The National Assembly begins a month of debate on the various departmental budget votes yesterday, when it splits into two extended public committees to consider the votes of Social Development Minister Zola Skweyiya, and his foreign affairs counterpart Nkozasana Dlamini-Zuma.

Skweyiya is expected to outline measures to provide more protection to children against abuse, and to improve the conditions of the poorest of the poor, including older persons, the disabled, and people infected and affected by HIV and Aids.

Dlamini-Zuma's budget speech will focus mainly on outlining strategic priorities for the ministry for 2004, as agreed to and ratified at the recent Cabinet lekgotla.

Skweyiya's office said in a statement yesterday the budget vote was significant in that it would "lay the foundation to tackle the next decade of freedom with regard to accelerating service delivery to the poorest of the poor, and even more importantly, to lay the foundation as government and society to better protect all children".

It said the minister would focus on various issues, including comprehensive child care legislation; older persons legislation; the provision of social security and the establishment of the National Social Security Agency (NSSA); the provision of home and community-based care for people infected and affected by HIV and Aids; measures to strengthen families; and programmes to transform the welfare sector.

In another statement, the foreign affairs department said the recently unveiled foreign affairs strategic plan identified the objectives of reforming the global system of governance, consolidating the African agenda, promoting South-South co-operation, enhancing political and economic relations, and facilitating human resource development.

Dlamini-Zuma is expected to touch on most of these topics in her speech.

The Assembly is scheduled to finally approve the Appropriation Bill (the Budget) on June 24. - Sapa