Date: 26/05/2005
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: Rasmeni: Child Support Grant Registration campaign
Address by North West MEC for Social Development, Ms Nomonde Rasmeni, during the Child Support Grant Registration campaign, Stinkwater Village
The Programme Director
The honourable, Mayor Anikie Selebogo
All Councillors
Bogosi jotlhe jo bo fano
Representatives from different NGOs
All Public Servants
Ladies and Gentlemen
“The challenges of creating a people-cantered society, of living up to the vision contained in the Freedom Charter, requires that all elements of South African society be subjected to genuine reconstruction and development.” Former President Nelson Mandela echoed these words during the 50th National Conference of the ruling party in Mafikeng in 1997.
Today, as a department we are once again putting into practice the genuine reconstruction and development that Comrade Mandela referred to. We continue with our mission of ensuring that our people, especially vulnerable children do not sleep on hungry stomachs. The Constitution of this country protects the rights of the child hence we as government, politicians as well as civil servants, have an obligation to ensure that children are not abused.
As we approach the observation of the Child Protection Week, from 30 May to 3 June 2005, it is our duty, (I mean all of us) to ensure that children have access to health facilities, education and most of all to basic nutrition. We have to implement measures that would assist to prevent and combat sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation and trafficking of children.
If we do this, bagaetsho, children will not end up in the streets neglected to become street children. It is at this stage that they become vulnerable to abuse. I therefore urge all of you to join hands and ensure that families and communities are strengthened in reaching our goals. We should all participate and ensure that the children especially “the girl child” are protected at all times.
As you might be aware, our purpose here today is to bring forth our mandate as government to ensure that we register all eligible people especially children for social security grant. All eligible children under the age of 14 years should be registered for the Child Support Grant. We also through these campaigns hope to strengthen partnerships with various stakeholders and communities in order to build a better life for all, especially children.
Let us also strive to strengthen families and improve the values of love, care and support for children. As much as we are giving people social grants, it is also of high importance that we build communities that are self-reliant and sufficient.
The establishment of the Social Security Agency will ensure that there is an effective and efficient management of social grants and reduction of fraud and corruption by government officials. It should however be noted that this does not take away the department’s responsibility of ensuring the well being of children, older persons and other vulnerable groups.
The department will now have more focus on capacity building and financing of non-governmental organisations, child welfare organisations and community-based organisations who are partners in delivering our mandate.
Programme Director, let me appeal to our councillors to assist our people to fight social ills that continue to confront us on a daily basis, this is your political mandate, serve people within your wards. Your engagement as councillors begins at the municipality level through the Social Development Portfolio Committee.
I urge you to play your part and be as much involved as possible to make sure that eligible people are registered for grants.
As I conclude let me warn those public servants who after numerous appeals to stop defrauding the system still continue to do so. The law is closing in on you; we will not stop to rid the system of corrupt and greedy individuals whose purpose is to enrich themselves instead of assisting our people access what is rightfully yours.
We are constantly receiving concerns from the public who allege that some parents abuse child support grant. Be rest assured that ways that can assist us to ensure that this money is used properly are underway. I would like to appeal to beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries to use the grant in a responsible manner.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Social Development, North West Provincial Government
26 May 2005
Source: North West Provincial Government
Title: Rasmeni: Child Support Grant Registration campaign
Address by North West MEC for Social Development, Ms Nomonde Rasmeni, during the Child Support Grant Registration campaign, Stinkwater Village
The Programme Director
The honourable, Mayor Anikie Selebogo
All Councillors
Bogosi jotlhe jo bo fano
Representatives from different NGOs
All Public Servants
Ladies and Gentlemen
“The challenges of creating a people-cantered society, of living up to the vision contained in the Freedom Charter, requires that all elements of South African society be subjected to genuine reconstruction and development.” Former President Nelson Mandela echoed these words during the 50th National Conference of the ruling party in Mafikeng in 1997.
Today, as a department we are once again putting into practice the genuine reconstruction and development that Comrade Mandela referred to. We continue with our mission of ensuring that our people, especially vulnerable children do not sleep on hungry stomachs. The Constitution of this country protects the rights of the child hence we as government, politicians as well as civil servants, have an obligation to ensure that children are not abused.
As we approach the observation of the Child Protection Week, from 30 May to 3 June 2005, it is our duty, (I mean all of us) to ensure that children have access to health facilities, education and most of all to basic nutrition. We have to implement measures that would assist to prevent and combat sexual abuse, neglect, exploitation and trafficking of children.
If we do this, bagaetsho, children will not end up in the streets neglected to become street children. It is at this stage that they become vulnerable to abuse. I therefore urge all of you to join hands and ensure that families and communities are strengthened in reaching our goals. We should all participate and ensure that the children especially “the girl child” are protected at all times.
As you might be aware, our purpose here today is to bring forth our mandate as government to ensure that we register all eligible people especially children for social security grant. All eligible children under the age of 14 years should be registered for the Child Support Grant. We also through these campaigns hope to strengthen partnerships with various stakeholders and communities in order to build a better life for all, especially children.
Let us also strive to strengthen families and improve the values of love, care and support for children. As much as we are giving people social grants, it is also of high importance that we build communities that are self-reliant and sufficient.
The establishment of the Social Security Agency will ensure that there is an effective and efficient management of social grants and reduction of fraud and corruption by government officials. It should however be noted that this does not take away the department’s responsibility of ensuring the well being of children, older persons and other vulnerable groups.
The department will now have more focus on capacity building and financing of non-governmental organisations, child welfare organisations and community-based organisations who are partners in delivering our mandate.
Programme Director, let me appeal to our councillors to assist our people to fight social ills that continue to confront us on a daily basis, this is your political mandate, serve people within your wards. Your engagement as councillors begins at the municipality level through the Social Development Portfolio Committee.
I urge you to play your part and be as much involved as possible to make sure that eligible people are registered for grants.
As I conclude let me warn those public servants who after numerous appeals to stop defrauding the system still continue to do so. The law is closing in on you; we will not stop to rid the system of corrupt and greedy individuals whose purpose is to enrich themselves instead of assisting our people access what is rightfully yours.
We are constantly receiving concerns from the public who allege that some parents abuse child support grant. Be rest assured that ways that can assist us to ensure that this money is used properly are underway. I would like to appeal to beneficiaries and prospective beneficiaries to use the grant in a responsible manner.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Social Development, North West Provincial Government
26 May 2005
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