Hon Chairperson, whilst the MF notes that there has been improvements in certain areas, challenges however continue to persist. The Minister of Finance highlighted in his Budget Speech that R1,4 billion in an MTEF was put aside for early childhood development, ECD, challenges. We welcome the hon Minister's priority of focus on the ECD programme. We are extremely concerned and it is of paramount importance to ensure the extent to which disabled children access ECD, and that the relevant capacity and infrastructure is provided for their needs as well. Indeed, challenges continue to prevail in rural areas and amongst farm dwellers. More focus has to be put in this area.
Hon Minister, when are dealing with the elderly, we must thread very cautiously. The recent pay-out crisis was indeed devastating. Many experienced tremendous hardship in trying to access their grants and pensions. The smartcard system is a step in the right direction. However, people must be brought on board as to how it functions. Training is absolutely crucial. The MF welcomes the biometric process but, Minister, we must be mindful that pensioners are compelled to shop at certain outlets and pay more than the normal price for food before they can swipe their cards to receive payments. This is unacceptable and must be investigated.
Hon Minister, while people have an access to various food security programmes of government, the department needs to alert the people on how to access assistance, especially in the rural areas amongst farm dwellers and farm workers. They are the ones who are being excluded at the moment.
The MF welcomes the department's positive strides in gathering research pertaining to a widow's and widowers' grant for those that are unemployed and have no source of income. The MF is glad that this is in the pipeline. We hope for its speedy finality and this would also address the issue of poverty alleviation, as correctly mentioned in the state of the nation address by the hon President that the poor must be given preference.
We note, with sadness, the challenges and the predicament that the informal settlements experience in obtaining IDs. This has a rippling impact on them accessing their grants and pensions. The research by UN International Children's Emergency Fund, Unicef, that over 2 million children are still not accessing their grants means more has to be done to assist the poor. Another area of concern for the MF is the state of confusion our pensioners find themselves in with the different cards. The cards that Home Affairs have with relevant information will ease the challenges if there is integration with SA Social Security Agency smart card to avoid more complications amongst the elderly, illiterate and semi-illiterate so that when we talk about programmes of government they are fully aware that this is the card that they can use.
There is an absolute need to intensify the campaign against substance abuse. The MF calls for a monitoring process of capacity-building of Non- Profit Organisations, NOPs, by the National Development Agency, NDA, as well as progress on poverty eradication. Whilst the MF is committed to building a caring society, we are indeed equally committed to raise the levels of service delivery amongst all our people. I thank you. The MF will support the Budget Vote. [Applause.]