Chairperson, hon Minister Edna Molewa, hon Deputy Minister Bathabile Dlamini, hon MECs present here, the MEC from my province, Mrs Kasienyane, the director-general and officials present here and distinguished guests ...
... ke motlotlo thata go tsaya karolo mo puisanong ya gompieno, e e tla dirwang thata ke bomme gonne rona re le mokgatlho wa ANC re dumela gore mmangwana o e tshwara ka fa bogaleng. Re dumela gape gore kgomo mogala tshwara ka thata e seng go utlwa sebodu wa kgaoga. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[... I'm honoured to participate in today's debate, which women will be spearheading, because as the ANC we believe that women should take the lead in all initiatives. We also believe that perseverance brings success.]
We believe that people are the fundamental resources of the country, since they have the capacity to develop personally and are central to the development of the economy and the nation as a whole. The ANC's social transformation agenda will accordingly pursue both the development and social services aspects in the context of social reconstruction and development.
The ANC's policy is based on a belief in the human dignity of all South Africans. We acknowledge that the state has a major role to play in meeting the legitimate and realistic expectations of all, especially the poor, the disadvantaged and other vulnerable persons. We do not encourage a handout approach to social welfare provision because it does not address the root causes of social problems.
This debate is about the needs of the people. The overall budget of the department has shown an increase. The reason for this increase is due mostly to the department's priority to enhance social assistance through provisions to vulnerable groups and the poor. This is also a priority of the ANC.
In accordance with the above commitment, the Department of Social Development obtained the largest budget allocation in the social transformation cluster. It has received R94 billion to implement social assistance and welfare services. The budget allocation reflects the ANC's position of establishing social protection initiatives to build the capacity of vulnerable groups and the poor. This budget must be utilised for its purpose. In the light of many people facing the challenge of HIV and Aids, the Department of Social Development has played an important role to ensure that people living with HIV and Aids are assisted as part of the government comprehensive strategy to deal with this pandemic. It contributes to reducing the incidence and minimising the psycho-social impact of HIV and Aids as well as the burden of diseases, by monitoring the implementation of the loveLife prevention programmes for the youth on a quarterly basis to confirm that more youth are reached by the end of the year.
The department aims to improve efficiency in registering nonprofit organisations by registering all application forms for new organisations within two months. In addition, we will be developing initiatives that reduce the stigma of HIV and Aids and the discrimination experienced by people living with HIV and Aids.
The global economic crisis has hit the poor, the youth, women and rural masses hard. The Department of Social Development has provided a safety net, which has supported millions of our people to survive while looking for work opportunities. These actions and social grants contribute billions of rands to the economy and this has been one of the most important factors in the fight against poverty and hunger. It is in this regard that a significant number of young people benefited from the opportunities generated through various of the department's developmental programmes. The department developed and distributed a youth service programme toolkit that covers the youth development strategy and national youth services to all provinces. In 2009-10 a framework for the Masupatsela curriculum, a youth pioneer programme based on the Cuban social work programme, was developed. Ten Cuban experts were interviewed and contracted to implement the programme.
Developing the national consciousness of the youth is a critical priority and the celebration of these events as part of the Social Development Strategic Plan is to be strongly supported. National volunteerism, youth month commemoration and international youth days are all critical functions in the development of the national consciousness of the youth. It is pleasing to see that this forms part of the support from social development.
The Freedom Charter says, "Rent and prices shall be lowered; food plentiful and no one shall go hungry". In relation to the Freedom Charter's clarion call, the ANC government has already put in place an emergency food relief programme on a massive scale in the form of food assistance projects to the poorest households and communities. It is hoped that in the next five years government will introduce a "food for all" programme to procure and distribute basic foods at reasonable prices to poor communities and households.
The election manifesto says that the government will expand access to food production schemes in rural and peri-urban areas to grow their own food with implements, tractors and fertilisers. This includes strengthening co- operatives, particularly for the poor youth, both male and female. Other measures will support existing community schemes which utilise land for food production in schools, health facilities, churches, urban and traditional authority areas.
However, it is not government alone that has the responsibility to improve the livelihoods of poor households. Community-based organisations provide resources and other capacities to alleviate poverty. The ANC's view has long been expressed that support for government programmes and policies to improve service delivery must be rooted in communities that are strengthened and capacitated to work with government and ensure the sustainability of such programmes.
This budget is compatible with the policy priorities of the ANC. Patterns of budget allocations place the needs of poor people and vulnerable groups, such as the youth and women, the aged, children and people with disability and those living with HIV and Aids, at the strategic centre of the department's plan.
In 2009-10 a memorandum of understanding between the South African government, the Community Food Banking Network of South Africa and the Global Food Banking Network was facilitated and resulted in the establishment of four community food banks in Durban, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg and Cape Town. For food security to be attained in the fight against hunger and poverty, sustainable livelihoods must be realised.
It is this that will contribute most towards the alleviation of poverty and hunger at community and household level, therefore the empowerment of individuals, families and communities to participate in this process of establishing critical services like the community food banks is crucial. The food banks are the most direct and effective way in which hunger in our communities and rural areas can be attacked.
In 2008-09 the department developed a toolkit on sustainable livelihood for community development practitioners in South Africa, which was field-tested in 2009-10. The department also commissioned a skills audit for community development practitioners, which will ensure the development of responsive skills development programmes with key stakeholders.
In conclusion, social development is based on an integrated understanding of the challenges facing South Africa. Although there are no simple or isolated solutions to the challenges we face, the Department of Social Development proposes a set of priority actions to help accelerate social progress in fighting poverty, hunger and unemployment.
Tekanyetsokabo e ya rona e phepa, e tlhamaletse, e a tlhaloganyesega. Ma?wi ke phepa ke le nosi, selabe se tla le motsaya kgamelo. (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[Our budget is transparent, clear and understandable. Its excellence depends on the external or other factors that might taint its intended purpose.]
The ANC supports Budget Vote No 18, Social Development. Thank you.