Development, to the National Assembly, Cape Town
28 March 2006
Chairperson
Honourable Deputy President
Honourable Minister
Honourable Members
MECs for Social Development
Distinguished guests
Members of the community present here today
Ladies and gentlemen
Budget Vote 18, as highlighted by the Minister, outlines our intention to
give effect to government's programme of action and contribute positively to
the Age of Hope as mentioned in the Presidentâs state of the nation address.
This year as we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the battles fought by our
youth for social and economic inclusion and the 50th Anniversary of the Womenâs
March, we acknowledge the successes of this department in ensuring equitable
access to social development services. Thereby instilling hope to 11 million of
the poorest of the poor.
The establishment of South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has
refocused attention on the remaining services in the developmental social
services basket. The Minister of Finance, in his budget speech stated that the
core priority is to strengthen social welfare services. In this regard, the
launching of the Integrated Service Delivery Model and the passing of key
legislation, such as the Children's and the Older Person's Bills has laid the
foundation for the accelerated delivery of quality social services to the
poorest and most vulnerable of our people.
Honourable Members, the implementation of the Integrated Service Delivery
Model which was launched in 2005, provides the framework for delivering
developmental services, whilst defining the roles and responsibilities of all
tiers of government, including civil society. This model is crucial to
formalising the relationships of the department with community-based
organisation (CBOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs) and non-government
organisations (NGOs) as implementing partners at community level.
Chairperson, in order to give effect to government's priorities in this âAge
of Hopeâ, this department has a strategic role to play in developing and
strengthening relationships with its partners to alleviate poverty and deliver
improved quality service to the poorest of the poor.
We acknowledge and thank our many partners, and in particular the NGOs, CBOs
and FBOs form a crucial link in the chain of service delivery as the
implementing agents.
The service delivery model highlights the role of government as well as that
of organs of civil society, including private organisations; community based
organisations, faith based organisations, parastatals, etc. It is critical to
mention that the model calls for a radical transformation of the way things are
currently done.
Ladies and gentlemen, Honourable Members, this shift in focus is reflected
in the increased allocation for integrated developmental social welfare
services. I would like to point out that although there is an increase in the
allocation for the developmental social services delivery; social security
still has 99% of the departmentâs total budget with only one percent for the
remainder of services. 22% of this is allocated to developmental social welfare
services. This will be applied to strengthen and expand capacity for the
development of social development policies, strategies, programmes, as well as
norms and standards.
The Social Crime prevention allocation is increased by 23,2% in the current
year. This relates to the implementation of the Child Justice Bill, which will
improve the functioning of the integrated justice system. To reduce the number
of children in prison awaiting trial, the current legislation and regulations
will be reviewed. A departmental social crime prevention strategy will be
developed and approved. Appropriate programmes and guidelines for children
awaiting trail will be developed. Three secure care centres will be established
and the minimum standards for diversion programmes will be launched. Six
hundred probation officers will be trained.
In terms of Child Care and protection services, we are proud to report that
the Childrenâs Bill (section 75) has been passed by Parliament. The regulations
for the Childrenâs Bill will be developed during this financial year. The other
key priorities include the computerised child protection register and the
implementation and monitoring of the policy on the prevention of child abuse,
neglect and exploitation. Training and early implementation of the National
Integrated Early Childhood Development Plan will be facilitated.
With regard to the renewal of the National Drug Master Plan is complete and
will go to Cabinet for approval. The new Plan (2005 to 2010) proposes an array
of drug control, prevention and treatment initiatives, which will inform new
legislation and programmes.
Honourable members, the first term of the first board of the Central Drug
Authority has come to and end and I trust you will join me in thanking to the
outgoing board for their achievements in the last five years, and particularly
in 2004/05. The new members of the board for the Central Drug Authority have
been appointed. I am hopeful that the new board will keep the momentum and take
up the challenge of achieving a drug free society with the same vigour.
Current legislation governing services on the prevention and treatment of
substance abuse and rehabilitation is outdated and will be reviewed during this
financial year. The Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse Bill will
provide for the transformation of services in the field of substance abuse, for
community-based interventions, the development of minimum norms and standards
for different levels of service delivery for substance abuse and ensure
registration and monitoring of facilities. This Bill will be introduced to
parliament by the end of June 2006.
A model for community-based services will be developed including best
practice models for children and youth. Our department will also be hosting an
international summit on substance abuse to share best practice at national,
regional and international level in managing the problem of substance
abuse.
With regard to Victim Empowerment, Women and Gender, in line with this
yearâs commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Womenâs march, our
department will intensify our efforts to improve services to women through the
mainstreaming of gender in all programmes in the department.
In continuing the work on prevention of victimisation and services to women
and their children, two shelters will be established and the victim empowerment
policy will be launched. Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the
victim empowerment policy will continue. The strategy for the involvement of
men and boys in the prevention of violence against women will be finalised.
With regard to Orphans and Vulnerable Children; through the implementation
of the departmentâs expanded public works programme, services and care to
orphans and other vulnerable children will be improved. 5000 home based
caregivers will be trained. A database for orphans and vulnerable children will
be established in each province in this financial year. This will assist in
ensuring well functioning structures to deliver services at all levels.
The policy framework for this sector will be finalised and a National Action
Plan for orphans and vulnerable children will be developed. The number of child
care forums will be increased by 800 over the next two years.
With regard to National Youth Development; as part of the 30th Anniversary
Youth celebrations Youth Development will receive prioritisation in this
financial year. In addition to the National Youth Service Programme mentioned
by the Minister, the Integrated Youth Strategy will be launched in June during
Youth month. Guidelines for the training of provincial staff and service
providers will be completed by December 2006. A skills programme for protecting
vulnerable youth, is being developed and will focus on the homeless and youth
living on the streets.
Ladies and gentlemen, with regard to the Social Service Professionals,
delivery of developmental social services necessitates the creation of an
enabling environment for social service practitioners. To this end, the Social
Service Professions Act and the Social Services Act will be reviewed and
implemented. All professions in the social welfare sector will be graded
appropriately and job descriptions will be benchmarked for child and youth care
workers as well as social auxiliary workers. This will be done in collaboration
with our partners in the new Social Services Professions Council and the
Professional Boards to assist in completing this process.
Training manuals for capacity building on the service delivery model will be
developed and 50% of managers and service professionals will be trained in this
financial year. Research on the norms and standards for social service
provision will be conducted in all provinces with a view to developing norms
and standards for approval.
The draft policy framework on disability has been finalised and the
guidelines for support services to children with disabilities will be developed
during this financial year. The existing policies are not sufficient to address
the needs of this vulnerable group. Therefore, the department will conduct
research into the needs of people and children with disabilities. To this end
an increase of R1 million has been allocated.
Chairperson, the âAge of Hopeâ is reflected in the passing of the Older
Personâs Bill through parliament last week. For Older Persons the
implementation of this Act signifies better and more accessible care and
services to older persons.
A significant increase of 32% has been allocated for the completion of the
draft regulations, the draft South African Plan of Action on Ageing, developing
the charter on the rights of older persons and the guidelines for the
transformation of old age homes and service centres to promote accessibility
and integration.
The countryâs most important population challenges include mitigating the
demographic impacts of the HIV and Aids epidemic, and to promote youth
development and gender equality. The main thrust of our interventions is to
strengthen the capacity of the government, especially in the local sphere, to
respond to population trends that shape the social environment.
Chairperson, Government wants to build a social security system that is
sustainable. As the social sectorâs contribution to Accelerated and Shared
Growth initiative of South Africa (AsgiSA), we are responding with a programme
called Gwebindlala, which aims to provide income support while simultaneously
developing the human capital of beneficiaries through skills development and
job placement services. Gwebindlala will address vulnerability, social
exclusion and hunger or poverty. We cannot support income assistance without
other interventions.
Madame Speaker, we attach great importance to the fight against the
manifestations and causes of poverty and under-development. This underlines the
critical roles that have to be played by all cadres of social development
professionals, namely social workers; auxiliary social workers; child and youth
care workers; probation officers and community development practitioners.
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Social Development
28 August 2006
