Hon Chairperson, hon members and hon Ntwanambi, government does not have a specific policy that prohibits people who receive social grants from paying government levies. As the hon member is aware, government is implementing a range of measures to support the poor in accessing services. These include the social wage, which is provided in the form of three basic services: subsidised school transport, school nutrition and subsidised housing, among others.
According to the latest Budget Review, consolidated government expenditure on housing, community development, water supply, education, health services, recreation and culture will amount to about R360 billion in the 2010-11 financial year. This is in addition to billions of rands that government spends on social assistance in the form of old age, child support and disability grants. Mounting evidence points to the huge impact of all these social assistance measures on the lives of the poor and vulnerable members of our society.
This fact is fully appreciated by all spheres of government and non-state actors, who agree that working together we can do more to ensure universal access, especially targeting poor rural communities. Notwithstanding this understanding at the level of government, there are households whose knowledge of what they qualify for is limited. That is why, as government, we are strengthening the community development worker programme to ensure that these cadres who service communities are up to the task. If gaps are identified in the course of implementing any of our social protection policies, there is no doubt that government will endeavour to review these with a view to improving the reach and effectiveness of the programmes. Thank you.
Establishment of formal links, forums and/or mechanisms to enhance relations between government and the business community
8. Ms N D Ntwanambi (ANC) asked the Deputy President:
(1) Whether the government has established any formal links, forums and/or mechanisms to enhance any relations and/or interactions with the business community in South Africa with regard to the economy, government, business relations and foreign investment opportunities within and outside South Africa; if not, why not, if so, what formal links, forums and/or mechanisms;
(2) whether any structures of organised businesses have raised any concerns with regard to such formal links, forums and/or mechanisms; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what was the response from the government in this regard?