The Minister of Social Development, Ms Sisisi Nokuzola Tolashe and the leadership of the Department of Social Development and its entities visited Khayelitsha and Kayamandi to provide a range of critical services to the communities. On the 8th of July, she engaged the community of Khayelitsha directly, through the Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP) led by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
The ICROP provides the community access to services provided by SASSA, the Departments of Home Affairs, Correctional Services and Health, and the South African Police Service (SAPS). An estimated 2000 people attended to access these services.
The community voiced their concerns on matters such as crime and a lack of government offices that are sufficient to cover the wide geographical area that is Khayelitsha. Acknowledging the outcry and the great number of community members who would have left without being attended to, the Minister requested that the outreach programme return and provide the services on Thursday and Friday this week, a gesture that was highly appreciated by the community.
In acknowledging and amplifying the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) as drivers of sustainable community development, the Minister handed over a cheque, on the 9th of July, to the value of R2 394 125,56 for the establishment of a community bakery in Kayamandi, Stellenbosch, under the auspices of the Imbadu Community Bakery Cooperative – creating 22 jobs, mainly for youth, with growth prospects as operations progress.
“We are strategically doing this handover within the month that recognises cooperatives as the backbone of community economies and promotes sustainable development. The people of Kayamandi were deliberate in their intention to take their own livelihoods in their hands. We urge the members to use the funds responsibly and that the community continues to rally behind them,” said the Minister.
2025 is marked as UN International Year of Cooperatives themed “Cooperatives building a better world”. In South Africa, they are the heart of the much-needed village and township economic revival. The Imbadu Community Bakery will ensure that goods and services needed by the Kayamandi community are produced within their own community and the money received by community members through social grants paid by SASSA also circulates within the community.
The Housing Enablement Primary Cooperative Limited established the Imbadu Bakery Primary Cooperative in 2024, as a Community Owned Enterprise. The Imbadu Group membership is its biggest asset and it is owned and managed by members of the Kayamandi community. It is seen as a building block to build sustainable households and communities with the aim of creating work and income opportunities for unemployed youth and women. The Imbadu Group has since also established the Imbadu Sewing Primary Cooperative with the intention to also grow the farming and housing activities.
From this project, Minister went to the Baphumelele Child and Youth Care Centre in Khayelitsha Site B to engage and have lunch with children. The Centre is looking after more than 140 children from newborn to 18-year-olds, including 21-year-olds who are exiting alternative care after placement by court order into Baphumelele Child and Youth Care Centre. The Centre employs almost 400 people. The Centre provides ECD, health services to children, and a home environment to children who are in need of care and protection and those who have been removed from home environments where parents and caregivers lack the capacity to care for them.
It provides these services to children who reside in Khayelitsha (Site B) and surrounding communities.
The opportunity was also provided to an organisation of men in the community and mothers in the area to air their concerns. Minister undertook to ensure the CYCC gets support from government to ensure its sustained.
Minister Sisisi Tolashe will deliver her Budget Vote 19 in Parliament on the 10th of July 2025 at 14:00.
Enquiries:
Sandi Mbatsha
Spokesperson
Ministry of Social Development
Cell: 082 525 2959
E-mail: SandiM@dsd.gov.za
Bathembu Futshane
Acting Head of Communication
Department of Social Development
Cell: 071 162 1154
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