Chairperson, the UCDP would like to applaud the department for the extension of the child support grant to the age of 18 years. This is indeed in line with the Constitution, which defines a child as any person under the age of 18 and thus entitled to social services. Also to be applauded is the finalisation of the regulations of the Children's Act, which has long been overdue.
Nevertheless, we have to look into ways of monitoring the use of the child support grant because it has been reported that it is being misused, especially by young mothers. It is disheartening to note that the SA Social Security Agency still has so many irregular practices in executing its duties. It appears from the annual report that there has been erroneous duplication of grant payments, that it could not be confirmed in all instances whether the correct person received the correct amount of relief aid at the correct time and place. These errors exacerbate chances of fraudulent activities, which have always been reported in this department.
It is unacceptable that the department should report irregular expenditure in excess of R6 million, regardless of whether this was Sassa's or the department's. The department plays a critical role in intervention services and therefore irregular expenses cannot be tolerated. Such amounts could literally have been used to save souls.
The department needs to table a workable plan on how they intend dealing with the vast shortages in their human resources, in social work in particular. Their previous recruitment strategy does not seem to have worked, as we are still sitting with the very same crisis.
We are impressed by the eight strategic focus areas that the department has chosen for service delivery, policy formulation and programme development, but without an efficient workforce this will remain just a dream. Community- based organisations continue to be registered, but do not get any funding. The department must put its money where its mouth is. It is useless to register tens of thousands of nonprofit organisations when there is no proper plan to empower them.
UCDP ya re motse o lapeng, e boa gape e re mmamotho o amuwa le ga a sule, e re lefapha le le mo diatleng tse di siameng tsa go direla set?haba mme e atlenegisa Tekanyetsokabo e. Re a leboga. [Legofi.] (Translation of Setswana paragraph follows.)
[The UCDP believes in strong family bonds; it also believes in the unfading wisdom of women. The UCDP also says this department is in the right hands that are working for the nation and, therefore, it recommends that this budget be adopted. We thank you. [Applause.]]