Issued by: Ministry for Social Development
6 June 2001
Madam Chairperson, Honourable Members, MECs for Social Development, representatives of civil society, and the young people in the public gallery who have made a special point of coming to listen to today's debate.
Last week our nation observed Child Protection Week under the banner "child protection is everyone's business" and I will therefore use this policy debate to speak to the various dimensions of this issue.
In ten days time we will be observing Youth Day and the 25th anniversary of the Soweto uprising. Time may pass but the struggle for social justice continues. I will therefore also use the occasion of this debate to focus on issues of youth development. Children and youth are not only our future they are our present. Government is therefore committed to promoting the rights of children and young people to protection, survival, development and participation which are enshrined in our constitution.
Last week Nkosi Johnson, the big-hearted and brave HIV/AIDS activist passed away but he will always be with us. In his short life, he confronted and tested the reality of the rights of children to protection, survival, development and participation in our country. His actions helped break the silence.
He shared his life with us and gave a public face to the struggle of children and all those vulnerable to HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS like poverty is everyone's business and I will speak to both these issues. Young people, particularly women, between the ages of 15 to 35 are the worst hit by HIV/AIDS because of poverty, economic hardship and unequal power relations that make them unable to negotiate safe sex with their partners. Of great concern are child headed households and the estimated half a million children who have moderate to severe disabilities, many of whom live in rural areas.
Madam Chairperson, the frequent occurrence of violence and abuse directed at women and older people is a reality that we must all continue to combat as we strive to build a caring society. Such violence and abuse is also everyone's' business.
During the budget vote debate in the National Assembly on 3rd April this year, I highlighted some of the critical accomplishments of the 2000/2001 financial year. I also outlined the priorities and planned outputs of the Department of Social Development for the 2001/2002 financial year. We identified innovative and effective community initiatives that the department would be continuing to support. My presentation to the NCOP today will be restricted to the readjustments of policy that result from what we learn as we implement our programmes with our partners.
Today's debate will also highlight recent policy decisions by the Council of Social Development Ministers and the expected outcomes of these decisions in the short to medium term. Our decisions give effect to the programme of action for the social development sector that was outlined by President Mbeki in his State of the Nation address.
With this framework in mind, the starting point for this policy debate has to be an acknowledgement of the steady progress we have made over the past year on various strategic fronts. My budget speech to the NCOP last year was a report on what we had done and would do to implement our 'Ten-point plan'. We have institutionalised consultations with both our national and provincial stakeholders to strengthen community participation in our work.
At our second annual national consultative workshop held in March this year, all the different role players in the social development sector reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating the implementation of the Ten-point plan.
The urgent need for effective implementation is based on my extended investigations and imbizos in the provinces. We identified blockages to service delivery and poor people's participation. The findings of these investigations and what we heard during the imbizos have already informed our programmes at the national and provincial levels.
First a personal word of thanks. Over the past year, I have received the full support and cooperation of all the MECs in the Council of Social Development Ministers. Our MinMec meetings have been focused and productive. I thank all the MECs for their commitment and the grounded, province specific knowledge that they have brought to bear. The interventions of the Council of Ministers are a testimony to the reality of co-operative governance.
Through the exercising of their oversight responsibilities, the members of the Select Committee of the NCOP have given guidance to the policy development and programme implementation work of the Department. I express my gratitude to all the members of the select committee.
A large number of faith-based organisations - especially the churches - have assisted the department in dramatically increasing the take up rates of the child support grant and to them I express my gratitude. Their role in working with us is critical.
Let me open this Policy Debate by referring to recent decisions by the Council of Social Development Ministers on the poverty relief programme. It has been decided that for the current financial year projects will be selected according to the following six criteria:
1. The development of household food security through the establishment of food production clusters in communities, with a particular focus on households affected by HIV/AIDS.
2. The provision and maintenance of social support structures in communities where the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and poverty are high.
3. The broadening of the skills base and the promotion of work opportunities for young people.
4. Support for the income generation activities of rural women.
5. Support to community-based childcare initiatives that use and support the creative resources of older people.
6. Support to initiatives that help to mainstream people with disabilities into the Poverty Relief Programme; and,
7. The development of locally based options for social financing to assist poor households with capacity.
These criteria are expected to result in building family support systems, economic empowerment, and community institution building as medium term outcomes. For this to happen the spirit of self-sacrifice and commitment to the public good which characterises volunteerism will have to flourish.
With respect to improvements in the delivery of social security services, MinMec meetings have been used to monitor the implementation of the following projects:
These are critical projects because social assistance plays a vital role in the alleviation of poverty for children, women, older people, and people with disabilities and their families. The Department of Social Development provides social grants to over 3.5 million beneficiaries, representing income support for a large number of poor households. But much more needs to be done for those people who do not receive any assistance, especially children over seven years of age, the working poor, and people who are destitute.
The number of caregivers who receive child support grants continues to rise dramatically. As of May 2001 more than 1.2 million caregivers in poor families received child support grants. The Department of Social Development is committed to the goal of providing child support grants to over 3 million children by the year 2003.
As the re-registration process draws to a close in most provinces, this process will have to be properly managed in a humane way with due regard for the rights of beneficiaries and the requirements of administrative justice. New guidelines on the review of all grant types have been incorporated into the amendments to the Social Assistance Regulations. I appreciate the assistance provided by civil society organisations, especially the Black Sash, with monitoring what is happening in this regard.
There are a number of on-going cases of litigation concerning the provision and administration of social assistance in the provinces. Every effort is being made to resolve these cases in the interests of all parties concerned.
The amendments to the Social Assistance Regulations and the new guidelines are being implemented together with immediate and short-term measures to improve pension pay points. These measures are being implemented in consultation with pension committees, local authorities, payment contractors, and the national departments of Home Affairs, Health, and Safety and Security.
I have had a number of discussions with the payment contractors on ways of improving their service delivery. The resultant improvements are limited so far and the plight of disabled people and older people remain unacceptable. Grant payment contractors who do not uphold the dignity, respect and rights of our citizens must have their contracts reviewed. This situation is totally unacceptable.
Our grants payment system, SOCPEN, is neither appropriate for nor up to the task of providing the kinds of management information required to ensure the effective delivery of social assistance. The Council of Social Development Ministers has agreed to replace the antiquated SOCPEN system within two years.
Alongside these developments, the Committee of Inquiry into a Comprehensive Social Security system is scheduled to present its report to Cabinet in July 2001.
Based upon an examination of the social and economic imperatives facing our country, the committee will provide government with an empirical basis for considering a range of policy options. These options will address the gaps in the present system and issues of social inequality, income poverty, asset development, food security and diminished capabilities.
The comprehensive way in which government is looking at the issue of social security is being extended to social welfare services. The transformation of social welfare services is being accelerated.
A National Task Team on the Financing Policy, consisting of four social development MECs chaired by Ms Buthelezi-Phori, has concluded that the "Financing Policy for Developmental Social Welfare Services" must be reviewed, as there are indications that it will not fundamentally change the pre-1994 status quo. Based upon a rapid appraisal, the MECs have concluded that while the Financing Policy provides principles to guide resource allocations in a development direction, it does not provide mechanisms that can translate these principles into action.
I have therefore appointed the Director-General of the national Department to head a project team that will conduct a comprehensive review of the transformation of the provision of welfare services. These services are focused on vulnerable groups in society - the poor, older people, people with disabilities, women and children who are the victims of violence, and young people.
The terms of reference of the project team are broad. They include: the imperatives and objectives of social transformation, the adequacy of existing legislative frameworks, an audit of social welfare infrastructure, the recommendation of interim, short and medium term measures, the setting of norms and standards, and the costing of a programme of transformation. After consulting parliamentary committees, the project team will present its report to the Council of Social Development Ministers by March 2002.
Some of the imperatives and challenges of transformation, especially of child and youth care services have recently been highlighted by the death of a child at the Noupoort Christian Care Centre. Adherence to the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act of 1992 needs to be complemented by appropriate standards of child protection. I understand the desperation of parents who see the Noupoort Centre as a last resort but parents and the relevant authorities must meet their overriding responsibility to protect children.
Concurrent with the work on the transformation of welfare services, is the implementation of the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee on the Abuse, Neglect and ill treatment of Older Persons. This report was tabled in Parliament on the 27th of March and the national Cabinet has endorsed the report. Cabinet has directed the Social Sector Cluster of Directors-General to develop an implementation plan and the Department of Social Development has already drafted an outline of such a plan to kick-start the work of the social sector cluster.
Once Cabinet has approved the implementation plan, it will be widely publicised. This will help mobilise support both outside and within government and enhance accountability. The Department of Social Development has also started working with the Justice and Crime Prevention Cluster to expand the scope of government's Victim Empowerment Programme to also include the abuse of older people.
The President has directed that the provinces and local government councils should take up the recommendations and their implementation. This multi-sectoral response is necessary if the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee are to be implemented effectively.
In view of the terrible atrocities experienced by the elderly in the home and communities, we have to review our policy of removing the elderly from institutions. The Department has commenced with the implementation of those recommendations that fall within its ambit. Improvements at pay points are already underway. We are also opening discussions with commercial banks so that they can make special provisions for elderly pensioners not only in terms of their facilities but also with regard to their bank charges. The current use of pay points to effect grant payments exposes older people to physical danger and violates their dignity.
In addition to these measures, the Department of Social Development has completed the first draft of the policy on the Status of Older Person and accompanying legislation.
The department will conduct extensive consultations on the policy with a view to introducing legislation in Parliament during the next session.
A task team drawn from the committee, consisting of Mr Tom Manthata, Ms Mary Turok and Mr Sid Eckley, has been requested to provide a implementation plan by the end of August 2001. This work will include:
1. The follow-up of all complaints and individual cases;
2. An urgent audit of all government-funded residential homes and recommend action to be taken against those in breach of existing regulations, and what assistance should be given to homes in disadvantaged communities;
3. Investigate the discounting of low interest loans by the pre-1994 Government and the extent to which conditions attached to this discounting have been complied with. I am confident that because of these actions it will not be said that the mothers and fathers of our nation are the forgotten people.
Madam Chairperson, I would now like to address the integrated and comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS that the Department of Social Development is making together with other departments and civil society organisations.
Our integrated and comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS encompasses reliable research information, sustainable social protection, the promotion of rights, the empowerment of vulnerable groups, risk management and a human resource development strategy. Some of this work is channelled through the National AIDS and Children Task Team (NACTT) which includes government departments, NGOs, Save the Children Fund (UK) and UNICEF.
As part of the National Integrated Plan for Children and Youth Infected and Affected by HIV/AIDS, the Departments of Social Development and Health are jointly implementing a programme to support community and home based care of children affected by HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. Implementation of this programme has already began in six provinces: Tsolo in the Eastern Cape; De Aar in the Northern Cape; Jouberton in the North West; Polokwane, Maraba and Mashashane in the Northern Province; Tonga in Mpumalanga; and Welkom in the Free State.
Eighty per cent of the funds allocated to the Department for community and home based care and support in the 2001/2002 financial year have been transferred to the six provinces as conditional grants. Although implementation of the community based care programme has begun, I am not satisfied with the pace of implementation. Further, we still do not have accurate information from the provinces about the number of children who are benefiting, the types of support being provided, and the implementation structures utilised.
The home and community based support teams that are being created are but one of a number of social protection measures being implemented.
We will be integrating HIV/AIDS counselling into our victim empowerment programmes and the Law Commission is considering measures to facilitate substitute care for children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.
Madam Chairperson, when we talk about home and community based care for children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, we are not referring to theoretical models or alien concepts. I would like to invite members of the NCOP to join me on Friday 8th June 2001 at the Agape Children's Home in Waterfall, Durban. As part of our poverty relief programme, we have been providing support to community projects that provide care for abandoned, abused and children. The Agape Home also caters for children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, many of whom continue to reside in the surrounding community while receiving food parcels and medical care from the home.
Under the leadership of Mrs Zodwa Mqadi of the Agape Children's Home, the Apostolic Faith Mission, volunteer medical personnel, the department of Social Development and the business sector have forged a partnership that is making a difference. There is no extended family in South Africa that is not in some direct way dealing with the impact of HIV/AIDS. Our people are stretching their meagre resources to provide care for people infected and affected, especially children. It is this compassion and spirit of volunteerism that is required to make sure that hope takes the place of despair.
It is vital that our policy debates are informed and inspired by the actions of civic minded community members who every day of their lives give concrete express to the saying 'Umntwana Womnye Umntu Ngumntwana Wam. Umntwana Wam Ngumntwana Womnye Umntu' (My child is your child and your child is my child). This saying has from time immemorial characterised the communal commitment of the older people and indeed families, to the well-being and upbringing of all children. It is in close keeping with this year's national theme for child protection week that "Child Protection is Everybody's Business."
Madam Chairperson, in the area of violence against women and their children, our focus has been on ensuring the more effective implementation of existing policy. With respect to the Domestic Violence Act of 1998, the department has been involved in the training of social workers and lay counsellors on domestic violence.
We now have better information on the existence of shelters for abused women and children, and the national and provincial departments will be establishing more shelters in areas where the prevalence of domestic violence is high. In addition, the continued implementation of Victim Empowerment Programme is one of the priorities of the Justice and Crime Prevention Cluster for the 2001 -2002 financial year.
Madam Chairperson, I would like to conclude my contribution to the policy debate in the NCOP by focusing on issues of youth development.
One of the Department of Social Development's key objectives for the 2001 -2002 financial year is to ensure that more of our programs focus on the promotion of youth employment and the promotion of youth enterprise. This is in line with the National Youth Economic Participation strategy developed jointly by the National Youth Commission, the Department of Labour and Ntsika Enterprises.
We are promoting an increased focus, through the Poverty Relief Programme, on the establishment of urban regeneration initiatives for unemployed youth and youth at risk. This includes training and job creation initiatives for youth. The Department of Social Development proposes to devote 18 per cent of its 2001/2002 poverty relief budget allocation, to providing young people with skills and reducing youth criminality. Increasing youth unemployment, accompanied by poverty and other social pathologies such as drug dependency creates more alienation and reinforces some of the patterns of exclusion from the apartheid era.
I am particularly concerned about the relationship between unemployment, gangsterism, substance abuse, and increases in violence. Components of the National Drug Master Plan that focus on youth will thus be prioritised for implementation.
As part of government's Urban Renewal Programme, eighteen projects will be established to increase the work opportunities of young people. This will be done through mentorships, skills training and assistance with placement.
Two projects will be established per province and each project is expected to accommodate 500 young people.
We will never forget the contributions young people made in the struggle to create a democratic South Africa. The United Nations has declared the year 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers and we appeal to and encourage our youth to participate with the same commitment and dedication that they showed in the struggle against apartheid.
I thank you.