Question 17
Prince M M M Zulu (IFP-KZN) to ask the Deputy President:
(1) Whether the anti-poverty community projects are making the desired impact upon the lives of the poorest communities in KwaZulu-Natal; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) Whether commitments made by the campaign to the communities have been met; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Honourable Member, it is always encouraging to note that Members of this House are closely following developments in the delivery and performance of government’s anti-poverty programmes.
Let me state upfront that the pace of delivery is not always as fast as we desire and oftentimes the impact is not immediately visible. This however inspires us to roll-up our sleeves and work harder in order to lift our communities out of poverty.
Indeed, government has rolled out several anti-poverty initiatives in all provinces, including in KwaZulu-Natal. These range from:
- The Expanded Public Works Programme
- Comprehensive Rural Development Programme
- The Community Works Programme
- The Community Development Workers Programme
- The National Rural Youth Service Programme
- Zibambele, Early Childhood Development and a number of other initiatives that support poor communities to earn livelihoods.
These are all in addition to the provision of free-basic services and other social protection measures that cushion people.
The cumulative effect of all these initiatives is the constant chipping away at the massive problem of poverty that we have in our midst. It is my unwavering belief that the sum total effect of these initiatives is having an impact on the lives of poor people in our country.
We are taking children to early childhood development facilities. We are ensuring that children whose parents cannot afford to pay school fees are going to school. We are ensuring that those who need Anti-Retroviral Therapy are getting the necessary medicines. We are getting communities to work for the betterment of their communities and their personal lives. We are getting our unemployed youth to work. The impact of all these initiatives cannot be measured in terms of days, weeks or months. We believe it is a long journey towards a poverty-free KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa.
The commitments we have made to these communities are being met daily. I need to inform the honourable member that these communities are generally categorised into immediate commitments, medium-term and long-term commitments.
We ensure that immediate commitments such as taking a child to school, putting a child on a child support grant, issuing of vital registration documents, social relief of distress, health assessments, linking individuals to available opportunities are fulfilled in the shortest possible time.
The medium-term commitments certainly take a little bit more time and so does the long-term ones. What is most important Honourable Member is that none of the commitments made by government will be ignored or remain unattended to. We will do our utmost best to follow-up on commitments made to the poor communities of KwaZulu-Natal. We will be transparent with our successes as well as challenges confronted in fulfilling the commitments.
We have delivered on some of the commitments we have made to the poor communities of KwaZulu-Natal and the rest of the country. We are following up on those that are outstanding. All spheres of government are aware of what needs to be done to meet all the commitments made to the poor communities. I chair an Anti-Poverty Inter-Ministerial Committee that reviews the progress we are making with our anti-poverty initiatives.
Last, but not least, I call upon the Honourable Members of this House, to join us in the fight against poverty and to monitor progress and identify where we can do better.
I thank you.Â
