Before we continue, let me just welcome the Minister and Deputy Minister in this meeting as well as special delegates if any, members of the NCOP who will be participating in this debate, and all other people who are here. You are most welcome.
This is very interesting. So, it is automatic that we are brought up so that we ... Yes, I think so. There is something I wanted to say but I won't say it here. [Laughter.] I won't take issue from the other House to this House. Hon Deputy Chair; hon members; members of the Select Committee on Social Services and Health; my Deputy Minister, Ms Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu; MECs for Social Development present here - and I must say it was a pleasure for me to meet with MECs before we came to
this House and we had very constructive discussions around social development with the MECs who are going to speak today; chief executive officers of our agencies; Sassa and the NDA and their representatives on my right; representatives from civil society organisations and private sector, good afternoon to you all.
I must indicate from the onset that I am dressed in the manner that I am dressed not because I am undermining this House, but because I am also representing part of what belongs to the Department of Social Development - We, small business, no, social development - and that is the National Development Agency. I will refer in my speech to what the National Development Agency is, but I think many of the members who are here know exactly what it is.
Hon Chairperson, it is my honour and privilege to present Budget Vote 17 of the Department of Social Development for the fiscal year 2019-20, for your consideration and support. The budget we are presenting today is guided by the goal of the ANC's social transformation agenda which seeks to empower people to lift themselves out of poverty while creating adequate social safety nets to protect the most vulnerable in our society who, in the main, are women and children.
The department's allocation for the current financial year is R184 billion. Of this amount, R175 billion is a direct transfer to social grant beneficiaries. The department will transfer R212 million to the National Development Agency and R7,6 billion to the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa for the administration of social assistance programmes.
In addition, the provincial Departments of Social Development's main appropriation budget allocation amounts to R22,406 billion for the 2019-20 financial year. The provincial budget includes R518 million Early Childhood Development, ECD conditional grant from the National Department of Social Development for maintenance and upgrading of 600 ECD centres for violence against women and children programmes, and our flagship Isibindi programme which is aimed at building resilient and caring communities that look after our children.
Hon Chairperson, this budget is presented under the theme: Working Together to Empower Communities for Sustainable Livelihoods. Sustainable livelihoods are about creating an environment conducive for individuals, families and communities to enhance their capabilities and sustain themselves now and in the future. This will be fully achieved when every South African is able to reach their
full potential. Social development is about every South African reaching their full potential.
The theme is also central to the core mandate of the social development sector, whose responsibility is to enable South Africans, particularly the poor and vulnerable, to become capable and self-reliant participants in their own development and, to secure a better life for themselves. I would love to see a situation where our citizens, especially our young people, graduate from the social grant system and become self-sufficient through entrepreneurship or other empowerment programmes so as not to overburden the fiscus. This does not in any way suggest that we do not want to provide social assistance, but that we would prefer to rather have our beneficiaries graduating out of the system over time. In particular, we want to speak to the fact that the bulk of the money goes to children and young women. The question we need to answer is: Where are the men and fathers of these children?
Guided by the decisions of the sixth administration, the national Department of Social Development, together with provincial Departments of Social Development, and our agencies, Sassa and the NDA adopted a portfolio approach which is aimed at enhancing our delivery model that will result in greater impact on the communities
we serve. This approach will also include district and local municipalities because this is where the challenge is. Most of our people expect to be served right at local government and municipalities. Therefore, it is important for us to work closely with them.
Our approach is premised on the understanding that the provision of social grants alone is not sufficient to lift beneficiaries out of poverty on a sustained basis. We firmly believe that the portfolio approach will enhance the developmental role of the department and its public entities as a catalyst and game-changer in sustainable livelihoods initiatives in line with the National Development Plan. This will empower our communities to become active citizens - and in the words of our Chairperson of the NCOP, Hon Amos Masondo, who said: "We should not only become masters of doing, but also masters of doing things right."
Two weeks ago, I convened a special MinMec meeting with all MECs for Social Development to better sharpen our approach at transforming the social sector. I will, from next week, embark upon provincial visits to meet with MECs, municipalities and conduct site visits at Sassa offices and paypoints, to get a better understanding of the
challenges faced by our people and how we can better improve our service delivery model.
Consistent with this commitment, allow me now to outline some of the measures contained in this budget. The National Social Assistance programme remains one of our government's most successful poverty- reduction interventions. Chairperson, we talk about poverty reduction but ultimately we must speak about poverty not being anywhere in our space. Studies found that social grants plays a crucial role in keeping children, the girl-child in particular, to remain in and complete school. Last year alone, child support grants beneficiaries obtained a pass rate of 78,2% in the National Senior Certificate, an increase of 3,1% from 2017 academic year, and we must applaud this.
One of the realities we need to face as a country is the increasing number of young women of working age who are recipients of the Child Support Grant. Our goal is to design and implement developmental interventions that impact and empower young women to escape poverty through sustainable livelihood initiatives.
As a start, we will spend R123 million of the R410 million allocation for the Social Relief of Distress programme to procure
directly from women and youth-owned cooperatives and small enterprises, especially those that have been supported by government and indeed through our own National Development Agency. Just this morning, I visited Moya Wekhaya Peace Garden Cooperative in Khayelitsha and their members are in the gallery. They are producing fresh vegetables and herbs and recently started producing oyster mushrooms. I must say I was happy to see that but I was disturbed to see that, because of lack of adequate water, some of the work they are trying to do to help themselves is dying. Some of their clients include the Mount Nelson Hotel, Ilitha Labantu and Harvest of Hope amongst others. Our NDA supported them with over a quarter of a million rand.
Hon Chairperson, I have directed Sassa to work close with the NDA and the Department of Social Development to provide capacity building, mentorship and incubation support programmes to civil society organisations and aspirant entrepreneurs, including cooperatives. This is intended to champion the sustainable livelihood initiatives over the MTEF period, and we will again work with all three spheres of government in this regard.
We have noticed an increase in fraud and corruption activities especially with Sassa. We remain committed to fighting this
regressive behaviour across all our programmes. To this end, we have allocated R60 million to social grants fraud and investigation in the current financial year. As I informed the National Assembly two weeks ago, we have already suspended 2 800 potential fraudulent accounts, the majority of which are in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu- Natal. The issue here is that, that amount of money is money that we should be putting aside to support men and women in their small medium enterprises and co- operatives. But we know human behaviour is one of our challenges in South Africa and we have to deal with it.
In my Budget Vote speech in the National Assembly, I also pledged to create certainty in the department and its public entities, and especially finalising the structure of the department and that of Sassa. We have started taking decisive steps to do exactly that, starting with the stabilisation of Sassa. We have now appointed a permanent CEO, Ms Busisiwe Memela-Khambula who is with us here and we'll prioritise the filling of critical posts across the country.
We will also review the SA Social Security Agency Act to address governance matters within the agency. This is an important step forward that seeks to strengthen accountability and operational efficiency within the entity. Other key initiatives include: The finalisation of the definition of a basket of social security
benefits; addressing social grant exclusion errors; and finalising the draft regulations on the Social Assistance Amendment Act.
We have considered the recommendations of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development to strengthen the developmental role of the NDA. I have discussed this and other related matters, including the NDA's limited and skewed budget allocation with the board. Going forward, we will need the support of this House to extend our provincial reach especially to rural and township areas, as some of the agency's challenges are systemic by nature.
Hon Chair, a responsive developmental welfare approach lies at the heart of an inclusive and responsive social protection system that leaves no one behind. With this in mind, we intend to table a suite of legislative and policy initiatives to Cabinet. These include: the White Paper for Social Development; the Victim Support Services Bill; the Social Services Practitioners Bill; and the National Drug Master Plan.
One of the most urgent and critical areas of focus is to step up our efforts to tackle the scourge of alcohol and substance abuse which has reached epidemic proportions, particularly the increasing levels of addiction to designer drugs such as Nyaope, Tik and Whoonga. I
urge all South Africans, including members of this august House, to help us to fight this scourge by, among others: supporting provincial substance abuse fora and Local Drug Action Committees and most importantly, by encouraging those family members and friends who are affected by encouraging and believing in them, that they have the ability to overcome these additions. We also should condemn the selling of drugs and work with law enforcement agencies to root out these evils from our communities as they are destroying our young people. We all need to play our part.
We too, condemn with the strongest possible terms, the recent spate of drug-related gang violence terrorising townships and neighbourhoods across the Western Cape and other parts of the country. We are participating broadly from government in helping to deal with this.
We have committed to explore mechanisms to strengthen the Central Drug Authority, CDA as per the recommendations of the impact evaluation conducted by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. We have also committed to increase the cadres of social service professionals in the sector, particularly in light of social ills confronting our communities. I am pleased to inform this House that we have since 2017, converted the Social Work Scholarship Fund
to a conditional grant focusing on absorbing Social Work Scholarship graduates. We absorbed 746 social work graduates through the conditional grant in all provinces.
In addition, 595 social work graduates were appointed on contract for the implementation of HIV and AIDS social behaviour change intervention. I know that this is one of the biggest challenges in the provinces in relation to ensuring that social workers are occupied. But we also want to partner with other organisations especially the private sector.
Whilst this is encouraging, a large number of graduates, over 5 000 who received the scholarship remain unemployed. We have noted and welcomed the report of the Commission on Gender Equality regarding the support to organisations that render services including those of the Presidential Summit on Gender-based Violence and Femicide
Fifty million rand has been allocated from the Criminal Assets Recovery Account to support shelters and address the identified shortcomings. The Gender-Based Violence Command Centre continues to render the much-needed support to victims of gender-based violence.
We have made significant investment in ECD to 60 000 vulnerable children through the ECD Conditional Grant. This is in addition to over 600 000 children subsidised through the equitable share funding.
Hon Chairperson, in response to President Ramaphosa's call to collaborate and partner with civil society to build a social compact for a South Africa we want and the South African who must inhabit it, we conducted dialogues with the civil society sector organisations in all provinces in preparation for the upcoming presidential summit.
I would like to thank you, Chairperson as well as my Acting DG and the staff, and everyone who is here, and who assisted me in making sure that I make this presentation. Thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister, all MECs, the department and its agencies, hon members, distinguished guests, comrades and friends, the ANC rises in support of Vote 17 on Social Development.
Key to the ANC's social transformation programme is the meeting of social needs which are aimed at strategically dealing with the
triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality which confront the majority of our people who are poor and vulnerable.
In addressing these, the ANC has committed and continues commit to providing basic rights and a safety social net which includes other most vulnerable in society these being women, children, youth, older persons and families in need of care.
Promised on the 1955, freedom charter which expressed clearly our fight for human rights and the dignity for all our people. We entered into a social contract with our people through the Reconstruction and Development Programme (1994). This was to demonstrate our ability towards committing to the social transformation of our people, towards improving their lives for the better. That is why our social transformation policies are steeped in the principle of creating a better life for all. This we did, to address and undo the injustices of the past which had caused our people to live undignified lives, characterised poverty, unemployment and inequality.
That is why the ANC government in 1994, had to transcend the inherited social welfare system to a more developmental system called social development. The apartheid government, prior 1994 had
a social welfare service system, that entrenched the socio economic privileges of the white population. The social welfare service system under apartheid, made no reference to social protection as an inclusive term in South Africa.
The ANC's Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP, and the White Paper for Social Welfare, amongst other key documents provided the framework for the transformation of the social welfare services. A developmental approach was applied in the transformation of social welfare services and transpired within the confines of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which envisioned a more inclusive, equal and caring society.
It must be emphasised that, key to the White Paper was that this developmental social welfare approach, must be steeped in values such as a humane, peaceful, just, caring and society which will uphold welfare rights, facilitate the meeting of basic human needs, release people's creative energies, help them achieve their aspirations, build human capacity and self-reliance, and participate fully in all spheres of social, economic and political life. The aim was to meet the basic needs of all people in South Africa, by transforming the entirety of society.
Fundamentally, introduced through the developmental social welfare approach, were interventions that redistributed resources and benefits with the objective of empowering disadvantaged groups and raising the general welfare of society.
This resonates well with two key policy positions in the ANC, that our attack on poverty must seek to empower people to take them out of poverty and that social grants must not create dependency and must be linked to economic activity. Over the past 25 years, the governments approach to social developmental welfare has been anchored on empowering our people to help them and becoming independent. That is why we strongly welcome the Minster's approach of changing the narrative that social development is about disbursements of grants. Rather it is about the development and empowerment of our people, through the usage of grants. The grant system must link our people to economic activity.
South Africa's commitment to social protection is reflected in government's expenditure on this item since the advent of democracy. We reaffirm this assertion in this policy vote.
Key to the ANC social transformation programme is the meeting of social needs which are aimed at strategically dealing with the
triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality which confront the majority of our people who are poor and vulnerable. In addressing these, the ANC had committed and continues to provide basic rights and a safety social net which includes all other most vulnerable in society.
After the successive ANC administrations, working with the people, has over the 25 years put in place a progressive social wage that protects the dignity of the vulnerable children, the elderly and people living with disabilities. The ANC's social protection policies and programmes over the last 25 years have commendably enabled millions of poor people to change their livelihoods for the better.
The ANC policy inputs into the final Constitution of the Republic expressed the ANC's commitment to a society that is free and open based on democratic values where the dignity and worth of every South African is protected by law. It is this context that our task is to construct a socially, inclusive society, one that prioritises the elimination of poverty, inequality, unemployment and underdevelopment, which are elements that undermine the dignity of our people. The dictum that the poor will always be with us should be rejected as poverty is created by society and it can therefore
for be eliminated by society. The ANC in its resolve to address poverty and inequality, has committed to providing a social safety net for the poor and the most vulnerable, which includes women, children, youth, families in need of care and older persons.
We remain committed in ensuring that a decent life is created for our people. This will require a comprehensive social security system, which is underpinned by the elimination of poverty and is linked towards the reduction of inequality. This is particularly important, as the key outcome of the social transformation goal of the ANC seeks to ensure the restoration of the total human dignity for all South Africans.
The department needs to have mechanisms in place to monitor the funds that have been allocated to provinces, non-governmental organisations and non- profit organisations. This committee was of the view that the Minister must provide oversight to the monies transferred to provinces.
On early childhood development, ECD, the committee noted that the programme will be moved to the Department of Basic Education, but is of the view that Social Development will play a vital role of the kids and funding of the ECD programmes. We also welcome your view
Minister that we must build partnership with business and other role players in the ECD field.
Although the department drafts certain plans and programmes, the committee is of the view that this department will not have the capacity to implement, for instance, the drug master plan and urges the department to work with the South African Police Service on this plan
Minister we also need to applaud you and the department in your efforts in combating corruption in the department and different agencies. The committee expressed its concern about the lack of compliance with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). The matter was highlighted in the Fifth Parliament. The committee is of the view that this is a matter that worries us. The committee was also of the view that people need to stick to the National Treasury guidelines and regulations. And we know that we can count on your oversight, together with us on this matter.
The committee said the levels of crime in the Western Cape are concerning and disturbing. Criminals are intensifying their activities. The Army has been brought in to assist in the fight against crime. But, the committee is of the view that this cannot be
a long term solution and that this department must play a vital role. We also applaud you Minister for the efforts that you are taking in participating as the Minister of Social Development to be part of all the discussions that take place to bring stability within the Western Cape
In conclusion the direction on the path ahead has been stated by the President. The work now is to ensure that our people used the safety nets that we give to them out of poverty. We have to ensure that we work together with the Social Development Portfolio to ensure that it delivers quality services to improve the lives of all South Africans, particularly the most poor and marginalised sections of our communities. The ANC supports Vote 17 on Social Development. I thank you.
Thank you Deputy Chairperson, Honourable Deputy Chairperson, Honourable Members, fellow South Africans, Minister, South Africa's population is estimated to have increased to 57,73 million in 2018, of whom a great percentage are youth and the proportion of elderly persons aged 60 and older is also steadily increasing. 30.4 million people, are living in poverty, 43.5% of children are living below the median income per capita and 41.7% of our female population live below lower- bound poverty lines compared
to 38.2% of their male counterparts. Added to this, school drop outs, incarcerations, the high HIV and Aids prevalence, substance abuse, unemployment and violence against women is of great concern as it affects mostly our youth.
l believe that we are all in agreement that the country is facing a crisis of epic proportions in terms of the ever-increasing rates of poverty and that we are nowhere near alleviating these high levels of poverty, unemployment, inequality and other social ills in our country. As a result of the above it is estimated that social grants will grow to 18.1 million beneficiaries by the end of March 2022. Social assistance is currently budgeted for at R175 billion for 2019/2020 and this includes grants for old age, war veterans, disability, foster care, care dependency, child support, grant-in- aid and social relief of distress. While it is commendable that we look after our vulnerable in society, it is extremely concerning that so many people depend on these social grants and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel in terms of sustainable jobs in South Africa.
For many South Africans the South African Social Security Agency, SASSA, grant means the difference between putting food on the table and going hungry, yet over the years there has been many technical
glitches which have hit many recipients of the grant. While the transition from Cash Payment Services, CPS, to the South Africa Post Office has been implemented, it is not without problems. Many recipients have complained about the distances to post offices, especially those that leave in rural areas, where taxi fare is expensive, and many have no choice but to make use of such services. Where shops have been identified in certain areas to assist with payments, their charges have been extremely high, and many people cannot afford to pay the levy that the shops charge.
Further to this dilemma is the delay in appointing enough doctors to evaluate the disability grants, and this has meant that many disabled people are without grants for months at a time waiting to be attended to by a doctor. Where is the dignity in this type of treatment? Added to these problems are loans sharks who often prey on the vulnerable and hold on to recipient's cards, cards that are duplicated and money drawn by scammers, SASSA officers that are robbed at gunpoint and many more issues plaguing the grant system and often leaving recipients without money.
A solution would be to grow the economy and create jobs. Without sustainable work you cannot experience real dignity. Without a job you become reliant on the state's grants, or on remittances from
family members. Without a job you live at the mercy of others, and that is not real freedom, that is not an existence worthy of human dignity. Minister, added to the social ills of joblessness is substance abuse, which has a ripple effect to other community and social ills such as crime and gangsterism. I would like to focus on substance abuse centres and the appointment of social workers. In the Northern Cape, the long-awaited drug rehabilitation centre has opened its doors, but because of red tape many desperate addicts have to date, not been placed. There have been numerous complaints of people from outside the province being placed in the facility, while there is a waiting list for patients within the province.
The centre is also not adequately staffed or furnished. The people of the Northern Cape have been waiting for this centre for than 10 years and it still seems as though no help is forthcoming. As the country battles with drug and alcohol abuse, thousands of social work graduates trained at a huge state expense are languishing at home without work. The number of these unemployed youth, who should be absorbed by the Department of Social Development, was approximately 8600 last year when 4 840 social work students with bursaries from the department complete their studies. Social workers render an important service to vulnerable communities. Women, children, people with disabilities and the elderly, who are abused,
at risk, abandoned or neglected, are dependent on specialised social work professionals who can dedicate enough time to provide comprehensive support, which is currently impossible given the current shortages and extensive demand in our communities.
The Department must address the current shortages and placements as a matter of urgency if it is ever going to adequately address the issues facing South Africa's vulnerable citizens. After more than two decades of democracy, South Africa is still struggling with poverty, inequality, unemployment and hunger and while the policies of the Department of Social Development are commendable, it seems that there is a distinct inability to implement these policies. The DA has the following solutions: To increase the child grant to the food poverty line as an initial increase, we have already proposed amendments in Parliament to the Appropriations Bill to make this a reality, but the proposal was opposed by the ANC. Ensure a 100% uptake of the child grant from birth to maximise its positive impact by allowing pregnant moms to complete the bulk of the administrative requirements for the child grant before birth so that when the baby is born, the grant is simply activated. Adopt a zero-tolerance approach to the misuse of the child grant by parents or guardians by increasing the number of social workers servicing families and ensuring that they assist with social grant abuse cases at
magistrate's courts; and improving staffing and resourcing of magistrates courts where people can apply to have child support and foster grants either transferred to the person taking care of the child or alternatively have the grant converted to vouchers.
Minister, the Department of Social Development has a duty to the citizens of this country to ensure food security, alleviate poverty and provide social assistance to the vulnerable in our society. The department has been battling to achieve these goals with many households still not enjoying food security or receiving the necessary social assistance. We will continue to closely monitor the performance plans of the department and strive to work together to achieve its goals of alleviating poverty, inequality and unemployment in our country. Thank you
Before we continue, please let us not change the conventions of the NCOP. Address the Chair of the session.
Hon Chairperson; hon Deputy Chairperson I greet you, the Executive, Minister, Deputy Ministers, hon members of the NCOP, our social partners; Ladies and Gentlemen; allow me to greet you again this afternoon.
Hon Chairperson, as the Eastern Cape we stand here today to support and affirm the Budget Vote as outlined by the hon Minister Lindiwe Zulu. This budget is in line with the election manifesto of the ANC and carries the aspirations of our people as we were interacting with them in the election campaign.
It is a great honour for me to address this house today on the priorities of the Department of Social Development and its subsequent resourcing. The budget speech has provided a framework and a guide on which aligns our policies, programmes, and our service deliverables towards realising social transformation.
Hon Deputy Chairperson, I am mindful of the fact that I deliver this input during the Mandela Month, which is a constant reminder that we must strive for a caring society for all, particularly the vulnerable members of our society.
This is an opportunity to celebrate Tata Nelson Mandela's life for the whole of July and provides everyone with the opportunity to heed the call to action for people to recognise their individual power and make an imprint and change the world around them.
Hon Chairperson, we support and reaffirm the theme of the budget vote 17 of the department of Social Development which says
"Working together to empower communities for sustainable livelihood".
As the hon Minister, correctly indicated in her budget vote; the work of the department is to provide investment in programmes and services that enable individuals and communities to participate in their own development.
We further recommit ourselves to articulation by the Minister on the role of the department within the context of a developmental state. Hon Deputy Chairperson, our set priorities include, amongst other the following; Early Childhood Development, fighting child abuse, neglect and exploitation Gender based violence, Youth and Women Development, especially those not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) and also deepening comprehensive social assistance.
Honourable chair, these priorities are anchored by the NDP vision which seeks to establish and responsive social protection services. In this regard, we want to ensure that families, as the cornerstone
of a developmental society are given the opportunity and support to be self-reliant and be care for them to develop their children.
It is a fact that learning begins at birth and continues throughout life. Hon Deputy Chairperson, we must, therefore, applaud the allocation of 212 million Rand to the NDA and 518 million Rand of the ECD conditional grants to provinces. This demonstrates our commitment towards early childhood development.
The 6th Administration has through the Minister reiterated that the department would work with greater effort to unleash the economic potential of our young people and rural communities by ensuring that they have access to skills, assets and opportunities.
investments critical for sustainable development, and these
investments are critical in the context of the fourth Industrial revolution. In addition, the 30% procurement policy of government
contracts will continue to be used to support Small and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs).
Hon members, in view of the escalating incidences of violence
against women, the department will intensify the implementation of prevention programmes to create awareness and mitigate the impact on the victims and also focus on hate crimes against LGBTQI community.
The partnership with the Department of Education and Health to intensify the Sanitary Dignity Campaign Program to female learners in Grade 4 to grade 12 in Quintile 1 schools is an important intervention that we must all support and sustain.
Here, we have also called upon our social partners to take the sanitary towels campaign to even greater heights, in our endeavour to provide girls with uninterrupted education. Hon Chairperson, we increasing the rigour around performance management to ensure that we achieve better use of our resources and value for money. As you might be aware, we had a serious challenge with the payments of NPOs on time and allegations of corruption within the system.
As we continue to deliver our services in a developmental approach instead of a welfare one, I would like to call on our officials and
the general public to participate in the IDP processes. This process goes a long way in assisting the department in its planning.
Commisars, Fighters ...
IsiZulu:
... nalawo asemakhaya ngiyanibingelela, ...
English:
... Deputy Chairperson, South Africa right now has expanded unemployment rate of 38%, for women it is even higher sitting at 41,5%. Eighty per cent of all land in the country is in the hands of a small group of whites, and close to half of the population lives below the poverty line. We have a national housing waiting list close to four million.
IsiZulu:
Abantu bethu baphila ngaphandle kukagesi, izindlu, amanzi kanye nezindlu zangasese.
English:
This is the reality of South Africa.
IsiZulu:
Emuva kweminyaka eminingi lelizwe lisahlezi ngaphansi kwencindezelo
...
English:
... and in the last 25 years corruption and incompetence. Our people have no means to survive with dignity. The land that was once the basis of wealth was stolen and people cannot find work and jobs. Instead, they rely on the grant that the government provides. This is the consequence of the ANC's continued to embrace of neoliberal economics.
IsiZulu:
Ngqongqoshe sonke siyazi ukuthi kuyimanje cishe bonke abantu abalinganiselwa kusigidi esiyi-18 lapha eNingizimu Afrika bathembele kwisibonelelo sikahulumeni futhi usuku nosuku lezibalo ziyakhula.
English:
It is these 18 million South African people and their families who rely on your department to prevent them from falling into total desperation.
IsiZulu:
Kepha lokhu abakutholayo akubaneli nhlobo nhlobo.
English:
We say the social grants must be doubled with the understanding that this is not a long-term solution to poverty. This can only be addressed in the long term through land and wealth redistribution, economic development and industrialisation. But in the meantime, our social grants cannot be so little that people barely survive on them. Where is the dignity of feeding yourself and feeding your child on R480 grant? The government can change this if it doubles social grant.
IsiZulu:
Imali ikhona uma nje ...
English:
... the correct economic policies are adopted in the long term and fewer people will need a social grant. Another issue that your department, more specifically the social grants office, needs to address is municipalities charging households who are receiving grants.
IsiZulu:
Ngqongqoshe akwenzi mqondo ophusile ukuthi lo hulumeni ukhokhisa laba bantu imali kagesi namanzi. Kanti kungani bathole izibonelelo zikahulume aphinde futhi uhulumeni athathe yona lemali encane abanikeza yona? Akudingi ukuthi uze ube nediploma ukuthi wazi ukuthi umuntu othola isibonelelo sikahulemeni akakwazi ukukhokhela ugesi namanzi.
English:
What also needs to be finalised is the migration of all beneficiaries to the Postbank. Currently, there are still too many social grant recipients who have not been moved over and this should not be taking so long. We also need to see your department migrate all social grant beneficiaries to the Postbank. Currently, 70% of all beneficiaries have still not been migrated.
IsiZulu:
Kuleminyaka eyedlule izibalo zamacala enkohlakalo eMnyangweni wakho alinganiselwa kwizi-20 000, lokho kucaca futhi kusobala ukuthi kunabantu abayizi-5 000 abangakwazi ukuthola izibonelelo zabo zikahulumeni.
English:
All those who lost out on their grants must immediately receive their back payments, and you must make an effort to stamp out corruption at the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, Minister. We cannot have people losing out on the little they get from your department because you employ people who are incompetent and full of corruption.
IsiZulu:
Ngqongqoshe ngeke futhi ngeke size sikwazi ukwemukela le sabiwomali kuze kube ukuthi uMnyango wakho uyabalungiselela labo abathola izibonelelo zikahulumeni nanokuthi kumele ukuthi imali yesibonelelo inyuswe. Siyi-EFF asisamukeli le sabiwomali. Siyabonga. [Ihlombe.]
Hon Deputy Chairperson, the Chief whip of the NCOP, hon Minister, hon MECs, hon members and esteemed guests. Deputy Chairperson, the democratic government inherited a social welfare system based on racial exclusion and inequalities; where the white
population enjoyed socio-economic privileges which characterised the welfare policy of the apartheid regime.
This entrenched poverty and inequality. The white population was well- resourced and had access to better welfare services, as compared to the black, coloured and Indian population groups. It was thus, an urgent imperative that the democratic government transforms and extends the social protection system to the entire population after 1994.
This imperative was premised on the ANC's Reconstruction Development Programme, RDP, and on the Constitution, in particular on Section 27. Post 1994, fundamentally transforming South Africa was steeped in the constitutional provisions that envisioned a more inclusive, equal and caring society.
These principles find resonance in the vision of the developmental approach to welfare provisions as outlined in the RDP, which contributed to the development of the White Paper for Social Welfare, which was used to reform social welfare service.
It was Parliament that described the key thrust of the developmental social welfare approach adopted by the white paper as:
Humane, peaceful, just and caring society which will uphold welfare rights, facilitate the meeting of basic human needs, release people's creative energies, help them achieve their aspirations, build human capacity and self-reliance, and participate fully in all spheres of social, economic and political life.
Deputy Chairperson, the democratic government's social protection framework is premised on the principle of comprehensiveness, largely because it consists of income support, social insurance and the provision of free basic services to vulnerable households; which constitute government's holistic approach to addressing poverty.
This is completely the opposite of the social welfare service provided by the apartheid regime, which did not always apply a holistic approach. The apartheid regime did not take into account and respond to the needs of the poor and the vulnerable. No attention was paid to empowering poor and vulnerable communities to ensure that they become self-sufficient.
Chairperson, social assistance is the one area where significant changes and progress has been made by the democratic government. The changes include modifying the previous social protection system to
eliminate racial inequities and introducing some new guarantees and benefits like the Child Support Grant, CSG, which was introduced in 1998.
It initially targeted children aged 0 to 7 years. The age limit of the CSG was gradually raised to 18 years. The Old Age Grant, OAG, was normalised so that blacks would also get a monthly income, unlike before 1994, when they received it once in two months.
The age limit for men was gradually lowered from 65 to 60 to match the limit for women. Social grants became a core component of South Africa's poverty alleviation strategy. The Disability Grant, Foster Care Grant, Care Dependency Grant and the War Veterans' Grant were extended.
Social assistance provision represents a sustained redistribution of resources to the poor and remains the democratic government's most effective poverty alleviation programme. Social assistance programme has been expanding at an unprecedented rate from covering just 2,7 million people in 1994 to covering over 17,5 million to date.
Chairperson, Social assistance has over the years assisted families and children including those who are orphaned due to HIV and Aids.
In addition, there are many families that would not be able to put food on the table if it was not for social grants, given the gloomy economic climate which makes the creation of jobs difficult, and also given the fact that some of the job seekers are unemployable due to lack of skills.
Women on maternity leave, who paid into the UIF for 13 weeks or more, will now be entitled to receive benefits for between 17 and 32 weeks and receive a flat rate of 66% of their salary. These benefits also extend to the LGBTQI community.
To expand its reach to vulnerable children in communities, the Department of Social Development adopted community based prevention and early intervention child and youth care services model known as Isibindi Model. More than 455 922 learners living in youth-headed households passed matric through the intervention of Isibindi Programme, and more 304 913 of these learners survived on social grants.
The department will continue to maintain and extend our social security system to protect the vulnerable and to reduce poverty.
Chairperson, as committed to in our 2019 ANC Provincial and National Elections Manifesto:
We will further improve the lives of millions of South Africans by working towards comprehensive social security, building houses close to work opportunities, providing affordable basic services and building reliable public transport.
Social security remains a necessity for the social well-being of our people. We do acknowledge that despite major successes in our provision of adequate social security coverage since 1994, there are those who are not covered by existing programmes.
Our commitment is that we will make comprehensive social security coverage a majority over the next five years. This entails defining a basket of social security benefits that all should access with the delivery of a package of services free from administrative burdens.
Address social grants exclusion errors by improving targeting of orphans, children, the aged on farms, remote rural areas and people with disabilities.
Increase Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF, and coverage as currently only 5% of unemployed people benefit from this fund. Support child headed families through social security.
Finalise a comprehensive policy on social security that will include low- paid workers and informal traders, as well as pregnancy and maternity benefit scheme.
Chairperson, the Social Assistance Act of 2004 and regulations to the Act provide the legal framework for the administration of seven grants. The Social African Social Security Agency, SASSA, administers social grants. As per the SASSA Act, its mandate is;
To ensure the provision of comprehensive social security services against vulnerability and poverty within the constitutional legislative framework.
In closing, Chairperson, the ANC has resolved that there should be a comprehensive strategy that co-ordinates and monitors the protection of vulnerable groups, which must be resourced to ensure that these vulnerable groups are protected.
Social transformation must empower our people to lift themselves out of poverty and change their lives for the better, whilst ensuring that a safety net is provided for the vulnerable.
It is through this budget that our policy will be implemented to ensure that it responds towards changing the lives of our people for the better. The ANC supports Budget Vote 17: Social Development. Thank you, Chairperson.
Chairperson, South Africa needs a new vision for the future, a vision where we as individuals as well as communities once again take control of our future. Chairperson, this is a future based on the values of integrity, honesty, hard work, mutual respect and neighbourly love. Such values have always been the steady foundation for the creation of a future of peace, safety and prosperity. Currently government's objective to relieve poverty and create wealth merely by distributing wealth is not working. That is why we have drug and alcohol abuse and gangsterism.
The directions associated with this objective are obstructing economic growth whilst poverty and unemployment are on the rise. Affirmative action or race-based action is leaving a trail of economic destruction behind. Yes, the FF Plus admits that some
people who have abundant potential were unable to reach their full potential due to shortcomings in the system. These people deserve active support, but it should not be to the detriment of other people. To blindly enforce racial quotas is a manifold injustice.
The policy of Black Economic Empowerment, BEE, resulted and still does in black elite empowerment whereby wealth is redistributed rather than created. Wealth cannot be created by distributing it. Assets are being handed out to specific black individuals instead of stimulating entrepreneurship and community upliftment. Economic empowerment in South Africa must not be aimed at the enrichment of certain individuals, but rather the true empowerment of entire communities.
Chairperson, the colour of one's skin cannot be used as a generalized indication of being previously disadvantaged and therefore, skin colour can also not be used as a condition for empowerment. Socioeconomic conditions like poverty, unemployment and a lack of access to quality education must rather be used as the criteria for empowerment. Growth and development are the only sustainable methods of empowerment.
Afrikaans:
Voorsitter, kom ek gee 'n voorbeeld van hoe die ANC se beleid van sterker swart ekonomiese bemagtiging - en die party wat daarvoor gestem het sal weet wie hulle is - uiteindelik die armstes van ons land affekteer.
Waar maarskappye voorheen geld vir nieregeringsorganises geskenk het, is hulle na die implementering van die strenger swart ekonomiese bemagtingswetgewing, SEB, nou huiwerig om geld te skenk, want hulle SEB- punte mag hulle belastingstatus benvloed.
Kom ons gebruik kinderhuise as voorbeeld. Indien daar een wit kind in die kinderhuis is, sal maatskappye weens die SEB-teikens nie belasting kan terugeis nie.
So, as daar 'n 100 kinders in 'n kinderhuis is, en een kind is wit, huiwer maatskappye nou om geld te skenk. Die effek is dat die res van die 99 kinders nou niks kry nie.
English:
To the ANC I would like to say, that is why two wrongs do not make a right, and this is not a matter of businesses having the wrong motives for their tax returns. In fact, business has remained an important source of income for non-governmental organisations, NGOs.
Afrikaans:
Intussen sukkel nieregeringsorganisasies om hulle toelaes uit die departement te kry. Toelaes vat jare om betaal te word en verhogings word nie eers oorweeg nie. Baie van hierdie nieregeringsorganisasies se inkomste kom van skenkings wat hulle van die privaatsektor ontvang.
English:
Speaker, as we speak, the Free State Department of Social Development is being sued for not implementing their payment policies correctly. This battle has been dragging for years. In the meantime, the poorest of the poor who are extremely dependent on these NGOs to deliver services, are being penalised.
Afrikaans:
Ons verwerp die toepassing van rassekwotas in die toewysing van staatsbefondsing aan maatskaplike diensorganisasies. Armoede is 'n nasionale probleem wat 'n baie groot gedeelte van die samelewing vanuit alle gemeenskappe raak.
Maatskaplike ontwikkeling bly 'n belangrike sosiale plig, wat die staat moet nakom. Armoedebekamping in gemeenskapsverband is deur die jare beproef as die mees effektiewe vorm van armoedeverligting.
Daarom sal die VF Plus hom daarvoor beywer om gemeenskapsgebaseerde, maatskaplike diens te bevorder.
English:
However, the current funding model and policy is not building a better future because if you have a social responsibility, all lives matter.
Afrikaans:
Ek dank u.
Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members and the fellow South Africans, while my fellow fighter has addressed the issues of the social grant system, I will be speaking about the other areas that the department should be working on. The mandate of your department goes beyond just providing social. It is to provide all social development services. This includes everything from social workers and counsellors, to rehabilitation centres and women's shelters. All of these are needed because 25 years into ANC rule, our society is collapsing and the suffering of our people is only getting worse.
The youth around the country are hooked by substance abuse. Nyaope and Tic are the worst of them. Drugs are killing our young people and it is destroying our communities. Young men are stealing from their own families to feed their drug habits. People are being stabbed for a mere R2 because drug addicts need to get their next fix. This department can and must do more. It must begin to work with other departments, including the Departments of Police, Health, Education, Sports and Recreation, to develop joint programmes that will allow us to tackle the drug crisis facing South Africa. In this fight this department can play an important role, and that is to provide drug rehabilitation services. Young people who are hooked on drugs must be able to find a space in our society where they are able to properly recover from their addiction, so that they can once be integrated into society and become functioning and productive members. This department must provide good quality, well-staffed and well- resourced rehabilitation centres which allow drug addicts to recover from drug addiction, and once again become functioning members of the society.
While proper rehabilitation centres are a short-term solution to drug addiction. The long term approach for the department can take is by training and deploying social workers across our country. We need to have social workers and counsellors in schools, hospitals,
police stations, orphanages, universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Tvet, and at work places. The South African Police currently only employs 114 counsellors and only 200 social workers. That means that the majority of police stations do not have the ability and the capacity to counsel all the people that come in. Children who experience trauma need counselling. That is why we cannot accept that schools, Tvets and clinics do not have social workers.
Our people, particularly women and young people experience the trauma of poverty, violence, unemployment and dispossession everyday. That is why we are seeing so many young people with mental health issues leading to suicide. If your department does not ensure the expansion of the social worker programme, our young people will continue to die and suffer from drug abuse and mental health issues.
Another area where your department should establish joint programmes with other government departments, it is in regards to the issue of sanitary pads. All girl children whether at schools, universities or Tvet, must receive sanitary pads and free of charge. The government has the money it needs the political will, the same way that condoms are distributed pads can be distributed that are made in South Africa. We also need to see your department putting more resources
towards women's shelters. Abused women need a place of shelter and comfort that they can go to, otherwise they will never be able to escape abusive relationships. The importance of shelters for abused women must not be ignored.
Hon Chairperson, despite the growing need for this department we continue to see cuts in staff as well as in the budget for equipment and machinery. This department will not be able to improve service delivery if it is reducing staff. The primary mandate of the Department of Social is and I quote: "The provision of comprehensive, integrated and sustainable social development services." It is clear that this department does not have the capacity or budget to fulfil this mandate that is why the EFF rejects this budget. I thank you.
Hon deputy Chairperson, hon Minister Zulu, deputy Minister Zulu all MeCs here present, special and permanent delegates to the NCOP. Distinguished guest, fellow South African, good afternoon.
Since it Mandela month, I would like to start with the quote by Nelson Mandela which resonates deeply with me, and I quote: "There is nothing I fear more than working up without a programme that will
help bring a little happiness to those with no resources, those who are poor illiterate and riddled with terminal disease."
Hon deputy Chairperson, as we usher along our 25th year of our democracy, one thing is evident, for the sake of future generation to come, we must work harder and any generation has come before us to eradicate poverty and unemployment.
We find that under the leadership of our current national government, work opportunities are and few between. Poverty is the worse we have experienced since 2009 with an estimated 30 million out of the 56 million South Africans living below the poverty line. Furthermore deputy Chairperson, 9.9 million people do have jobs who have given up hope of finding a job. It is to this degree that I am in full agreement with my national counter part, the hon Bridgette Masondo in that and I quote: "The department and its entities alone will not be able to turn the tide of service delivery, eradicating the levels of vulnerability in our society and dealing decisively with those who have been found guilty of misconduct. It requires deputy Chairperson, a whole of society approach.
We are today feeling the effect of the economy in distress. An economy plagued by fraud, corruption, maladministration and greed
which has a direct impact on the funding to provinces. And in fact the most vulnerable and marginalised in our communities. It is not only the department of social development that is feeling the pinch, but the average man on the street, who have to struggle to pay for public transport to get to work. The mother at home who finds herself paying double amount she did for her children's school lunch as she did five years ago. The business owner who struggles to keep his door open, not only because the prices of goods and services has gone up drastically over the years, but also due to playing catch up over the lost profits he or she has been subjected to as a consequence of black out and protests action.
Our NGO partners who play a pivotal role in our ability to reach all our residence across the provinces, remain a key partner in our efforts. However, the current economic climate and the reduction of the overall fiscal base, may have negative consequences for our support to NGO's.
I personally believe that with the collaborative efforts between all spheres of government, SAPS, the criminal justice system civil society and members of the community, we can win the fight of alleviating many of the social ills plaguing our society.
Hon deputy chairperson, only a whole of societal approach through the efforts of all spheres can put a stop to the demonic acts of violence being witnessed by our communities. I believe that it takes a community to raise a child. Let us unite to protect our children from the scourge of substance abuse and addiction. Let us go back to the old adage, let's start practising; your child is my child.
To help address the escalating substance abuse problem in the Western Cape, our social work staffs will continue to be capacitated to deal with those preventative as well as treatment options for substance abuse by the provincial department's funded studies at the university. However, we do need more social workers on the ground.
In terms of programmes for, namely welfare services policy development and implementation and the sub-programme for substance abuse, I picked up that in 2018/19 year 109 million was allocated for this programme. However, this funding allocation seemingly is no longer as a priority as national department has only been allocated 20.9 million for the 2019/20 financial year. A reduction of 89 million in this very important programme.
Hon Chairperson, this leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of many of our people who are battling to fight the scourge of addiction. We
continuously witness the fear and terror imposed on our communities because of substance.
In 2007/8 there were 45 936 cases of drug related cases in the Western Cape. A serious cause for concern is that this number has risen to 117 157, according to the latest crime stats. We need to foster strong relationships with SAPS and criminal justice system, to give effect to the National Drug Master Plan and curb the abuse that is happening in our broken communities.
The department it is welcoming that Minister Zulu mentioned that her department, our department will also be expending treatment, rehabilitation and re-integration services to individuals affected and that part of that expending treatment involves building new public treatment centres especially in areas where there were in non existence before. In Minister Zulu's words, I quote: "Our target is to build at least one in every province.
The people in the Western Cape, through you Chairperson to the Minister, look forward in anticipation to see that commitment realised. Our provincial department is increasingly working on measures to ensure that those people with disabilities have equal access to job opportunities as those who are not disabled. We are
ever believe that in order for us to achieve this goal, national government needs to put in place legislation that supports those with disabilities being granted an equal opportunity to live a life they value in an open opportunity society for all.
Although the 2015 White Paper on the rights of persons with disabilities has been established, there is a great need for the provision highlighted in the document to become law. On another important note, hon Chairperson, Minister Zulu highlighted that and then I quote:" To-date we have extended social grants from 2 million in 1994 to 17.6 million beneficiaries.
It is deeply concerning that national government celebrates that we will be expending social grants to an estimated figure of 18.7 million beneficiaries by 2021. This means that more people are becoming dependent on the state. How is it possible that we live a nation where we celebrate people becoming poorer?
Further hon Chairperson, it saddens my heart to hear that when beneficiaries; the majority of whom are pensioners collect their grants from SASSA offices, they are faced with an ardently long waiting times with no or a complete lack of information as when they will be assisted. We urge that SASSA ensures that the
beneficiaries's personal information is not disclosed. We cannot have are most vulnerable people in society being taken advantage of due to negligence or national government's part.
If the ANC led national government is serious about alleviating poverty and assisting the 1.5 million residents who desperately need the SASSA social grants in the Western Cape, they would address the matter of the many post offices which are closing and pay points which are closing down, causing the most vulnerable to use their hard earned grants that they rely on to get them to collect.
Hon Chairperson, as the DA led Western Cape government we will continue to work tirelessly to improve the services, we deliver to the people of our province. However, government cannot achieve this alone. At the provincial level we will strive to maintain and strengthen our relationship with entities such as SASSA and the NDA to ensure they fulfil their mandate.
We also need to discuss the very pressing issue of social relief of the street kids. Hon Members, let's agree to unite and work together to address the issues that affect the poor, the vulnerable and the most marginalised in our communities, I thank you.
Hon Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, Minister and Deputy Minister,'hon members of the NCOP, MECs, Social Partners, fellow South African, ladies and gentlemen, I greet you all. Let me thank you for this opportunity and we are humbled to take part in this debate.
It is indeed an honour to be part of this debate, taking place in a month our country and the world over are celebrating Mandela Month. We recall his words when he said: "To educate all of our children must be one of our most urgent priorities. We all know that education, more than anything else, improves our chances of building better lives".
This debate is also taking place in a year marking 25 years of our democracy and freedom. It is critical that we look at the past 25 years in a manner that will enrich our understanding and further make a contribution to a South Africa that we all want. A South Africa that will in the next 25 years, make massive progress in tackling poverty, inequality and unemployment.
President Ramaphosa has already challenged us in this State of the Nation Address in June 2019 when he said: "This is a government that is not afraid of new ideas, and of new ways of thinking" Indeed
President, we will not be afraid as per the theme under which the Minister delivered the Budget Vote, which said to work together to empower communities for sustainable livelihoods. This budget vote has described the measures that will distinguish us in the execution of our duties. Our people have been sending strong messages demanding improved services that are fundamental to a better quality of life.
We must embrace working together in order to respond to the legitimate expectations of our people. This requires that we be alive to a host of challenges that our sector faces. The Constitution enjoins us as government to restore the dignity of our people. In Limpopo, more than 1, 5 million of our people are dependent on one or another form of social security grant, and we have a massive responsibility to demonstrate determination and commitment.
Social security impact of the Department of Social Development is evident in communities through different grants afforded to our people. We are therefore delighted that the budget vote acknowledges the critical role that social security grants and access to nutritious cooked food in the Community Nutrition and Development Centres, CNDCs, played and continue to play in the lives of South
Africans who depend on them for sustenance. Without social security assistance more than 1, 5 million people in our province might end up going hungry on a daily basis.
Through the social security grants and the CNDC initiatives this budget vote provides hope to those who need social assistance for sustenance. Similarly, we are delighted by the progress achieved thus far in the implementation of the South African Social Security Agency, SASSA, -South African Post Office, SAPO, partnership on disbursing social security grants as well as the commitment this budget vote makes to continue with the different options made available to our beneficiaries to access their social grants. The availability of the different pay point options assist where one necessary infrastructure is not available, our people are able to access their grants through other options made available.
Significantly we are heartened by the fact that this budget vote delivered under the theme of working together to empower communities for sustainable livelihoods places the social sector on trajectory beyond the basic provision of social security grants to our people. It has extraordinarily extended focus of the department towards sustainable empowerment and restoring permanently the dignity of those that are considered poor and vulnerable. It is our assertion
that the trajectory to empower communities for sustainable livelihoods will go a long way towards ensuring that the 1.5 million people dependent on social security grants in Limpopo become self - reliant citizens.
The commitment to continue with funding the National Development Agency, to provide institutional capacity to civil society organisations rendering social services as well as support that the budget vote commits to cooperatives is welcomed. Indeed cooperatives are critical vehicles through which the poor amongst our people get involved in meaningful economic activities. It is indeed a fact that South Africa is currently confronted with the escalation of gender based violence and alcohol and substance abuse particularly amongst the youth. American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said "We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future"
We are encouraged that this budget vote provides a road map for us as South Africans to fight alcohol and substance abuse as a way to build our youth for the future. In support of this budget vote, Limpopo is committed to put tangible programmes geared towards ensuring that young people stay away from alcohol and substance
abuse while undertaking on efforts to rehabilitate those already entrapped in the net of alcohol and substance abuse.
It is our view that the approval of the Drug Master Plan as envisaged in the budget vote will definitely lead to much more coordination of efforts by different stakeholders in the fight against alcohol and substance abuse. With regards to alcohol and substance, it is a fact that gender based violence; child neglect and abuse are amongst the critical social ills tormenting our society. It therefore gives us pleasure that the budget vote has provided as amongst priorities that need to be speedily addressed. A society that does not respect and protect its women and children is not serious about its future.
We are prepared to mobilize various stakeholders in the fight against gender based violence, children abuse and neglect. Social services professionals are foot soldiers at the coal face of rendering of social welfare services to our people. We take pride that the budget vote has acknowledged the challenge of scarcity of social services professionals as well as lack of capacity to afford employment opportunities for all social work graduates and auxiliaries our country has produced. We are confident that through the demand and supply model and the commitment and political will,
as illustrated in the budget vote these challenges are going to be resolved.
We are therefore grateful that the budget vote has allocated R1 4 billion towards subsidy of 120 000 children and R 265 4 million towards the upgrading of Early Childhood Developments, ECDs, to meet norms and standards over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF. This investment will go a long way in ensuring that we build better lives for our children. We welcome and support this budget vote and it is our firm belief that it will assist in ensuring sustainable provision of social protection services and lead government efforts to forge partnerships through which vulnerable individuals, groups and communities to become capable and self- reliant participants in their own development. Let us grow South Africa together. I thank you.
Madam Chairperson, the Minister, we saw the showdown between the former Minister regarding the S A Social Security Agency, Sassa and Cash Paymaster Services, CPS. We feel that the essence and the sense of moral responsibility have been lost regarding this department. This department must realise the benefit and need to invest adequate funds on the infrastructure that are of benefit to Sassa offices and beneficiaries. Some Sassa offices are
in desperate need of basic provisions for the beneficiary's experience such as chairs, clean and safe toilets and fresh running water amongst others. Moreover, money well spent may assist the Sassa to increase the population of offices and develop systems that will reduce the Sassa queues. The IFP believes that more must be done with Sassa beneficiaries in order to capacitate them so that one day they may be owners of their own businesses and land and be able to sustain themselves. In order to achieve this, Sassa beneficiaries should be directly linked to skills development programs through mobile and satellite classrooms located outside of Sassa offices or held after hours at local schools. The Sassa grant should be seen and used as a tool for a means to an end. We need to accept the reality of our situation that because of our historical factors we have an unacceptably high number of people who simply cannot survive without some degree of state support. This is a structural rather than an individual problem. This budget must, therefore, be supported.
IsiZulu:
Umlando, Ngqonqoshe, Sihlalo, wendlu emnyama usikhomba ukuthi kunabanye bethu ababe yizishozi zomlando. Lesi simo saze sabenza ukuthi lesi sibonelelo kube ukuphela kwethemba abanalo lokuxosha ikati eziko.
English:
There is also a reality that our economy increasingly is unable to afford the levels of welfare provisions necessary. We as a country need to be serious about the programmes that pull people out of poverty. This department should demand a co-ordinating role to ensure that the work of other departments does focus on this as one of the priorities. As the IFP, we support the budget. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Chair, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members and fellow South Africans, the only reason that the Department of Social Development exists is to ensure that the most vulnerable of South Africans are given a chance at survival and an opportunity to develop them to a point of becoming self-sustaining. While this Minister is perhaps my least favourite member of the Cabinet, she is a massive improvement over the disastrous Bathabile Dlamini who presided over our darkest period of neglect of the vulnerable in society. Hon Minister, I nearly didn't recognise you today with your hat, we may have to find a new nickname for you.
I watched your speech to the National Assembly two weeks ago, and while I understand that speeches are a lot easier to deliver than services, I am pleased that you have at least agreed on focus areas to direct the department going forward. The areas outlined by you
then, and again today show some grasp of the issues facing real South Africans on the ground. The government must however retain its focus on the work already being done to care for the elderly, the disabled and children, while ensuring that we never have a repeat of the situation where genuine and approved beneficiaries are placed at risk of not receiving the grants that they depend on. Minister, in your speech you quoted President Mandela, who we celebrated last week. I have another quote from him, "The suffering inflicted, and more often than not on the most vulnerable sectors of society, demeans all of us as humanity." My biggest concern with this budget lies with the practical work that is being done on the ground and the lack of focus on it. The government works best when working in partnerships, you said as much yourself. There is no way that government can possibly hope to achieve optimal outcomes without the support of the many organisations that exist to help those who are struggling.
South Africans are known for the spirit of Ubuntu, for looking out for each other and the communities that we live in are the best place for people to turn to when their burden becomes too great or when their options run out. Yet the many nongovernmental organisations, NGOs, charities and community groups are forever left in need by a lack of support from government and by the department
where you have now been tasked to serve, Minister. Too often these organisations are left to worry where they will get the money needed to ensure that next month's bills can be met. These organisations are subject to the whims and bureaucracy of donors or the National Lottery, and yet the only mention of them in the programmes and Key Performance Areas of the department is for a gauge over how long it takes to process an application to become a nonprofit organisation, NPO. Minister, you speak about having a new focus on alcohol and substance abuse, on child abuse, neglect and exploitation and on gender-based violence amongst other things. These are the areas where small community-based organisations have already been acting to shield the vulnerable for years as government has fumbled with awarding tenders to big organisations in inappropriate ways. Surely now, with a new broom at the helm, this is a time to reach out to the organisations, the ones that are best placed to help you to achieve your desired outcomes. Minister, I wrote my speech on Saturday before I saw that there was a delegation of ladies that met you at the gates of Parliament and I am pleased that they came to Parliament and I welcome the fact that they came to give voice to the same issues that I am talking about today.
Yet we know from experience that departments tend to focus on their programmes and on those things that are measured. I urge you
therefore to formalise the promises made in your speech and give them effect by ensuring focus within the programmes and the measurable impact of them. Another concern that I have is the apparent focus away from supporting those entering a career in social welfare I note the dwindling targets and expenditure within the department on bursaries in this field and it seems to contradict the Minister's commitment to dealing with social issues. I also accept that funding bursaries for welfare workers is but one side of the coin, and that a programme to employ these graduates remains an important logical next step. The ability to deal with your focus areas of alcohol and substance abuse, with child abuse and neglect, and with domestic violence is directly dependent on having sufficiently trained people on the ground who can identify and guide those affected by these societal ills. We need more skills Minister, not less. And more of the people with these skills employed and deployed on the ground. All too often the people entering this career path do so from a point of view of their own experienced hardships and suffering; from their empathy born out of personal experience. These are people who may be reliant on bursary funding and assistance for them to realise their dream of ending suffering and saving people from experiencing what they have to endure. Minister, it must feel like you are out there on your own, as other Ministries seem hell-bent on increasing the number of people that
are reliant on your department. The looming retrenchments as a result of our economic struggles can only put more South Africans into the queues for assistance.
And while policy uncertainty, populism and divided leadership plays hell with the economics, union pressures and the need to prop up the ANC's alliance robs the unemployed and marginalised of hope. As taxpayers leave the country in droves and the economic pressure reduces the taxes recouped from companies, the pot grows ever smaller, and the greedy hands of Eskom, SA Airways, SAA, the SA Broadcasting Corporation, SABC, and Denel are given the first bites of the pie. At a time when the Department of Social Development needs it most, there is little scope to provide enough funding to cater adequately for the burgeoning number of potential beneficiaries. And therefore Minister, the DA stands behind you, if you do your job and keep to your commitment, and here I quote from your speech that you gave to the National Assembly, "to clean governance and administration that creates a sense of certainty to deliver our services timeously and with honesty." Stick to that Minister, the DA extends its hand in assisting the national government in finding solutions to eliminate poverty and hunger so that no mother ever again needs to explain to her child that it must go to bed hungry. I thank you. [Applause.]
Hon Deputy Chair of the NCOP, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, MECs from our respective provinces, my MEC, Ms Rakgoale, hon Members of Parliament, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I was listening to hon Ryder attentively and in his opening he said that Minister Zulu is one of his less favourable Ministers ... [Laughter.] ... and he went on and on but I just want to say that there is English saying which says; charity begins at home.
I was in the Fourth Parliament and served on the Portfolio Committee on Labour and we visited the farms in the Western Cape during that period and what we saw was a shame. Some people on the Western Cape farms were accommodated in containers. We went to some farm where people were accommodated in what used to be a pig stile. Those people didn't have anywhere to go except to stay there.
It is in this Western Cape, where in the last seven years there were recorded cases of people being paid with alcohol. I think it was the De Doorns area; I went to that farm together with the team. And then you wonder why people are abusing alcohol in this province and then say we have a problem of alcohol abuse and drugs. But the alcohol abuse was part of the plan of the apartheid system to keep our people drunk.
Children are exposed to alcohol before they are even born because their mother drink when they are pregnant and when the children are born, they are born with a hangover [babalas]. [Interjections.] And, when they reach a particular age, and start tasting alcohol, they hit the bottom. I am saying that if you really care - if the DA really cares - they should go and visit all these farms and improve the housing of the farm workers.
I don't know what to say about the fighters because they say they are pro- poor but they are pro-poor and they are refusing to support the budget that will benefit people who if they do not get a Sassa grant, might not get breakfast in the morning. And at the same time you want the Minister ... [Interjections.]
Sit down and raise your hand.
Chair, on a point of order, can you please ascertain with the member from the podium if he will take a question from the hon Koni, humbly so.
Sit down so that I can ... [Inaudible.]
Yes, I will
The reason the EFF rejects all these Budget Votes is because of the corruption happening ... [Interjections.]
You said you want to ask a question.
The question is coming. I must briefly bring him on and then I shoot.
Your question has a preamble?
Chair?
Your question has a preamble? [Laughter.]
Yes! [Laughter.] The reason the EFF rejects all these Budget Votes of all these departments; is because of the corruption that is happening in South Africa; that we continue to give these departments money ... [Interjections.]
But you cannot make a speech, can we have the question?
No, this is the last sentence now. I am going to a full stop.
I thought there was a question, Chairperson. I think maybe I should ... [Interjections.]
... [Inaudible.] ... disturbed me when I was going to a full stop. The question is, why is the hon member, before ascertaining with the EFF members why is it that the EFF rejects all these Budget Votes, decides to come here and lie to the country that we don't know why we are rejecting the Budget Votes? He must first ascertain with us. Ask us and then we will give him answers.
So you have given the answer and everything, thank you. Continue hon member. [Interjections.] Can you please sit down hon Koni? Order! Order hon member!
Thank you Chairperson, you said the reasons why you don't support, I am wondering why ... [Laughter.]
Hon member, please continue
Anyway, there was no question hon Chairperson as you can see. [Interjections.]
Yes, the Chair explained
One of the first priorities of the democratic government was to address the issue of poverty. The Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP provided a framework on how this would be facilitated and the kind of environment that will enable poverty to be progressively eradicated. The key objective of the RDP is to improve the quality of life for all South Africans, in particular, the most marginalised sections of our communities.
The significant factor to be lifted from the above is that this objective should be achieved through a process of empowerment. This will enable the poor to uplift themselves out of poverty and also enable them to be part of the economy. The strategy for meeting basic needs is one of the key programmes of the RDP. It is underpinned by four pillars. One of this speaks to the establishment of a social security system and other safety nets to protect the poor, the disabled, the elderly and other vulnerable groups.
Since 2007, the ANC has developed a framework called, Comprehensive Social Security Strategy. We have over the past few years increased the capacity of the state to ensure the acceleration of the implementation of the Comprehensive Social Security Strategy system, which is why we have committed to over the next five years to make the Comprehensive Social Security cover for the majority of our people.
One of the objectives of Sassa in the 2019-20 financial year, is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the administration of the administration of the social assistance of the programme. Sassa in the Fifth Parliament reported that it will undertake five activities during the transitional period between 2018 and 2021. This is a period when Sassa will implement a hybrid payment model through the South African Post Office, to make payments and online payments through commercial banks and retailers.
The activities identified were introduction of the new Sassa cards, management of the new Sassa cards, collaboration with other spheres of government, management of new payment mechanisms, management of biometrics management system. We note the part that between 2017- and 2018, Sassa began its journey towards stabilisation. This period saw Sassa began its transition from the old social payment system to
a hybrid system. The new system entails payment being made through the South African Post Office, commercial banks and retailers.
Steady progress had been made by Sassa in meeting the deliverables in the transition. Sassa is initiated collaboration with other spheres of government; this is seen in it signing a master service agreement and service level agreement with the South African Post office in September and November 2018.
It also collaborated with the Department of Home Affairs to establish one- on-one verification biometrics data and interfaces biometric data with Home Affairs National Identification System, HANIS to enable production of new Sassa/SAPO cards. It is also important for it to partner with departments like Small Business Development and Small Business and Co- operatives to achieve its goal of ensuring that social grants payments stimulates the local economy.
During the current financial year, Sassa and SAPO will develop a plan of action for infrastructure upgrades and provision of necessary fatalities at post office to meet needs of beneficiaries. The Fourth and Fifth Parliament adopted a recommendation that Sassa initiates a process to draft amendments to the Sassa Act, to make
provision for the establishment of a Sassa board. We urge the Minister within the current financial year, to ensure that the department and Sassa work in ensuring that this is resolved.
The Minister should ensure that Sassa rolls out its programme of linking social grants beneficiaries to economic opportunities. Sassa has over the past few years been confronted by challenges with enabled fraud and corruption to persist. Without dwelling on this challenge, what remains important is how fraud and corruption are being addressed. As a mechanic of unfolding good governance, as of the 31 March 2019, Sassa has been able to finalise 90% of reported theft and corruption, that is what is important to us.
It is easy to talk about corruption and people stealing but what is important to us is what we do with the information that we get. We are saying, there are cases and 95% of the cases are resolved. We welcome the review of the fraud management strategy to align with the latest development, including the Sassa/POSA agreement.
The concern is on the absence of the senior manager in the fraud management unit since 2016. We urge the Minister to ensure that during the current financial year, Sassa fills the position of the senior manager in the fraud management unit; this is very critical,
Comrade Minister. The target to review fraud management strategy and implement it in 2020-21, should be aligned with the availability of human resources.
In Sekhukhune in Limpopo, where I come from, our communities are very religious - very religious Christian communities.
Sepedi:
Ke kwa gore go nale dikereke tse di tseyang 10% ya ...
English:
... the Sassa grants from the beneficiaries as part of giving to some ... I don't know whether to call them tsotsis, bafundisi or what. But hon Minister, we need to follow this up and make sure that this kind of crime does not happen; we need to nip it in the bud.
We welcome the stride made by Sassa to procure a biometric solution for users. The beneficiaries' biometric enrolment was deployed to local offices, its enrolment commenced in 2018-19. We are concerned that the implementation of the biometric system was suspended in October 2018, following a dispute with labour. A middle ground has to be reached on resolving labour disputes because this biometric
system has to be implemented in order to reduce, fraud, theft and corruption associated with passwords.
This lack of biometric system has led to criminals and unruly elements and corrupt officials at local offices accessing the system and changing the banking details of the beneficiaries; thus giving password to their little friends. Hence there have been unauthorised withdrawals from beneficiaries' accounts. In my village, an old lady told me, not only one person, quite a number of people complained about the deductions from their Sassa grants and some of the deductions were linked to airtime or cellular phone. This person, who had a deduction for a cell phone, does not even have a cell phone. So, we need to follow all these things so that these people who steal from the poor be locked up in jail.
Yesterday, a friend of mine, a person I was in detention with was gunned down in Mogalakwena for fighting corruption - killed in broad daylight. So, fighting corruption goes a very long way. Your commitment in fighting corruption can cost you your life but that doesn't mean that those of us who are prepared to confront corruption head on, should not worry that we will be killed. I am really disturbed by this and I thank you, Deputy Chairperson. [Applause.]
Chairperson, firstly, I would like to thank all members for their contribution across the political line. Thank those that are supporting the budget and say to them, Support the budget because from myself and the rest of my team are prepared to make sure that we follow that money and make sure that, that money goes to the benefits of our people.
I wish to also say even those who are not supporting the budget; we have to work with each other because at the end of the day I do need to listen to the issues that you are raising. And I am a person who believes that there's time for politicking and there's time for doing what we need to do. [Applause.]
And to say to you hon Rider, you'll get to like me along the way. [Laughter.] Simply because I wasn't elected and didn't come here to waste the time, so I need to choose what do I do, when and how, because the ANC empowered me through the mandate of the ANC getting the opportunity to be voted in to govern this country. And we will do that in the same spirit that we have done all these years, in the past 25 years, where we've done a lot of good work but we've also done things that are not supposed to be done. And I think that the 25 years that we have been in government are lessons to all of us
and I request that members, really, work with us as much as they possibly can. At the centre of it all it is our people.
And we do appreciate the role of the NCOP which has to ensure that the nine provinces of South Africa are heard and through them the voices of the people whom they are representing here are heard, irrespective again of which political party we are coming from. But without necessarily undermining the fact that the mandate we got was that the ANC got the mandate to lead government and the opposition was also elected by those who believed in the opposition and what is important is how we are going to work together.
Secondly, yes, 25 years of government, we have put policies in place and it is said that South Africa is one of the best countries when it comes to policy development, policies and the correct polices. But our weaknesses in the system are about performance, action, action, action. And I do want to say to you here, I'm guided by the performance that we need to do, I'm also guided by the fact that I need to work with the two agencies, but more than that we need to work with all the other government departments because for me, Social Development on its own cannot do all these work. And, therefore, my first and most important issue is about working
together with the cluster of the economy because we cannot extricate or separate ourselves from that.
When the economy works, as many of the members have indicated here, then it gives opportunity for people to be able to get jobs, those that need to get jobs, but others will start their own businesses. If we can develop the economy make sure that the economy grows, it means must not grow for increasing social grants, but must grow to enable our people so that they can be able to be in charge of their own livelihoods without government, obviously not taking responsibility because when government says it will do the following things government must do that. And we in the Department of Social Development say to you, roads are important for us, clinics are important for us, education is important for us, infrastructure is important for us.
So, as we work together with other Ministers we are going to make sure that we make everyone to be aware and conscious of the fact that a better created environment for our communities is the only way that we can enable them to live better livelihoods.
I know, hon members, that many of you raised quite a number of questions, some of them I might not necessarily be able to answer
them because time is very short, but I do promise that as the department, as the portfolio we can be able to write those answers back to all the members so that you can hold us accountable on the basis of what we have said.
I also realised that what we have here is an agreement by members who are here that the mandate of the department is correct but the mandate of the department might need to be relooked into in terms of the empowerment of our people, particularly, so that they don't depend so much on the state. We will definitely look at that.
I also hear the outcry of the members with regard to the budget itself and the fact that the budget is being cut this year and the following year and year after that it start with 5% then goes to 7% ... I have had a meeting, fortunately, with some of the MECs this morning and I have said what is important for us is to go and present to National Treasury and make everyone aware that our people are very much dependent on social grants and all the social upliftment we are giving, not because by choice, not because they want that.
That's why I would like to say to the hon member of the FF Plus that we didn't bring ourselves to where we are today; we would have been
way far ahead than where we are, but because of the past we find ourselves here. However, I do want to say to the hon member, from where I stand as the member of the ANC I've not been mandated to look at the colour of the people that we support, I've been mandated to cover all South Africans who are in vulnerable state, and I know that ... I've seen not only do I know, I've seen that in some of our communities there are many of our white compatriots who actually are facing dire strains but some of them are too afraid to even step up and say "look at us" because the system created something in their heads about the fact that "when you are white you are better than this one" and some of them actually did not get the same kind of to grow their own wealth like others. So, there are those who, in apartheid days, managed to become big fat cats because of the fact that they had an opportunity through government. Today the government of the ANC ... I'm saying here in front of you all, I am a Minister of Social Development for all South Africans, irrespective of their background, as long as they need assistance from this government.
I also would like to say that the need for us to work together couldn't have come at any other time than now. It's not to say we do not understand the challenges that we face, whether it's with regard to land or whether with regard to poverty, unemployment and
inequality; inequality is the worst that we have in South Africa. It's not to say because we are finding ourselves in that situation we should not work together. I believe that working together will be the only way that we can salvage the country.
I, personally, am saying, the children who are a year old today, in about 20 years or 25 years time, they should refer to apartheid as history that was. But we must start creating a conducive environment for them today so that when we deal with the economy and the transformation ... because unless we really deal with the real issues that are related to transformation, it is a waste of time and we'll keep on putting more and more money into the issues of social development.
My view and my fight that I'm going to be committed to as I stand before you ... and I want you all to really appreciate that it's 25 years, the 25 years many of us carried the burden prior to 25 years to bring the country to what it is today; 25 years we've done the best that we can. And I'm saying to you, let's look at the best and build on the best, lets' look at the bad and the ugly, and the bad and the ugly we hold it by the scruff of its neck so that when hon members speak here they don't say my friend or my whoever was gunned down because they are fighting corruption.
Corruption is a problem and it is a two-way process; you get the giver and the taker. Let us, therefore, make sure that anyone who is able to come up and say "I found it" that person must not be scared and the person will only be scared if we don't do something about it.
All the other questions which are related to SA Social Security Agency, SASSA, and its development, I agree, I've been told that the conditions of some of the offices of SASSA are appalling, people are working under very difficult conditions, I do want us to go and see what ... in fact I am going to be visiting all the provinces. Because we are going on a portfolio approach, we'll bring SASSA, ourselves and DA to go to all these places together.
The assessment of doctors, I think that SASSA is in the process of requesting the health Department to allow its doctors to assist us. Because here is the question, you create another situation on the other hand when you've already got a system that can be able to help you immediately. So, we'll make sure that working together with other departments we can be able to take the process [Interjections.]
Oh sanitary towels. Yes. You know, I once came to a meeting here of the women's caucus. And one of the things that they raised - I was the Minister of Small Business development - was what is this that the factories and producers of these are mainly male-run businesses. I believe that this government has gone quite a long way in ensuring that we understand and appreciate that women didn't call upon themselves, that every month they have to go through what they go through and therefore ... it's menstruation, we are even afraid of calling it what it is, that's what it is. So, I do believe that we will do everything we can to make sure that women are given back that dignity and especially the girls at school who sometimes end up not going to school because they are going through that menstrual cycle. Thank you, Chair. [Applause.]