Chairperson, firstly, the functions of this department are directly linked to the work of the Department of Health. So, essentially, instead of having two separate Ministers doing work that overlap, we should have one department of social development and health.
Secondly, with the scourge of gender-based violence on the rise, the department should provide a clear programme that addresses gender-based violence, homicide and the abuse of children, with a clear budget allocation. Thuthuzela Care Centres should be capacitated with both well-trained human resources and tools of trade. We must also build enough rehabilitation centres for the young people whose socioeconomic conditions force them into drug addiction. Nyaope, tik and flakka are killing our young people and this department isn't doing enough to help rehabilitate them back to normality.
In term of the audit report provided by the Auditor- General, senior management within the department and its entities lack accountability. This means that recommendations by the Auditor-General have not been adhered to.
The department can easily resolve these issues if they prioritise the following: accountability formula should be developed and defined for monitoring and consequence management; vacant key positions impacting on audit outcomes and accountability must be filled urgently;
accounting officers or senior management must be held accountable for noncompliance.
This department is at an advanced state of degeneration. Something must be done to clean up the mess left by the previous Minister. The deadline on the foster care system backlog of 28 November 2019 given by the North Gauteng High Court will never be met. This is due to the fact that ...
The EFF rejects this Budgetary Review and Recommendation Report. [Time expired.]