30 August 2007
Please accept apologies from the co-chairs of the Social Cluster who are
currently out of the country and therefore are unable to present this report
today. The Minister of Health is attending the World Health Organisation's Afro
regional meeting in Brazzaville, Congo while the Minister of Social Development
is attending the African Union (AU) conference in Barbados.
Comprehensive Social Security
Earlier this month, Cabinet approved a harmonised assessment tool for grants
and free health care for people with disabilities. The tool will be implemented
in a phased approach and will involve disability associations.
Work is underway in defining what would constitute vulnerability of children
older than 14 years including the assessment of gaps in services to these
children. Policy proposals are being made to address these gaps also taking
into consideration the recommendations of the recently held Symposium on
Tackling Child Poverty.
Anti-poverty Campaign
The review of the current state of poverty in South Africa is expected to be
completed by March 2008 while the Anti-Poverty Framework is currently being
developed.
Ward based actions are being initiated to verify indigent registers and the
current package of support provided to identified families. Indigent households
are being registered with the Expanded Public Works Programme and
municipalities to work on projects for a guaranteed number of days per year.
Families are also being organised into community development trusts to
undertake sustainable livelihood projects and this is being piloted in
Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP) nodes in order to
address rural poverty challenges.
Efforts are being made to strengthen the National Health Information System
by training and appointing 2 300 unemployed matriculants to improve the
comprehensiveness and quality of health information.
The number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) funded for supporting
the implementation of health programmes including the response to HIV, AIDS and
TB will be increased.
Several projects have been established as part of Household Food Production
Programme to improve the food security amongst the most food insecure and
vulnerable communities.
More than R1,9 million was disbursed to 89 farmers between April and June
2007 as part of the farmer support programme. Repayments received between April
2007 and June 2007 amounted to R1 395 078.
Early Childhood Development (ECD)
Efforts are underway to improve the management of childhood illnesses,
increase immunisation coverage in all districts and eliminate measles. Polio
outbreak and importation preparedness is being strengthened.
At least 1 500 additional ECD sites were registered from April 2006 to March
2007. An additional 1 774 sites will be registered in the current year. 369 new
sites have already been registered since April 2007. 314 912 children from poor
households received subsidies from the Department of Social Development in the
past financial year. An additional 435 000 are targeted to receive subsidies in
the current financial year.
More than 4 000 ECD practitioners and support staff received stipends and
training on ECD National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level 1and 4. An
additional 6 000 learners are targeted to receive training and stipends in the
current year with over 1 200 of them already started with training.
Provision of Basic Services
An estimated 109 093 households were still using bucket systems in
established/formal areas as at the end of June 2007. A total number of 30 368
buckets have been replaced in the current year from January 2007 to June 2007.
From the current delivery progress, it is clear that the December 2007 bucket
eradication target will be met as good momentum has been built in all spheres
of government.
More than 17,3 million people benefited from improved water supply for the
period up to March 2007 with 7,2 million people still requiring access.
Education
Progress is being made towards doubling the Maths and Science higher grade
graduate output to 50 000 by 2008. The Department has appointed examiners to
set common examination question papers in Mathematics and Physical Science to
be written in November 2007 by Grade 10 learners in Dinaledi schools in the
nine provinces. Grade 11 learners will write common examinations in
Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Languages and Physical Science at the
end of 2007.
By June 2007, 50% of the allocation to each Further Education and Training
(FET) College had been transferred to the respective colleges. The expenditure
varies from college to college and the Department of Education is monitoring
the expenditure and provides financial management support where necessary.
R439 million is being allocated over two financial years to increase the
enrolment and output of engineering faculties. This allocation is expected to
lead to an increase in enrolment of 1 800 students by 2010 and the production
of 421 more graduates with a more significant increase starting from 2012.
Comprehensive health care
The programme to promote a healthy lifestyle continues including the
promotion of safe sexual behaviour. The Department of Health is urgently
responding to the challenge of condoms that were approved by an official of the
South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) while not conforming to the required
quality levels.
While at least 7 million condoms are a subject of the case of possible
collusion between the supplier, Zalatex and the SABS official, the Department
of Health is recalling all condoms that have been supplied by Zalatex since it
was awarded a 9% stake in the tender to supply condoms. 4,5 million of the
affected condoms had been collected by Tuesday, 28 August.
We appeal to all partners involved in the distribution of condoms and
members of the public to assist in identifying these condoms with a lot number:
4308/ZLX and return them to the nearest health facility. Those who require more
information or are concerned that they may have used the recalled condoms are
encouraged to contact the AIDS Helpline for more information, education and
counselling. The number is: 0800 012 322.
On treatment, the cumulative total of patients who started antiretroviral
(ARV) treatment is estimated at 300 000 as at the end of June 2007. A total of
342 facilities have been accredited to implement this treatment including 10
Correctional and 7 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Centres, and
more sites are being accredited to further expand access. Lack of adequate
health professionals still remains a key challenge to both the Departments of
Health and Correctional Services in expanding the number of sites.
Efforts are underway to open nursing colleges at, amongst others, Dora
Nginza Campus in the Eastern Cape, Bona Lesedi at Leratong Hospital and the
Coronation Nursing College at the Chris Hani Baragwanath - Gauteng province.
Three new campuses were established at Madadeni, Prince Mshiyeni and Port
Shepstone for a four-year nursing diploma - KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province.
An amount of R105 million will be made available for the 2008/2009 financial
year to accelerate the training of Family Social Workers at professional and
auxiliary levels with at least 3 000 Social Auxiliary Workers being trained in
the current year.
Conclusion
The report of the Social Cluster indicates that progress has been made in
improving the social conditions of many people in South Africa. The Cluster has
also identified some areas for future action and it will continue to intensify
the implementation of all its priorities as outlined in the Government
Programme of Action.
Delivered by Minister in the Presidency Essop Pahad on behalf of the Social
Sector Cluster.
Issued by: Government Communications
30 August 2007
