Date: 15/04/2005
Source: Ministry of Social Development
Title: Skweyiya: Social Development Dept Budget Vote debate, NCOP
Budget Vote Speech by Minister of Social Development, Dr. Zola Skweyiya, National Council of Provinces, Cape Town
Honourable Chairperson,
Honourable Delegates,
Deputy Minister of Social Development,
Members of the Provincial Executive Councils,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Twenty-six years and eleven days ago South Africa witnessed the hanging of the freedom fighter Solomon Mahlangu. On that fatal day Mahlangu left us with a message that encapsulated his love of his people and his commitment to the promotion of a caring society. This commitment is built into our democratic Constitution and it is in reaffirmation of this commitment that Budget Vote 18 places people at the centre of social development efforts.
I would like to acknowledge the ongoing work that this House is undertaking, especially through projects such as taking Parliament to the People. This work enhances public participation, deepens our social transformation agenda, promotes cooperative governance, and reaffirms a commitment to the promotion of a caring society.
Last week, the Ministry of Social Development took a major step forward in the advancement of the spirit of cooperative governance by entering into a MOU on the administration of social assistance with the MECs, as contemplated by the SA Social Security Agency Act. The MOU will enhance the management of the delivery of social grants in the transition to the full operation of the SA Social Security Agency, in the year 2007. We have set aside close to 200 million Rands over the MTEF period to ensure the effective and efficient management of the funds allocated for social grants over the MTEF period. The caring system of social protection that we are building must also restore the dignity of all our people.
These efforts will be complemented by the full operation of the Inspectorate for Social Security. We will be cooperating with all national and provincial law enforcement agencies, including the South African Police Services and the Special Investigation Unit, so as to ensure the establishment of the Inspectorate by March 2006.
Chairperson, Government’s Social Sector continues to pursue the objective of implementing a caring and integrated system of social protection primarily through the three pillars of our system of comprehensive social security. To this end, we will in the coming year extend coverage to an additional 2 million children under the age of 14 years. This will result in a total of 7 million children receiving the Child Support Grant. We have also embarked on concerted action to improve access to the Foster Care Grant. This takes into account the definition of a family as adopted by the African Union and the impact HIV and AIDS are having on children.
The increases in the Rand amounts of social grants are intended to cater for the negative consequences of inflation and meet the needs of poor and vulnerable households. Budget Vote 18 is a reaffirmation of our commitment to putting people at the centre of our development efforts.
To adequately provide for poor and vulnerable households, particularly those that are headed by children, we must have an appropriate legislative and regulatory framework that both informs our strategic and programmatic outlook and enables us to protect the rights of these children. To this end we ought to, in this year, finalise the Child Care Act. I would like to repeat my concern and frustration at the fact that the passage of the Children’s Bill in Parliament had been delayed for years because of protracted consultations with NGOs. Various well-intentioned Children’s rights advocacy groups – lobbying for the inclusion of this or that particular element in the Bill in order to construct a no expenses spared ‘be all and end all’ piece of legislation – are acting as if the delay in passing the Children’s Bill is of no consequence. This is untrue. The delay is a hindrance in providing assistance to orphaned children and child-led households.
The promulgation of this important piece of legislation will enable my Department to enhance its contribution to the Expanded Public Works Programme through the provision of Early Childhood Development facilities. It will also enhance the implementation of the Policy Framework and Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Management of Child Abuse. Already Child Protection Registers have been implemented in all the provinces.
Honourable chairperson, the implementation of these registers requires a vibrant and vigilant civil society sector that can assist us in not only identifying alleged abusers but also in advancing the broader social development agenda. With this in mind we have undertaken a study on the impact of the NPO Act of 1997 and the extent to which it has created an enabling environment for Not for Profit Organisations. Despite the fact that we know that these organisations run into the hundreds of thousands, sadly by March 2005 only 29 000 organisations had registered for NPO status. Our records show that in this period just over 2 000 Not for Profit Organisations deregistering and 22 dissolved.
The study on the impact of the NPO Act notes the inadequacy of financial resources allocated for the implementation of the Act, when compared to the size, scope and vibrancy of the NPO sector on the one hand, and the complexity on the NPO Act on the other hand. The report suggests that the actual benefits accruing to community-based organisations from NPO registration have not been substantial and that these organisations have a limited capacity to manage their own affairs. Although there is an overall acknowledgment that the enabling environment for the sector has improved, the organisations that have tended to benefit are the larger and urban-based NGOs. This situation poses a threat to our efforts to address issues of social integration and the sustenance of acceptable standards across the sector.
Working together with the SA NGO Coalition (SANGOCO), the Southern African Grant Makers Association and other Non Profit Networks; the Department will be exploring ways of establishing new strategic partnerships with all stakeholders and role players in the NPO sector who can assist in implementing sustainable interventions.
The work being done to improve the implementation capacity of the National Development Agency will assist in this regard. The NDA’s five regional offices in Polokwane, Mafikeng, Bloemfontein, Durban and Johannesburg are now operational and under the guidance of its Chairperson, Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, the Board must ensure that the NDA assumes its mandated position as a fulcrum for the partnerships between the NGO sector and government.
It should be noted that the NPO sector and community based organisations in particular will benefit from the revamp of the Policy on Financial Awards to the sector. I am pleased to inform this house that MINMEC approved a new Policy on Financial Awards for Service Providers and the Department will soon implement this policy after final consultations with the National Treasury and the sector.
Honourable Chairperson, in December last year we offered an indemnity to all those illegally accessing social grants. I am pleased to announce that over 76 000 applications are currently being processed by our national and provincial staff. Let me once again utilise this opportunity to express government’s appreciation to those honest people that have decided that they will not be party to depriving poor families of assistance. These people are demonstrating their commitment to the promotion of a caring and loving society. Their honesty, commitment and actions could translate to a savings of over 33 million Rands per month.
In order to root out all fraud and corruption, the Department of Social Development has set aside 57, 9 million Rands and entered into a cooperation agreement with the Special Investigating Unit. Over the next eighteen months we will train and utilise 200 dedicated staff in the fight against fraud and corruption, whilst interrogating the details of each and every one of the nine million beneficiaries of social grants.
As part of the terms of this agreement and in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies including the Scorpions, we have already begun arresting and prosecuting public servants, professionals and syndicates who have been systematically robbing our system of social assistance. We are already in possession of the names of over 41 000 public servants who are being or will be investigated.
Our work began in the Eastern Cape as a result of the recommendations of the Presidential Special Task Team on Fraud and Corruption in the Eastern Cape, which was deployed, to that province in 2002. We will now prioritise the integrity of the disability, foster care, and child support grants in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.
Let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the MECs responsible for social development who have spearheaded the verification processes in the provinces, which started with temporary disability grants. Through their efforts we uncovered 121,000 beneficiaries, whose grants had lapsed since October 2004 thus saving us in excess of 500 million Rands. We expect that provinces will diligently continue, on an ongoing basis, with the work of reviewing grants so as to stop leakages in the system.
In addition to the reviews of temporary disabilities, we have also successfully halted over 19 000 cases of potential fraud. For the North West province this has meant a saving of about 154 million Rands, for the Eastern Cape 115 million Rands, and in Gauteng 105 million Rands per annum. We are convinced that if the other provinces increase their capacity, they too will yield similar results.
Honourable Chairperson, central to the success of a viable and sustainable social protection system is its ability to enable those functioning in the peripheries of the second economy to take advantage of opportunities in the first economy, whilst promoting less and less dependence on the State. It is in pursuit of this strategic objective that we have redefined our Food Emergency Scheme so that it forms an integral part of our broader social relief policies.
Chairperson, all the work that is done by the national and provincial departments of Social Development is focused on ensuring that our country achieves the Millennium Development Goals in the context of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). I would like to underline the fact that provincial departments of Social Development also have a responsibility to implement NEPAD-related projects.
The realisation of the rights of all vulnerable people and the advancement of the social development agenda to restore the dignity of our people requires collective effort. To this end we will not only continue fostering inter-governmental cooperation but will also enlist the support of all development-oriented agencies and organisations. The National Council of Provinces has an important role to play in ensuring that our people are at the centre of social development efforts.
Chairperson, there are a number of other important aspects of Budget Vote 18, that I have not highlighted in this speech. The Deputy Minister, who has been assigned the broad welfare services portfolio, including drug and substance abuse, will address these and other important challenges, in her speech. I am sure the Honourable Delegates of the NCOP will agree with us that the support given to this Budget Vote is an indication that we will never forget and always cherish the commitment to a caring society.
Twenty-six years and eleven days later, we stand to communicate a message that encapsulates our love of our people and our country’s commitment to the promotion of a caring society.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Social Development
15 April 2005
Source: Ministry of Social Development
Title: Skweyiya: Social Development Dept Budget Vote debate, NCOP
Budget Vote Speech by Minister of Social Development, Dr. Zola Skweyiya, National Council of Provinces, Cape Town
Honourable Chairperson,
Honourable Delegates,
Deputy Minister of Social Development,
Members of the Provincial Executive Councils,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Twenty-six years and eleven days ago South Africa witnessed the hanging of the freedom fighter Solomon Mahlangu. On that fatal day Mahlangu left us with a message that encapsulated his love of his people and his commitment to the promotion of a caring society. This commitment is built into our democratic Constitution and it is in reaffirmation of this commitment that Budget Vote 18 places people at the centre of social development efforts.
I would like to acknowledge the ongoing work that this House is undertaking, especially through projects such as taking Parliament to the People. This work enhances public participation, deepens our social transformation agenda, promotes cooperative governance, and reaffirms a commitment to the promotion of a caring society.
Last week, the Ministry of Social Development took a major step forward in the advancement of the spirit of cooperative governance by entering into a MOU on the administration of social assistance with the MECs, as contemplated by the SA Social Security Agency Act. The MOU will enhance the management of the delivery of social grants in the transition to the full operation of the SA Social Security Agency, in the year 2007. We have set aside close to 200 million Rands over the MTEF period to ensure the effective and efficient management of the funds allocated for social grants over the MTEF period. The caring system of social protection that we are building must also restore the dignity of all our people.
These efforts will be complemented by the full operation of the Inspectorate for Social Security. We will be cooperating with all national and provincial law enforcement agencies, including the South African Police Services and the Special Investigation Unit, so as to ensure the establishment of the Inspectorate by March 2006.
Chairperson, Government’s Social Sector continues to pursue the objective of implementing a caring and integrated system of social protection primarily through the three pillars of our system of comprehensive social security. To this end, we will in the coming year extend coverage to an additional 2 million children under the age of 14 years. This will result in a total of 7 million children receiving the Child Support Grant. We have also embarked on concerted action to improve access to the Foster Care Grant. This takes into account the definition of a family as adopted by the African Union and the impact HIV and AIDS are having on children.
The increases in the Rand amounts of social grants are intended to cater for the negative consequences of inflation and meet the needs of poor and vulnerable households. Budget Vote 18 is a reaffirmation of our commitment to putting people at the centre of our development efforts.
To adequately provide for poor and vulnerable households, particularly those that are headed by children, we must have an appropriate legislative and regulatory framework that both informs our strategic and programmatic outlook and enables us to protect the rights of these children. To this end we ought to, in this year, finalise the Child Care Act. I would like to repeat my concern and frustration at the fact that the passage of the Children’s Bill in Parliament had been delayed for years because of protracted consultations with NGOs. Various well-intentioned Children’s rights advocacy groups – lobbying for the inclusion of this or that particular element in the Bill in order to construct a no expenses spared ‘be all and end all’ piece of legislation – are acting as if the delay in passing the Children’s Bill is of no consequence. This is untrue. The delay is a hindrance in providing assistance to orphaned children and child-led households.
The promulgation of this important piece of legislation will enable my Department to enhance its contribution to the Expanded Public Works Programme through the provision of Early Childhood Development facilities. It will also enhance the implementation of the Policy Framework and Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Management of Child Abuse. Already Child Protection Registers have been implemented in all the provinces.
Honourable chairperson, the implementation of these registers requires a vibrant and vigilant civil society sector that can assist us in not only identifying alleged abusers but also in advancing the broader social development agenda. With this in mind we have undertaken a study on the impact of the NPO Act of 1997 and the extent to which it has created an enabling environment for Not for Profit Organisations. Despite the fact that we know that these organisations run into the hundreds of thousands, sadly by March 2005 only 29 000 organisations had registered for NPO status. Our records show that in this period just over 2 000 Not for Profit Organisations deregistering and 22 dissolved.
The study on the impact of the NPO Act notes the inadequacy of financial resources allocated for the implementation of the Act, when compared to the size, scope and vibrancy of the NPO sector on the one hand, and the complexity on the NPO Act on the other hand. The report suggests that the actual benefits accruing to community-based organisations from NPO registration have not been substantial and that these organisations have a limited capacity to manage their own affairs. Although there is an overall acknowledgment that the enabling environment for the sector has improved, the organisations that have tended to benefit are the larger and urban-based NGOs. This situation poses a threat to our efforts to address issues of social integration and the sustenance of acceptable standards across the sector.
Working together with the SA NGO Coalition (SANGOCO), the Southern African Grant Makers Association and other Non Profit Networks; the Department will be exploring ways of establishing new strategic partnerships with all stakeholders and role players in the NPO sector who can assist in implementing sustainable interventions.
The work being done to improve the implementation capacity of the National Development Agency will assist in this regard. The NDA’s five regional offices in Polokwane, Mafikeng, Bloemfontein, Durban and Johannesburg are now operational and under the guidance of its Chairperson, Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana, the Board must ensure that the NDA assumes its mandated position as a fulcrum for the partnerships between the NGO sector and government.
It should be noted that the NPO sector and community based organisations in particular will benefit from the revamp of the Policy on Financial Awards to the sector. I am pleased to inform this house that MINMEC approved a new Policy on Financial Awards for Service Providers and the Department will soon implement this policy after final consultations with the National Treasury and the sector.
Honourable Chairperson, in December last year we offered an indemnity to all those illegally accessing social grants. I am pleased to announce that over 76 000 applications are currently being processed by our national and provincial staff. Let me once again utilise this opportunity to express government’s appreciation to those honest people that have decided that they will not be party to depriving poor families of assistance. These people are demonstrating their commitment to the promotion of a caring and loving society. Their honesty, commitment and actions could translate to a savings of over 33 million Rands per month.
In order to root out all fraud and corruption, the Department of Social Development has set aside 57, 9 million Rands and entered into a cooperation agreement with the Special Investigating Unit. Over the next eighteen months we will train and utilise 200 dedicated staff in the fight against fraud and corruption, whilst interrogating the details of each and every one of the nine million beneficiaries of social grants.
As part of the terms of this agreement and in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies including the Scorpions, we have already begun arresting and prosecuting public servants, professionals and syndicates who have been systematically robbing our system of social assistance. We are already in possession of the names of over 41 000 public servants who are being or will be investigated.
Our work began in the Eastern Cape as a result of the recommendations of the Presidential Special Task Team on Fraud and Corruption in the Eastern Cape, which was deployed, to that province in 2002. We will now prioritise the integrity of the disability, foster care, and child support grants in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.
Let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the MECs responsible for social development who have spearheaded the verification processes in the provinces, which started with temporary disability grants. Through their efforts we uncovered 121,000 beneficiaries, whose grants had lapsed since October 2004 thus saving us in excess of 500 million Rands. We expect that provinces will diligently continue, on an ongoing basis, with the work of reviewing grants so as to stop leakages in the system.
In addition to the reviews of temporary disabilities, we have also successfully halted over 19 000 cases of potential fraud. For the North West province this has meant a saving of about 154 million Rands, for the Eastern Cape 115 million Rands, and in Gauteng 105 million Rands per annum. We are convinced that if the other provinces increase their capacity, they too will yield similar results.
Honourable Chairperson, central to the success of a viable and sustainable social protection system is its ability to enable those functioning in the peripheries of the second economy to take advantage of opportunities in the first economy, whilst promoting less and less dependence on the State. It is in pursuit of this strategic objective that we have redefined our Food Emergency Scheme so that it forms an integral part of our broader social relief policies.
Chairperson, all the work that is done by the national and provincial departments of Social Development is focused on ensuring that our country achieves the Millennium Development Goals in the context of the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). I would like to underline the fact that provincial departments of Social Development also have a responsibility to implement NEPAD-related projects.
The realisation of the rights of all vulnerable people and the advancement of the social development agenda to restore the dignity of our people requires collective effort. To this end we will not only continue fostering inter-governmental cooperation but will also enlist the support of all development-oriented agencies and organisations. The National Council of Provinces has an important role to play in ensuring that our people are at the centre of social development efforts.
Chairperson, there are a number of other important aspects of Budget Vote 18, that I have not highlighted in this speech. The Deputy Minister, who has been assigned the broad welfare services portfolio, including drug and substance abuse, will address these and other important challenges, in her speech. I am sure the Honourable Delegates of the NCOP will agree with us that the support given to this Budget Vote is an indication that we will never forget and always cherish the commitment to a caring society.
Twenty-six years and eleven days later, we stand to communicate a message that encapsulates our love of our people and our country’s commitment to the promotion of a caring society.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Social Development
15 April 2005
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