Madam Chairperson, in the light of section 27 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which obliges the state to achieve the progressive realisation of the right of everyone to social security by taking reasonable legislative and other measures within its available resources towards that end, all persons in South Africa who are unable to support themselves and their dependants are, by virtue of section 27, entitled to appropriate social assistance. Cope, therefore, supports the Social Assistance Amendment Bill.
The inadequacy of the definition has led to many grievances because of an uneven determination of disability. In some cases, deserving applicants were turned down, and in other instances cases were approved which clearly should have been turned down. The need to refine the definition of disability became necessary. We do not believe that this is the end of the matter. This matter will have to be further revisited going forward. Amending the Social Assistance Act was unavoidable.
The Bill also facilitates a quicker resolution of the disagreements among the concerned parties. Applicants and beneficiaries who have issues with the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, can now request Sassa to reconsider any decision that it might have taken, on the grounds that certain issues or material points may have been overlooked or given lesser weight than they actually merited.
Chairperson, this amendment will also allow Sassa to hear the other side, maybe to uphold the rule of audi alteram partem and make sure that before they take a decision relevant facts are taken into account. The Bill is also asking for Sassa to apply its mind to every decision it takes. Where the matter still remains unresolved, it will also go before the independent tribunal in a manner that regulation will prescribe.
By its name and nature, social assistance is an attempt by government to alleviate poverty. It should not, therefore, be used or seen as a salary. Government and this House must keep a wary eye on the outcome of this amendment. Already the state, in seeking to provide a security net, has unintentionally created everlasting dependency.
In conclusion, Chairperson, because we know that at present the government is providing this security, all people in this country will have recourse to the Bill and be listened to when they have a problem with it. Cope supports the Bill. [Applause.] UMntwana M M M ZULU: Sihlalo wale Ndlu, dadewethu Phini likaNgqongqoshe Dlamini, amalungu ahloniphekile ale Ndlu, Inkatha Freedom Party, i-IFP, iyayeseka i-Social Assistance Amendment Bill. Njengoba sazi ukuthi kuleli lizwe lethu kunongqeqe abacwaninga ubuningi babantu. Uma becwaninga-ke bathi abantu abahlwempu abahlala ngaphansi kwamazinga okuhlupheka balinganiselwa ku-82%; bese kuthiwa abaphakathi kuka-50-58% babhekene nokungabi bikho kwemisebenzi. Ongqeqe bathi uma kuphela unyaka ka-2010, uMnyango weZokusiza uMphakathi uzobe unika abantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyi-14 zemali eyisibonelelo sikahulumeni.
Ngiye ngizibuze, Phini likaNgqongqoshe, ngithi ingabe yini engenziwa nguMnyango wakho kanye noMnyango wezoLimo amaHlathi kanye neMboni Yokudoba ukubhekelela abantu emakhaya, njengoba wazi ukuthi siye sikholelwe ukuthi ukuya emasimini kungahle kusisize. Ngoba phela uma sibuka umnotho wethu asinazo izinsiza ezanele ukuba kungenzeka izinto ezithile ezweni lethu.
Lokhu kufuneka sikukhuthaze ngayo yonke indlela ukuthi kwenzeke ezweni lakithi. Noma ngazi ukuthi lesi sibonelelo sikahulumeni sinikezwa uMthethosisekelo waleli lizwe ukubeka ngokusobala ukuthi bonke abantu kufuneka bakwazi ukuthola izinsiza. Lo Mthethosivivinywa siyawusekela ngoba usunikeze uNgqongqoshe amandla ukuthi lezo zicelo ezinokubukelwa phansi, bakwazi ukuzibuka nazo ngendlela epheleleyo.
Yingakho lo Mthethosivivinywa siwusekela njenge IFP ngoba siyabona ukuthi uzosiza abantu bakithi abampofu nabahlwempu. Singeze sangena ezintweni eziningi zokusisiza ukuthi sithole amaphuzu kwezombusazwe. Thina noma mina njengendoda yaKwaZulu ngiye ngikubuke ngeso lokuthi abantu bangasizakala kanjani bakwazi ukufaka isicelo manje bese batshelwe manje ukuthi siyaphumelela noma qha asiphumeleli, noma-ke uma besalindile kube khona abangakwazi ukuyokupheka eziko. Lokhu ngikusho ngoba indlala ngiyazi kahle.
Ongayazi indlala kungamdida lokhu,ngoba phela uma ungayazi indlala kuba lukhuni kabi ukuthi uqonde ukuthi kwenzekani. Emalokishini bayazi ukuthi indlala bayivikela kanjani; badla isinkwa ekuseni babuye basidle emini. Mina ngidla ekuseni, emini kanye nantambama. Ngenzela ukuthi umkhaba ube kahle.
Manje-ke mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe siyi-IFP kanye nabantu besifundazwe sobukhosi baKwaZulu-Natal siyakweseka ngoba onke amaqembu kulesiya sifundazwe ayawusekela futhi ayawemukela ngokuphelele uMthethosivivinywa. Siyacabanga ukuthi abantu bakwaCetshwayo noma bakaDinizulu nabakaZwelithini bazodla kahle baphumule. Ngiyabonga. (Translation of isiZulu speech follows.)
[Prince M M M ZULU: Chairperson of this House, hon Deputy Minister Dlamini, hon members of this House, the Inkatha Freedom Party, the IFP, supports the Social Assistance Amendment Bill. We know that there are experts in our country who research the density of the population. In their research their findings are that 82% of the population live below the poverty line, and then it is said that between 50% and 58% are faced with unemployment. The experts say that by the end of 2010 the Department of Social Development would have given grants to more than 14 million people.
Deputy Minister, I sometimes ask myself what it is that can be done by your department and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to cater for people in the rural areas. You know that we believe that growing crops might help us because if we look at our economy, we do not have adequate resources for certain things to happen.
We have to encourage this by all means so that it can happen in our country. I know that this government's example is encouraged by our Constitution, which states clearly that all people must have access to resources. We support this amending Bill because it gives the Minister the authority to review, thoroughly, the applications that were not taken into consideration. That is why we support this amending Bill as the IFP, because we are quite aware that it will help our needy and poor people. We won't involve ourselves in many things in order to score political points. We, or rather I, as a Zulu man, sometimes wonder how people can be assisted in making an application and get an instant response whether their application is successful or not. Or maybe they could get something that they can cook while they are waiting. I say this because I have first-hand experience of hunger.
This can puzzle someone who has not experienced hunger, because it becomes difficult to understand what is happening if you have never experienced hunger. In the townships they know how to prevent hunger; they eat bread for breakfast and for lunch. I have my breakfast, my lunch and my dinner.
Well, hon Minister, we support you as the IFP and the people of the Kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal, because all the parties in that province support and fully accept the amending Bill. We think that the people of Cetshwayo or Dinizulu and Zwelithini will have a good life. Thank you.]