Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Ministers, members of the House and guests, it is with utmost dismay and shock that I participate in this debate today. The primary reason for my statement is that these two Budget Votes are separate from each other and have the integrity and status to be handled as such. They both have the character of importance to assure a standard and quality nation, but I think this is nullified by the notion to club them together. This is wrong, although they are in a single cluster or in a social services committee.
Herrangskikking en regstelling ten opsigte van debatvoering moet gedoen word. [The debating process should be rearranged and rectified.]
The Department of Social Development has good structured planning, monitoring and evaluation and other mechanisms to manage it very well.
The 2008-09 financial year recipients for aid in grants total 13 137 million beneficiaries. This will grow by about 9% in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, years. KwaZulu-Natal is the province which is the most vulnerable for the support of grants. It is understandable that government must assist where poverty is hampering the integrity of communities. That we must treasure.
We must eventually pose the question: ...
Is dit doeltreffend en effektief om 'n kindersorgtoelae te bestuur, veral indien dit die grootste deel van hierdie ondersteuningsmodel uitmaak? Het dit die beoogde uitwerking op die kinders en gemeenskappe? Sal werkskeppingsinisiatiewe nie beter doelwitte bereik om die menswaardigheid en integriteit van gemeenskappe te bou nie?
U weet die toelaestelsel skep liewer 'n goeie bron van inkomste vir gewetenlose geldskieters en onwettige drankhandelaars wat vet katte in die samelewing word. Die departement s dat dit moeilik is om die "AllPay"- kaarte en identiteitsdokumente in hierdie mense se besit te polisieer. Dit is egter onwaar, want wanneer daar op die begunstigde se dokumente beslag gel word, kan die begunstigde gendentifiseer word. Streng optrede en die intrekking van sodanige toelaes sal baie begunstigdes dan verhoed om hulle aan sulke wanbesteding skuldig te maak. Selfs kommersile besighede is aan hierdie wanpraktyke skuldig. Dit moet gestop word, want aan die einde van die dag probeer die regering armoede verlig, maar die armes bly arm en slegs 'n klein persentasie raak skatryk.
Kindersorgtoelaes spoor net mense aan om meer en meer kinders te kry en die las en druk op die regering raak net meer. Hierdie stelsel sal hersien en heroorweeg moet word. Om die familie te ondersteun, is 'n baie beter vorm van armoedeverligting. Met ander woorde, 'n kleiner familie met min geld het 'n beter kans om 'n beter lewe te lei as 'n groot familie.
Ons moet ons bejaardes in ouetehuise en inrigtings en kinders wat in inrigtings is beter versorg. Werkgeleenthede moet nooit vir toelaes ingeboet word nie. My tyd is te min en daarom gaan ek nou oor na gesondheid.
'n Goeie gesondheidstelsel is van kardinale belang vir die voortbestaan van 'n nasie. 'n Mislukking voorspel die verval en vernietiging van 'n land. Ons verstaan dat die land in 'n ekonomiese smeltkroes beland het. Daarom is dit moeilik om die begroting met die gevraagde behoeftes te balanseer.
Die begroting is egter besig om gevaarlike tekens te toon en dreig om in 'n krisis te verval. Ek s so omdat die voorafgaande jaar se verpligtinge in die volgende jaar aangespreek moet word. Hierdie tendens eskaleer en kan nie goedgepraat word nie. Die begrotingsaanbod op meeste van die lynitems was baie meer, maar die Tesourie het baie minder gegee, wat dreig dat die geld kan opdroog voor die jaar eindig. Ek wil veral die Huis se aandag vestig op 'n dokument wat almal gekry het, naamlik die Strategic Plan 2009- 10-2011-12. Op die een bladsy word daar baie duidelik die volgende ges:
Funding needs and pressures for 2008-09 which could not be funded are as follows: data capturer project, R10 million; vaccine purchases, R15 million; and health information system, R70 million.
So gaan dit aan. Die volgende bladsy gaan oor die "estimates" [begrotings] vir 2008-09:
Budget bids for occupation-specific dispensation, OSD, is R2,5 billion. The actual allocation for OSD is R1 billion. HIV and Aids is allocated R1 billion.
Wat ons gekry het, is R300 miljoen.
... Child mortality vaccines, R315 million ...
Wat ons eintlik gekry het, is R50 miljoen. So gaan die situasie aan. Dan word daar baie duidelik ges dat: ... the implication for underfunding is that ARV programmes cannot be rolled out as intended.
Dit s vir my dat mense wat hierdie gevaarlike siekte onder lede het, die gevaar loop dat hulle kan sterf as hulle nie die middels kry nie. Dit s vir my baie duidelik dat daar nie goeie bestuur in die departement en die regering is nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Is it efficient and effective to manage a child support grant, especially when it comprises the biggest part of this support model? Does it have the intended effect on the children and communities? Would job creation initiatives not achieve better results in fostering dignity and integrity within communities?
You know that the grant system is actually creating a good source of income for unscrupulous moneylenders and illegal liquor traders who become fat cats in society. The department claims that it is difficult to police the "AllPay" cards and identity documents that are in these people's possession. This is, however, untrue because it is possible to identify the beneficiary when his or her documents are seized. Firm action and withdrawal of such grants would prevent such misappropriation by many beneficiaries.
Even commercial companies are guilty of these malpractices. This has to stop, because at the end of the day government is trying to alleviate poverty, but the poor remain poor and only a small percentage becomes very wealthy.
Child support grants are just encouraging people to have more and more children and increases the burden and pressure on the government. This system should be reviewed and reconsidered. Providing support to the family is a much better form of poverty alleviation. In other words, a small family that is poor has a greater chance than a bigger family to live a better life.
We should also provide better care for our elderly in old age homes and institutions, and to children who are in institutions. Job opportunities should never be jeopardised at the expense of grants. My time is limited, so I will now proceed with health.
A proper health care system is crucial to the survival of a nation. Failure predicts the decline and destruction of a country. We understand that the country has landed in an economic melting pot. Thus, it is difficult to balance the budget with the needs in demand.
However, the budget is showing dangerous signs of a looming crisis. I am saying this because the preceding year's obligations have to be addressed in the year that follows. This tendency is escalating and cannot be justified. The budget bids for most of these line items exceeded the actual allocation made by Treasury by far, which could pose a threat in the sense that the funds could run out before the end of the year. I would especially like to draw the attention of the House to a document that we all received, namely the Strategic Plan 2009-10-2011-12. On the one page the following is stated very clearly:
Funding needs and pressures for 2008-09 which could not be funded are as follows: data capturer project, R10 million; vaccine purchases, R15 million; and health information system, R70 million.
It continues like this. The following page deals with the estimates for 2008-09:
Budget bids for the occupation-specific dispensation, OSD, is R2,5 billion. The actual allocation for OSD is R1 billion. HIV and Aids is allocated R1 billion.
We received R300 million.
... Child mortality vaccines, R315 million...
What we actually received was R50 million. This is how the situation carries on. Then it is stated very clearly that:
... the implication for underfunding is that ARV programmes cannot be rolled out as intended.
This tells me that people living with this dangerous illness stand the risk of dying if they do not receive these drugs. To me this is a clear indication of poor governance by the department and government.]
The OSD and the problems running with the situation are a concern. Government has been sitting with this system from 2007. Due to infighting and sectional fighting in the ANC, government was not able to carry on with governance and government responsibilities. Now the ANC government wants to blame the medical doctors and their union for letting patients down, when the ANC government must actually take the blame. Why can't the people see through the wheeling and dealing of the ANC government? Just say the following words, "We are sorry. Give us more time to solve the problems."
Dit is baie, baie eenvoudig. Dit is verkeerd. [Tussenwerpels.] [Tyd verstreke.] [Applous.] [It is very, very simple. It is wrong. [Interjections.] [Time expired.] [Applause.]]
Ms M W Makgate: Deputy Chairperson, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MECs present here and members of this House, I just want to indicate that I'm standing in for the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Social Services.
The legacy of apartheid mismanagement continues to be with us and will be with us for some time to come. [Interjections.] We should not lament the past, but use our history to insure the future. It is impossible to correct the disparities and contradictions we have inherited in the short space of 15 years, but we do need to speed up delivery to our people.
Health, being a fundamental basic human right, compels our government, led by the ANC, the party that received the support of the overwhelming majority of South Africans, to fulfil this basic right. Hence we are beginning the process of implementing the National Health Insurance or NHI, as it is more commonly referred to.
There has been a great deal of speculation from various quarters, mostly negative. But what is it based on? We are still waiting for the tabling of a document that will guide the process to a conclusion that, hopefully, will satisfy all stakeholders.
The recession that we are now experiencing makes the NHI even more urgent in order to provide health care to the most vulnerable in our society. Some may continue to argue for a free market in health, but this cannot be justified when it hampers the fulfilment of a basic human right which our people are entitled to.
Through NHI we can achieve equity in health care as the current disparities cannot be allowed to continue. Also, through the consultation process, we will address the fears and confusion of the general public.
The process of developing the NHI will require reaching consensus with all relevant stakeholders on a few key elements, namely a basic benefit package, national health fund and the role of private funders and providers. The above will naturally follow the normal democratic process of in-depth discussion and engagement, with a view to finding the best solution that is practical and affordable.
In addressing the health care inequities and as a key component of the NHI, we also have to address the issue of human resources. Retention of staff is critical if you want to succeed, particularly in rural and remote areas where staff experience lack of equipment and, more critically, lack of support. It is critical for government to review the incentives it offers to attract health care professionals, but it is equally important to address the issues of equipment, structural deficiencies and support.
It is most unfortunate that health care professionals found it necessary to strike in order to make their point. I am, however, delighted that they have decided to return to work. I hope that government and the trade unions will resolve the issue of the occupation-specific dispensation, OSD, without any further disruptions in services.
Another key priority in this programme is hospital revitalisation, which also incorporates preventative maintenance to ensure good maintenance of our health facilities in the provinces. I am glad to note that five tertiary hospitals, when completed, will render T1 services and serve as provincial referral hospitals. Construction is intended to start at the end of this MTEF, Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, period, and will cover the new Nelspruit, new Limpopo Academic Hospital, the King Edward VIII Hospital, Kimberley and Rustenburg hospitals.
The ANC believes that poverty is created by society and it can therefore be eliminated by society. We believe that people are the fundamental resource 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 development policy will accordingly pursue both the development and social services aspects in the context of social reconstruction, development and affirmative action.
ANC policy goals are aimed at the attainment of basic social development rights for all South Africans, irrespective of race, colour, religion and gender, through the establishment of democratically determined, equitable, just and effective social delivery systems; the redressing of the imbalances of the past through a deliberate process of affirmative action in respect of those who have been historically disadvantaged, especially women, youth and rural communities; and the empowerment of individual families and communities to participate in the process of deciding on the range of needs and the issues to be addressed through the local, regional and national initiatives.
ANC policy is based on the belief of human dignity of all in South Africa. We acknowledge that the state has a major role in meeting the legitimate and realistic expectations of all, especially the poor, disadvantaged and other vulnerable groups. We do not encourage the handout approach to social welfare provision, because it does not address the root causes of social problems. We believe in the importance of the family as it is understood within the social and cultural norms in South Africa, in the context of a normally functioning society. Special attention will therefore be given to promoting the reconstruction of family life.
In conclusion, the ANC commits itself to the following national social security system: Social insurance financed through contribution by potential beneficiaries and subsidised by employers, and social assistance for those who cannot provide for themselves because of circumstances beyond their control.
The 51st national conference of the ANC held in 2002 called for care and support for families to be elevated. As a result, care and support services to families experienced increases over the medium-term. At the 52nd national conference of the ANC in Polokwane, concern over the negative impact of poverty on our society was deeply debated.
The following priorities emerged as imperatives for social development from the conference: Firstly, a comprehensive social security net that provides a targeted and impeccable approach in eradicating poverty and unemployment; secondly, establishing a mandatory retirement fund and ensuring that retirement provisions cover low-income groups; thirdly, the child support grant should gradually be extended to the age of 18 years; and fourthly, our co-ordinated national drug campaign must be intensified to combat substance abuse. The ANC supports this Budget Vote. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr O DE Beer: Chairperson and members of this House, Minister of Social Development, I read a story this week about Acacia Park being moved closer to this institution. I would like to see a situation where Acacia Park is moved to Philippi so that our people can benefit from the development that is going to take place at such a high cost for the sake of these members who are sitting here.
This department also has to rectify the perception that exists amongst the people out there that this is the most corrupt department. Every financial year, you will always find a report that reflects corruption involving grants in this department. Secondly, how many of these grants actually reach the beneficiaries? Most of these grants go to the loan sharks and the drug lords. We have to deal with those challenges as well.
Cope also supports the extension of the grant to 18-year-olds, but it must reach the beneficiaries; that is, it must go directly to the people. Thank you. [Time expired.]