Chairperson, in order "to build a caring society in which children are inspired, motivated, involved and protected", the department has put in place a number of policies, strategies and programmes which are informed by the Children's Act, Act 38 of 2005, which came into effect on 1 April 2010. The following are critical to the development and protection of our children.
In regard to early childhood development, ECD, the department plays an important role in the provision of access to early childhood development programmes. In the human life cycle, the early childhood phase - from birth to nine years - is considered the most important phase for every human being. Giving children the best start in life means ensuring that they have good health, proper nutrition and access to early learning. This contributes towards motivating and inspiring children while they are still young.
Our records show an increase in the number of registered early childhood development sites, as well as the number of children subsidised by the department. There has been an increase in the number of registered ECD sites, to 18 826. The number of children in ECD sites has also increased, to 789 424. The subsidy payment ranges between R11 and R14 for the daily attendance of children at the centres. There are 717 657 children who benefitted from the subsidy as at the end of March 2011.
What we also need to specify is that we are moving towards standardising the subsidy for all children throughout the country at R15, because it has been different, more especially in the rural areas, where it has been between R11 and R12. We are saying the rights of children in the rural areas are equal to the rights of children in the urban areas.
One other thing is that we are running a campaign where we are trying to ensure that we roll out 3 000 ECD centres in the rural areas over a period of three years, because that is where you find that there is a lack of ECD centres.
We also need to give praise where it is due. KwaZulu-Natal and the North West are the only provinces where the subsidy is equal. It is R15 in the rural areas and in the urban areas.
With regard to child protection, the promotion ... [Time expired.]
House Chair, thank you, Minister, for the detailed report and your answer to that question. My question is this. According to a parliamentary reply on the Child Protection Register, the register has proven to be utterly and totally dysfunctional. It only reflects a single name and that one single entry has cost the taxpayers a whopping R1,7 million. So, for R1,7 million the country is now aware of the identity of a single person deemed incompetent to be working with children.
Minister, this is a derogation of your responsibility to protect the children of South Africa. So, perhaps you could enlighten this House as to what it is you intend to do about it. If nothing, then how soon can that R1,7 million be back in the country's coffers? Thank you. [Applause.]
Chairperson, the number of names in the Child Protection Register is now 22. Yes. [Applause.] Maybe we should thank you for pushing us. But the important thing that we should all know is that 3 672 people have been screened and, out of those people, none have been found to be unsuitable.
One other thing that we should understand is this: The fact that there is a conviction does not necessarily mean automatic placement on the register. After a person has been convicted, a presiding officer must declare that person unsuitable to work with children. It is only then that a name can be placed on the register. We must remember that South Africa is a democratic country and even convicted criminals have rights. To try to ensure that we avoid unnecessary litigation, as has happened before in other countries, it is important for us to follow the law to the letter. Thank you.
Chair, hon Minister, in view of the impact of family or lack of family on the lives of children, and with reference to the AU-endorsed Social Policy Framework for Africa of June 2008, which states that family- centred development efforts are key to socioeconomic development and that it is important for African governments to strengthen the family as part of an integrated and comprehensive approach to sustainable development, will the Minister undertake to encourage and support the effective implementation of the key recommendations of the Plan of Action on the Family in Africa and develop policies and legislation aimed at strengthening and preserving the family as an institution? Thank you.
Chairperson, the department has developed a Green Paper on Families - not family, but families, because there are different types of families. We need to promote family life and strengthen families through a coherent, well co-ordinated and synergistic framework for all government policies, programmes and civil society initiatives. But, it is also important for us to understand that the family is the first line of defence for members of the family. That is why it is important for us to strengthen the family. We should also understand that strengthening the family is not the responsibility of government only. It is the responsibility of a number of sectors, as well as individuals and society at large, to ensure that we are able to deal with the issues that affect children.
In the Children's Act this is stated very clearly. There is a provision that parents must ensure that children access their rights, but they must also understand that children have responsibilities. So, this is not a one- way responsibility of government only; it is a two-way responsibility involving communities as well as government. Thank you.
Thank you, Chairperson.
Ngithokoze, ngithanda ukuzibuzela kuNgqongqoshe kodwa ngaphambi kwalokho, ngithanda ukuphawula ngokuthi, ukwakha umphakathi onakekelayo, lapho izingane zethu zizoba nogqozi, zibe nentshisekelo, zibambe iqhaza futhi zivikeleke. Lowo umsebenzi engicabanga ukuthi ngowethu sonke kungabi yinkinga kuphela ebhekene nabezokuthuthukisa umphakathi.
Lokhu ngikusho ngoba akufanele lapha sikhulume ngalezo zingane eziswelayo, ngesinye isikhathi zizothatha imali yesondlo kuMnyango Wezokuthuthukiswa Komphakathi. Kukhona izingane, abazali bazo abakwazi ukuzenzela izinto, kodwa nazo zidinga ukuvikelwa ngoba isikole siphuma ligamenxe ihora lesibili emini kuze kushaye ihora lesithupha abazali bangekho basemisebenzini.
Yilapho lezi zingane ziphuza khona utshwala, zidle izidakamizwa, zilalane zikhulelisane, ziphinde zisulelane ngengculazi. Bengithi kuyinkinga yini ukuthi uMnyango Wezokuthuthukiswa Komphakathi uma usuhlangene neminye iMinyango efana noWezobuciko Namasiko, Ezemidlalo, oweMfundo eseMazingeni Aphansi, sengathi kungaba nohlelo olwenziwayo ukuze lezi zingane zikwazi ukuba nezinto ezizenzayo ngalesi sikhathi abazali bazo abangekho ngaso.
UNGQONGQOSHE WEZOKUTHUTHUKISWA KOMPHAKATHI: Ngiyabonga Sihlalo, ngibonge kakhulu nelungu elihloniphekile, ngibona ukuthi uyishaye esikhonkosini le ndaba. Kodwa into esemqoka kakhulu ukuthi vele akuwona uMnyango Wezokuthuthukiswa Komphakathi obheka izindaba zezingane.
Izindaba zezingane zibhekwa nguMnyango Wamaphoyisa ziphinde zibhekwe uMnyango Wezemfundo, Wezobulungiswa Nokuthuthukiswa koMthethosisekelo, uMnyango Wezempilo, uMnyango Wezasekhaya, uMnyango Wezemidlalo Nokungcebeleka kanye noMnyango Wezobuciko Namasiko.
Ngakho-ke sihlanganyela ndawonye nabo bonke laba. Ukuthi ngokomthetho nangokuya ngoMthetho weziNgane yithina esihola noma esihambha phambili ekubhekeleni ukuthi uMthetho weziNgane uyasebenza yini. Ngiyabonga kakhulu. (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[Thank you. I would like to ask something from the Minister, but before I do that, I would like to make a comment. In order to build a caring society in which children are inspired, motivated, involved and protected - which is the responsibility of all of us - it should not be a problem faced only by the Department of Social Development.
I say this because we are not supposed to talk about those needy children here; they will get their child grant from the Department of Social Development. There are children whose parents are able to take care of them, but who also need to be protected because the school finishes at half past two in the afternoon and the parents are still at work till six o'clock.
That is when these children drink liquor, abuse drugs, infect each other with Aids and girls are impregnated. Would it not be possible for the Department of Social Development to work with the other departments such as Arts and Culture, Sport and Recreation and Basic Education to have a programme that these children can engage in during the time of their parents' absence?
Chairperson, thank you very much to the hon member. I think you have hit the nail on the head: The most important thing is that it is not for the Department of Social Development to deal with the issues affecting children.
The issues affecting children are dealt with by the SA Police Service, the Department of Education, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the Department of Health, the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Sport and Recreation and the Department of Arts and Culture.
We therefore work jointly with all of them. According to the law as well as the Children's Act, we are the ones who are leading or who are at the forefront in order to ensure that the Children's Act is implemented. Thank you very much.]
Chair, I would like to thank the Minister for her reply, particularly regarding the Child Protection Register. The Minister did say that there are now 18 000 early education development centres in the country. Can she please give an indication of how many of the people working with children at these centres have been verified against the Child Protection Register? Thank you.
Chairperson, I think this is a new question, but we are prepared to give you information on it.
See also QUESTIONS AND REPLIES.