Good Morning ladies and gentlemen.

The Department of Welfare is committed to service excellence for individuals, families and communities. We have laid a significant foundation since 1994, and will continue to build on this.

Given the Welfare Department’s commitments, we welcome and support the government’s Budget, announced yesterday. We especially support its pro-poor focus and that R103,7 billion has been allocated to Social Services.

The Media Kit you have offers a wider summary. I will simply highlight some of our achievements and future priorities, and respond to your questions afterwards:

In 1997/98, the Department allocated R50million to 1 133 poverty alleviation projects, benefiting more than 93 000 participants.

In 1998/99, R203-million was allocated to income-generating projects for: disabled persons, women with children under five, projects for women and youth, intergovernmental programmes and capacity building. More than 2 700 projects in nine provinces have been identified for this funding.

R20-million of the R203-million has been allocated to the disability sector. Reflecting Welfare’s commitment to the Job Summit, R8-million of this amount has been earmarked for the economic empowerment of people with disabilities.

Fifteen income generating projects have been launched throughout the country in rural communities and informal settlements. These pilot projects benefit unemployed Women with Children Under Five.

Every month, this Department pays pensions and grants to about 2,9-million South Africans throughout the country.

Indirectly, these payments reach between 7 and nine million people, many in rural areas.

We regard this as a major poverty alleviation programme, and it amounts to about R16-billion in the 1998/99 financial year

In 1997, we amalgamated the 14 fragmented systems we inherited from the apartheid system, creating a more uniform system.

During 1998/99, we removed 70 772 "ghost" beneficiaries, saving the state more than R211,2-million. Through this process and other measures, we have saved an amount of R281,9-million in the 1998/99 financial year.

On 1 April 1998 we introduced the Child Support Grant (CSG). Within less than a year, we are already supporting the care givers of more than   23 823 children every month, while other applications are being processed.  We remain determined to reach 3 million children in the poorest households, over the next 5 years.

In line with the Batho Pele campaign, and to provide a better service to our citizens, we have implemented the following:

• monthly payments in the Eastern Cape, rather than every two months
• An Operations Centre linked to a national toll-free number 0800-601-011, where all complaints can be swiftly dealt with. Provincial departments are establishing similar centres.
• to link poorly resourced areas to the Operations Centre, we have entered a partnership with Telkom to use satellite technology
• a review of the present disability grant, to ensure that genuinely disabled people have access to this grant. We are also encouraging access to the Care Dependency Grant, for people who care for the terminally ill.

We have implemented developmental models of care and protection. These aim to develop and maintain the well-being of individuals, families and communities by focussing on the total person and building on people's strengths and competencies

The Department, in partnership with various NGO’s, has piloted a community based care model for children affected by HIV and AIDS – called Children in Distress (CINDI)

We have paid subsidies of over R1.5 billion a year to about 1 400 NGO’s who deliver developmental welfare services, support for the unemployed and meeting the needs of women and children.

Since the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Young People at Risk (IMC) in 1996, a number of advances have been made:

The 6 IMC pilot projects are complete. They will be used as a basis for roll-out for the Make a Difference Project

IMC Policy guidelines were finalised at the end of 1997. Implementation will ensure the transformation of the child and youth care system along developmental lines.

We have designed minimum norms and standards for the Child and Youth Care system. These will be linked to future funding and to capacity building as part of a developmental quality assurance programme.

This project has greatly impacted on the lives of children, as reflected in the national outcomes listed for the period July- November 1998:

• 4609 reviews completed
• 2270 children diverted from the criminal justice system
• 898 children moved out of prison through developmental assessment
• 234 children diverted via family preservation
• 377 children prevented from moving deeper into the system
• 1187 children returned to their families
• 419 children moved out of places of safety

In line with the Transformation of the Child and Youth Care System, probation services underwent dramatic changes in 1998:

The Act on Probation Services has been amended and will enable welfare departments to appoint probation officers and family finders

The establishment of the first honours degree in Probation Practice (UCT) and the introduction of a degree in child and youth care for youth care workers (the Technikon RSA)

Two pilot projects under the IMC have been identified for national roll-out in 1999. They are the Durban Reception, Assessment and Referral Centre and the One Stop Youth Justice Centre in PE

77% of the original RDP allocation of R33m has been spent on the building and upgrading of secure care facilities in all nine provinces

We recognise the need to fast track de-institutionalisation; and the social integration and economic empowerment of people with disabilities

Since 1994, eleven welfare laws have been passed by Parliament and by the end of 1999, we hope seven or eight more will have been passed

Three laws were passed during 1998:

• The Adoption Matters Amendment Act, 1998 (Act No. 56 of 1998);
• The Aged Persons Amendment Act, 1998 (Act No. 100 of 1998); and
• The Social Work Amendment Act, 1998 (Act No. 102 of 1998)

Three Bills have been introduced in Parliament for the first session of 1999, namely -

• the Child Care Amendment Bill;
• the Probation Services Amendment Bill; and
• the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Amendment Bill.

• The development of comprehensive child care legislation to harmonise all existing provisions under one law.
• Comprehensive legislation on older persons.

OPSA (Older Persons South Africa) established to lead the observance of the year

Besides the high profile celebrations for the year, we are planning a number of sustainable programmes to improve the quality of life of older persons, such as an ombuds system for the reporting of elder abuse.

Campaign to give high visibility to HIV / AIDS.

"On the Right Track" aimed at government officials, local communities and the public. Senior political office bearers including cabinet ministers and MECs, as well as other persons will take a train route from Pietersburg to Cape Town

Interactive discussions en route with local communities. A conference on HIV/AIDS will be held during the course of the journey.

A press conference is planned for 22 February at the Hilton Hotel, Sandton from 8h30 – 10h00. Be there!

Establishment of a comprehensive, integrated social security system

The business process re-engineering of social security for greater efficiency and service excellence to social security beneficiaries. This requires that the Department of Welfare completely transforms its systems for the payment of social grants.

The Department is currently hearing presentations from companies on a new Welfare Payment and Information Service.

Some features of the service will include:

• Rollout of high quality payment facilities, especially to rural and remote rural areas
• Access to grant payments 8 hours a day, 7 days a week
• High-level financial and management controls to minimise fraud and corruption
• Financial tracking mechanisms to ensure early identification of fraud and promote immediate action
• Link to the Home Affairs National Identification System (HANIS) for real-time checking of vital registration information (births and deaths)
• Promoting a service-orientation and customer focus in government
• Rapid processing of applications

As these achievements show, the Department has laid a significant foundation for the future. While the new Cabinet may not change policies, I am confident they will deepen delivery, to provide a better life for our people.

I thank you.