, sexual abuse or deliberate neglect may report that belief to any child protection organisation, social development social welfare services offices and to the police for investigation and eventual referral of the abuse to a children’s court.

The Children’s Act relies on community-based services that support children and their families. Our strong focus on Early Childhood Development has again been vindicated by “The Growth Report: Strategies for Sustained Growth and Inclusive Development.” Released last week by the Minister of Finance and the Commission on Growth and Development, the report revealed that fast sustained growth is not a miracle; it is attainable for developing countries with the “right mix of ingredients.” Importantly on the issue of education and skills development the Report found that equality of opportunity and gender inclusiveness were necessary to bring the benefits of globalisation to those not yet actively participating in the economy. This probe found that, for instance, adequate nutrition among infants and children is crucial to the equalisation of opportunity, allowing children to benefit appropriately from educational systems and to then bring this capacity to the workplace.

Our ECD programme aims to ensure that the care of infants and children is paramount and we thus aim to equalize the subsidy at a minimum of R9 per child, per day in each province. We hope to subsidise 600 000 children in the current financial year. In the long-term this will provide the foundation to lift children out of poverty.

Programme director, poverty is a major cause of children becoming separated form the safety and protection of their families. Poverty is a major cause of child separation and lifting a family out of poverty can make the difference between a child growing up in a loving family environment or growing up frightened and alone. The Act aims to alleviate this by providing for alternative care like foster care and child and youth care centres.

More than six children may be placed in foster care in terms of a cluster foster care scheme which provides for the children to be grouped in houses accommodating not more than six children per house or such other number of children per house as the court may determine.

Child and youth care centres must offer therapeutic programmes which may include-

• reception, care and development;
• temporary safe care of children pending their placement;
• protection from abuse and neglect;
• care and protection of trafficked or commercially sexually exploited children;
• observing and assessing children;
• providing counselling and other treatment;  and
• assisting children to reintegrate them with their families and communities.

Child and youth care centres must have management boards and no person unsuitable to work with children may be appointed or continue to serve at a child and youth care centre.

The Act lastly provides for drop-in centres managed for the purpose of providing services, excluding overnight accommodation, to children including children living, working or begging on the streets.

Drop-in centres must provide outreach programmes, as well as prevention and intervention programmes.

Programme director, Unicef’s ‘Children and AIDS: Second stocktaking report,’ highlights the importance of providing AIDS-affected and infected children with adequate protection, care and support services. UNAIDS estimates that 1,2 million children in South Africa have been orphaned as a result of AIDS. The Children’s Act recognizes the vital role played by child-headed households and stipulates that the provincial head of social development may recognise a household as a child-headed household if:

• The parent or care-giver of the household is terminally ill or has died;
• no adult family member is available to provide care for the children in the household;  and
• a child has assumed the role of care-giver in respect of a child in the household.

Allow me to emphasize the intersectoral nature of the Act and the importance of working together in the best interest of our children.

The Act treats the matter of services to children as a priority and directs all of us in the various spheres of governance to do the same.  Consequently, we should strengthen local level services and support to children.  The litmus test of this will be the budget provisions we make towards these objectives.  We must also do so in a manner that promotes child participation as well as the enhancement of the capacities of the children’s sector.

To advance this we will require the support of the private sector and the broad civil society.

Resources required to implement the Act will be provided in terms of an approach that recognizes the existence of competing social and economic needs, without compromising the best interest of children.  Our own costing indicate that 75% of the initial costs at provincial level have to be borne by the Department of Social Development with the remainder being split between the Departments of Justice and Education.  We have allocated R22 million in this financial year for the implementation of the Act.

To facilitate for implementation, draft regulations will be published in June 2008 for comment.  I urge all of you to comment on the draft regulations so as to ensure successful planning and preparation for the implementation of the Children’s Act. This Act is one of the foundation Acts of Parliament to protect our children and to ensure actions in the best interest of families and children

In conclusion, dialogue between government and civil society forms a sound basis for the protection of children and service delivery. This conference is convened specifically to create the essential synergy in the preparation for the implementation of this legislation. I want to emphasise the fact that Government cannot deliver services without the support of civil society.

Each one of us attending today is instrumental in making a difference in children’s lives and together we can protect and care for our children. Together we can ensure that we build a caring society.

Thank you.

ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
PRETORIA

Ms Zingaphi Jakuja
Deputy Director: Media Liaison
Dept Social Development
Mobile: 0741978383
Office: 012 3127381
e-mail: zingaphim@dsd.gov.za

Immediate Assistance to Displaced Refugees

Media Statement

23 May 2008

Social Development to Provide Immediate Assistance to Displaced Refugees

Social Development minister, Dr. Zola Skweyiya has instructed the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to immediately assist the families and individuals displaced  as a result of the ongoing attacks on immigrants and local citizens.

SASSA will provide blankets, food and other necessities as part of the Social Relief of Distress programme whilst the social welfare services arm of Social Development will provide counseling and other social work services.   

The Gauteng Social Development department officials have begun collecting and distributing food, blankets, and toiletries to the affected areas.

Members of the public are urged to assist by donating such items. Please call the Gauteng Provincial Disaster Management Centre on (011) 655-4400 or e-mail donor@precinctweb.co.za or the Departmental Information Centre on (011) 355-7760 or 011-355-7766 or email Information1@gpg.gov.za or information2@gpg.gov.za

For further details contact the spokesperson
Lakela Kaunda on 082 782 2575.

Ends

ISSUED BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
PRETORIA

Applicants Without Identity Documents to Receive Social Grants

22 May 2008

Media Statement

Applicants Without Identity Documents to Receive Social Grants

It is official - the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) will from International Children’s Day, 1st of June 2008, accept social grant applications from eligible applicants who are experiencing difficulties in obtaining official identity documents and birth certificates.

This was announced today, 22 May 2008, by the Minister of Social Development, Dr Zola Skweyiya at the meeting of Ministers and MECs of Social Development (MINMEC) in the North West province.

As stipulated in the regulations of 2005, SASSA will accept sworn affidavits deposed to before a commissioner of oaths testifying to, amongst other details, the names, age, parentage of the child and any other applicant. Although this policy shift was initially designed to accommodate applicants for the Child Support Grant, the Department of Social Development has made a policy decision to extend its implementation to all grant types.

The IT systems of SASSA will be ready to accept applications from the 1st of June. People who apply before the 1st of June will be able to receive social relief of distress (SRD), while waiting for the 1st of June starting date.

The value of the social relief of distress would be the same as the value of the benefit for which an applicant may apply, and leave him/her in the same position he/she would have been had they applied for the grant with a valid ID document. The social relief of distress will be in the form of cash amount.

The benefit will be for people who apply for the child support, care dependency and foster care grants, provided they meet the eligibility and means test criteria. The relief envisaged will be given to people awaiting an ID document or birth certificate and those pleading that poverty prevents them from applying for such identification documents and as a consequence prevents them from accessing social security, while they may qualify for such.

“If applicants apply today, they will get social relief of distress, but within a month, we will be able to covert it to a full application and register the application as such and continue providing the benefit for as long as the eligibility criteria are met. We will however work with the applicant and the Department of Home Affairs to expedite the processing of applications for identity documents,” explained Fezile Makiwane, CEO of SASSA.

“As we intensify further our efforts of pushing back the frontiers of poverty government will review the means test for the Child Support Grant and we will no longer distinguish the means test threshold between rural or urban beneficiaries. This will gradually be applied to other grant types. Details of the commencement of this will be elaborated on in my budget vote speech on the 30 May 2008”, the Minister announced

“This year we commemorate Child Protection Week from the May 26 to 1st June   under the theme: “Getting South Africans ready to implement the Children’s Act”, I trust that all South Africans will honour the objectives of this legislation and care for the nations children in a manner that will ensure a better life”, said Minister Skweyiya.

For further enquiries contact the spokesperson
Lakela Kaunda on 082 782 2575

ISSUED BY
THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
PRETORIA
ENDS

Getting South Africa Ready to Implement the Children's Act

Child Protection Week 2008

Getting South Africa ready to implement the Children’s Act

Violent images have seared the nation’s consciousness as our country reels under the avalanche of xenophobic mayhem that threatens the very essence of our democracy. It is a democracy that we have fought hard in which to assert the rights of our most vulnerable, especially our children. Traditionally, the end of May each year has become known for the collective action in the country to campaign for child protection and development, during Child Protection Week.

Child protection week 2008 runs from 26 May to the 1st of June, which marks International Children’s Day. For the last 10 years, our country has galvanized efforts to remember our children and make sure the nation focuses sharply on their issues. This year Child Protection Week has been marred by the ugly and unacceptable attacks on children and their families in the Gauteng province, through atrocious xenophobic attacks.

We have to work together fervently to ensure that such criminal attacks never again take place in our country. The trauma visited upon these children will take a lifetime to heal. We must use Child Protection Week to remember those children, whether South African or those of immigrants, who fell innocent victim to uncalled for barbaric attacks.

Child Protection Week has now become an entrenched campaign of government, media, civil society, the religious community, and indeed the whole of South Africa when we ponder how we treat our children.

For a few years in the beginning, Child Protection was celebrated under the theme “Child Protection is Everybody’s business.”  In later years the theme was changed to “Caring Communities Protect Children”.

In 2008 the theme is “Getting South Africa ready to implement the Children’s Act”.  This is in recognition of the two landmark pieces of legislation that have been signed into law by the President, viz. The Children’s Act of 2005, and the Children’s Amendment Act of 2008.

The country has waited more than a decade for these two pieces of legislation, which have far reaching implications regarding the constitutional rights of children, and intend to give meaning to the rallying cry and slogans of the children’s movements such as “Making South Africa fit for children”; “Bana Pele”, “Children First”, “Abantwana Kuqala”.

Indeed the time has come when the rights and protection of children occupy centre stage in the nation’s consciousness.  The days when child protection week was dominated by incidents of child abuse, horrors of child rapes, and generally about child-directed violence need to become history.

They need to be replaced by a paradigm which includes the best interest of the child as envisaged in the new legislation, where children occupy centre stage as they should, and have a central role in the life of the nation as envisaged by the Constitution and the Children’s Act.

In practice this calls for fundamentally radical shifts in perceptions and government and civil society roles.  As resources are given to implement these acts, we will see massive improvements in the situation of children, as resources are made available to make their lot a better one.

This means ensuring that all eligible children receive the child support grant, progressively until they reach the age of 18 when this has been legislated and in line with the Polokwane resolutions of the ANC.  In another positive development, from the 1st of June, we will be able to provide social grants to children who have alternative forms of identification. Many children have been unable to access grants due to not having birth certificates. Parents and care givers can now apply for their children, using sworn affidavits. We are proud that presently, over 8,1 million children now benefit from the Child Support Grant, including the children of immigrant communities.

Government has many programmes aimed at improving the lives of children. Our plan is that all eligible children should have access to Early Childhood Development (ECD) services, with a uniform subsidy across all provinces. They will be taught by qualified personnel who will ensure that they get the best start in life as they go through the developmental stages of early childhood preparing them for a better life through adequate nutrition, medical care, and education. From April 2007 to February 2008 1 981 ECD sites were registered nationally, with over 350 000 children benefiting from subsidies; during the current financial year we have reached agreement that all provinces will provide a minimum subsidy of R11 per child per day.

Recognising the important role played by individuals in caring for children we have facilitated the disbursement of over 460 000 Foster Child grants and over 100 000 Care Dependency grants. Our efforts have also resulted in the approval of 6 321 adoptions of which 631 were inter-country adoptions.

Child Protection Week is an opportunity to mobilise communities towards a new paradigm of putting children first. This will be kick-started by the Children’s Act implementation conference at the Birchwood Hotel in Kempton Park on the 27-29 May, which brings government and civil society to deliberate on what it will take to ensure the country will be ready to implement the Children’s Act.

The conference is but a first step in ensuring we all act in unity as we approach this new legislation which calls for a fundamental transformation of our relations with our children. It will also make us understand what it means to be a caring society.

The community mobilization referred to entails going to different communities in road-shows to spread the word about the new legislation. This will ensure that there is a new pact in the way we treat children and a new partnership for development, to which every member of society must belong and not miss out on this new development.

The time is ripe to tell child abusers across the nation that their time is up, the game is over, and they will not be able to carry on as before as they will be held accountable for their actions and proactive steps will be taken against them.

This is a clarion call for all those who love children to come together in a massive children’s movement that calls for the speedy implementation of the Children’s Acts.

The situation is pregnant with the possibility that the Children’s Act will give birth to a new South African child, who has been properly nurtured from birth, taught the values of Ubuntu, given all the developmental assistance available, who can be an asset to society from early childhood through school years into adulthood.

We know that this is possible because we have seen and experienced it in other countries, where everything possible is done to give children the best start in life, and programmes are designed to make sure that the developmental needs of citizens are taken cognizance of from birth to the grave.

With political and societal will the anomaly of child abuse and neglect, child directed violence and doing unpleasant things to our children can be reversed to such an extent that parents can rest assured of raising their children in harmony and peace with positive backing from all of society.

Let us work together to make Child Protection Week 2008 a collective effort to make South Africa a better country for our children.

National Child Protection Week - 26 May 2008 - 1 June 2008

National Child Protection Week - 26 May 2008 – 1 June 2008

1.  BACKGROUND

The National Child Protection week is an annual campaign of Government led by the Department of Social Development. The goal for child protection week is that all children should grow up in an environment that is safe from abuse, neglect and exploitation. Child protection week highlights the rights of children and ensures that they are placed as a priority in each department and organization's agenda. The child protection system should therefore strive to protect children from all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation through accessible and coordinated services and a response based on a multi disciplinary and inter -sectoral approach.

A lot of children are still abused which means that the child protection system is still failing the children. It is for this reason that all stakeholders have to revisit their strategies annually to ensure that they can respond to the demand of communities in the most effective and efficient way.  Stakeholders need to continuously communicate to communities and to children that we do commit ourselves to their care and protect. 

2.  THEME

For the past five years the theme "CHILD PROTECTION IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS” has been used to facilitate inter-sectoral and inter-departmental resource allocation for the protection of children.

This has been found to be the most popular and easily understood theme and campaign strategy. At the national child Protection Committee meeting on 6th to 7th December 2004 the theme was discussed and later changed to "CARING COMMUNITIES PROTECT CHILDREN". The former is still incorporated in the latter as community can mean family, school, church, business sector etc.

3.  OBJECTIVES

The following national objectives have been designed in the manner that sector specific and provinces can decide on their specific approach in relation to their objectives. The aim is to collectively bring messages to communities that speak to the same theme and that commitment to service is made within the principles of child protection.

The following objectives have been formulated:

• To raise awareness within communities regarding child protection issues, children's rights and responsibilities.
• To create greater awareness and communicate information on child grants and child maintenance.
• To provide information on the network of services that impact on child protection.
• To strengthen and uphold family's and society's responsibility in the protection of children.
• To uphold government's commitment to the protection and promotion of children's rights in partnership with Non Governmental Organizations and civil society.

TARGET GROUP: All children alleged to be in need of care including orphans and vulnerable children, children with disabilities and children living on the streets, families and communities.

4.  ACTIVITIES

4.1 National event:

A National Conference is planned to take place from 27 – 29 May 2008 at Birchwood Centre.  The theme is “Getting South Africa ready for the implementation of the Children’s Act.”  Conference members will represent national and provincial departments and NGO’s.

5.2 Provincial activities:

Provinces are to each submit their programs of activities indicating their five projects for the Minister’s attendance.

CHILD PROTECTION LOGO

During the Child Protection week of 2004 the child protection ribbon was launched.

The green ribbon is “a symbol of child protection. The color green simbolizes conservation, growth, life and hope”.  If one wears the green ribbon it puts an obligation on the person to say “I will protect a child.”

The message for the promotion of the green ribbon is as follows:

Green means life, green means growth, let us conserve our children. Give them love and hope. Wear a green ribbon to show you care and support. Stand up, be committed and protect a child.