Madam Speaker, on 14 July 2008 the President promulgated the Social Assistance Amendment Act, giving effect to changes in the law in order for men and women to qualify for social grants from the same age of 60 years, which is in line with the ANC Polokwane resolution of December 2007.
This amendment provides for men aged 63 with effect from 14 July 2008, men aged 61 with effect from 1 April 2009 and men aged 60 with effect from 1 April 2010 to qualify for social grants. We as the ANC, however, eagerly await government's decision to raise the age of eligibility for the child support grant from under 14 years of age to 18 years of age so that it can be brought in line with another important Polokwane resolution and the South African Constitution in this regard, thereby extending that grant to an additional estimated 2,1 million poor children who desperately need this support.
Finally, we urge government to provide more resources towards the provision of social relief to those destitute families and individuals who desperately need this support and who may not qualify for the social grants especially during this period of giving; and we urge the Ministers of Social Development and Finance respectively, to expedite finalisation of government policy in this regard. Thank you.