Budget speech by Eastern Cape MEC for Social Development and Special Programmes Hon Pemmy Majodina in the Provincial Legislature

Somlomo Obekekileyo
Nkulumbuso yephondo ehloniphekile
Oogxa bam bendlu yowiso mthetho
Iinkokheli zemibutho emelweyo kwindlu yowiso mthetho
Iinkokheli zendlu yeeNkosi
Imibutho yasekuhlaleni Iinkampani nemibutho esisebenzisana nayo
Iinkokheli zeeMvaba ngee Mvaba
Iintloko zee arhente ngee arhente
Ulutsha, Oomama, abezo shishino nabo bonke abantu abakhoyo apha
Umlawuli jikelele wephondo nesigqeba sakho samagosa asebuRhulumenteni
Umlawuli jikelele wesebe ncakasana.
Oonondaba
Zidwesha neZidwangube
Amaqabane
Uluntu lwe Mpuma Koloni jikelele

1.Introduction

We are gathered here today as public representatives across political persuasions in our journey towards a truly united, democratic and prosperous society, in which the value of all citizens is measured by their humanity, regardless of race, gender and social status. While the previous political domination of a white minority is receding into a distant memory, the social implications of that epoch, however, are still pervasive and impacting quite strongly on the basic unit of the South African society, which is the family. In his conceptualisation of a post-colonial state (in our case post colonial and apartheid state), Amilcar Cabral, one of the revolutionary architects of the continent, maintained that a national question in new Africa will not be resolved without a serious agenda of the poor. In the case of South Africa, the implications are that a stable democracy is only guaranteed by promoting through policy, the improvement of the lives of the previously disadvantaged and those that may be excluded from participating in the market. 
 
The broader mission and agenda of National Democratic Transformation of the ANC government seeks to build a democratic society characterised by the following: a thriving economy without racial and gender exclusions and free from barriers to entry; a mixed economy with state, cooperative and other forms of social ownership and private capital, paying particular attention to conditions of the poor in rural areas; implementing a comprehensive social security system including social grants, free basic services, free education, free health care, subsidised public transport and basic accommodation; implementing integrated antipoverty programmes; addressing the conditions of women, building social cohesion and a value system based on human solidarity.

The society we seek to build is about changing a nation characterised by racism, division, inequality, injustice and oppression to the one that is caring, democratic and committed to principles of non-racialism, non-sexism and freedom. Social transformation in government covers a wide range of issues including education, health, social security, sport, arts and recreation, human settlements, water and sanitation. 

Honourable Speaker and Members, it is within this context that we present Social Development as a concept which needs all men and women regardless of political standing to join forces so as to improve the lives of the most vulnerable sectors of our society, as part of nation building in this ever changing and complex global environment.

Honourable Speaker and Members, the most distinctive feature of social development is its attempt to harmonize social policies with measures that promote economic development. Social development emphasizes the importance of social interventions that are compatible with economic development objectives. Economic development in any country should be informed by social development trends for it to be a success. Honourable Speaker and Members, Social Development is therefore a comprehensive process and effort that promotes people’s social welfare in conjunction with a dynamic process of economic development. Integration and an integrated approach are therefore central to the transformation process of the department, particularly with reference to the paradigm shift from social welfare to social development.

Furthermore, the transformation of social welfare from a residual, remedial and individualistic approach to a developmental one is aimed at redressing past inequalities and improving the social well being of the vast majority who are poor. Therefore, the overall goal of a developmental social welfare as stated in the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997) is to achieve “a humane, peaceful, just and caring society which will uphold welfare rights, facilitate the meeting of basic human rights, release people’s creative energies, help achieve their aspirations, build human capacity and self-reliance, and participate fully in all spheres of social, economic and political life”.

2. Situation analysis

Honourable Speaker and Members, a significant mandate of the department through our programme on population and research is to maintain reliable and up to date information on the socio-economic conditions of the poor in the province. An overview of the socio-economic environment will serve as indicators of the social development needs of the vulnerable sector in the province which have to be addressed by the meagre (inadequate) budget to be tabled in this House.

Our province is characterised by a fragile social fabric, deepening levels of poverty, growing inequality, high population mobility from rural to urban resulting in severe disruption of rural communities. Furthermore, this is aggravated by high levels of unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse, crime, growing intergenerational gap between the senior citizens and youth, persistent erosion of culture and indigenous knowledge. 

More than a quarter (26, 4%) of households in the Eastern Cape rely on Government grants as the main source of income. Nationally, youth unemployment rate is estimated at nearly 35% with more than 3 million young people out of work. Youth unemployment in the Eastern Cape has averaged 41,4 %. This is more than twice the adult unemployment rate (18,4%). A total of 695 175 young people were without work every year in the Eastern Cape in the past decade as per the Eastern Cape Socio-economic Consultative Council (ECSECC) Publication released in August 2010. There is a noticeable increase in the up-take of social grants and mainly the Child Support Grant (CSG) – benefiting most care-givers within the youth category between the ages of 18-35. Those outside the social grant’s age bracket remain more vulnerable and still unable to meet their basic needs.

3. Key focus areas for 2011/12

Honourable Speaker and Members, in an attempt to deal with the above mentioned social challenges and population trends, the Department will focus on the following:

Developmental social welfare services

We will deliver developmental social welfare services that provide support to reduce poverty, vulnerability and the impact of HIV and AIDS through sustainable development programmes in partnership with implementing agents, such as state-funded/subsidised institutions, non-profit organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), and faith-based organisations (FBOs).

Community development

We will facilitate for social integration and sustainable Community Development services that encourage collective effort and actions at community level with a view of promoting sustainable livelihoods amongst vulnerable and marginalised individuals, families and households to improve the quality of life of communities.

Coordination of Anti-Poverty programmes

The Department has a responsibility to coordinate and integrate anti-poverty interventions in all government Departments and Social Partners in order to have a meaningful impact on the war against poverty and to graduate households living in poverty. 

Population development trends and research

Coordination of the population development trends and research is critical to enable a more comprehensive and integrated system of development policies and programmes in the province with the ultimate goal of enhancing human development. 

Coordination of special programmes across the province

In giving effect to the new mandate, the department will champion the coordination of special programmes across the province through provision of leadership, facilitation, monitoring and reporting on the effective implementation of the programme.

3.1 Developmental welfare services

Honourable Speaker and Members, our perspective of what constitutes key elements of Social Policy discourse is an acknowledgement that among the most vulnerable in our society are children and older persons of which our department must ensure their care, protection and continuous advancement of their development. Such is the challenge also in relation to people with disabilities not merely as a matter of social welfare, but based on the recognition of the right of each individual to dignity and development. Honourable Speaker and Members, in many respects, there is a critical link between poverty and the conditions of children, the older persons and people with disabilities. The Social Development Approach aims at collective empowerment, facilitating processes that help the poor to regain power and control over their lives.

The department contributes to the following Government Priorities and National Outcomes:

• More inclusive economic growth, decent work and sustainable livelihoods.
• Improved health care
• The fight against crime and corruption
• Cohesive and sustainable communities
• Improved quality of basic education  

Honourable Speaker and Members, in line with the State of the Nation Address (SoNA), the Department will amongst others contribute to job creation by expanding our Early Childhood Development (ECDs) and Home Community Based Care Programme (HCBCs) across the province as part of our role and responsibility in the Expanded Public Works Programme.

• In 2011/12, the department will continue to fund 1 247 ECD centres in the province resulting in the creation of 3 741 job opportunities.
• In the HCBC programme, the department is targeting to fund 129 HCBCs which will benefit 3 955 Community Care Givers from jobs that will be created as a result of this initiative.

3.1.1 Child care and protection services

The Department of Social Development has a mandate to lead in the Care and Protection of children, particularly in realising their constitutional rights (Act No. 108 of 1996, Section 28 b, c, d, e) in respect of care, protection, survival and development. Since the promulgation of the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 in April 2010, the Department is required to continuously train Social Service professionals and in 2011/12 financial year we are targeting to train 405 Social Service professionals. As part of the implementation of the Children’s Act, the Department will continue to provide services to children placed in child and youth care centres (shelters), targeting specifically those living and working on the streets. In 2011/12, nine shelters will be funded benefiting 477 children living and working on the streets whilst focus will be on intensification of reunification services to ensure that children return back to their families and communities. The Department will continue to subsidise 23 child and youth care centres (children’s homes) whilst prevention and early intervention services will be intensified to assist families in providing adequate care and protection to children. The Department has therefore allocated a budget of R206. 9 million for implementation of these programmes.

3.1.2 HIV and AIDS Programme

In contributing towards improvement of healthcare in the province, the Department will continue to provide psycho-social support services to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) as well as people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Material support will be provided in the form of school uniform, sanitary towels, food, after care programmes and nutritional support targeting to benefit 28 520 OVCs and people infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Further, to strengthen our prevention programme, we intend to intensify the HIV and AIDS Counselling and Testing (HCT) campaign in schools and in communities. More emphasis will also be on focus groups with special reference to behavioural change. The Department has therefore allocated a budget of R68 million for implementation of these programmes.

3.1.3 Crime prevention and support

In line with the realisation of the mandate of the Department in crime prevention and support, focus will be on provision of probation services and developmental programmes, which prevent and divert children away from the Criminal Justice system. Two secure care centres, (Qumbu and East London) accommodating 50 and 100 young people respectively, that are awaiting trial for serious offences, will be operational during the third term of the year in 2011/12. The Department has a special focus in the re-integration of ex-offenders back to their local communities and the target for 2011/12 financial year is 110 ex-offenders who will benefit from this programme. The total budget allocated for crime prevention and support amounts to R43.2 million.

3.1.4 Substance abuse prevention and rehabilitation

Substance abuse has become a pervasive social ill as it cuts across social, racial, cultural, religious, language and gender barriers, and our province in particular is not spurred from this wrath as it is experiencing a sharp increase in the availability and demand for illicit substances. The severity of this social ill manifests itself in unbearable ways which contribute to the breaking of family units, merciless killings, road carnages and rapes high rate of gender based violence resulting in unstable communities.

This new pandemic needs a more energetic and integrated approach by all citizens as it is a societal matter that destroys the nation. It is therefore imperative that, it be confronted with a sense of urgency and decisiveness by all members of our society. The Department of Social Development is a leading government institution in the fight against substance abuse and has committed itself in playing a meaningful and creative role. Provincial trends indicate that youth are more vulnerable to the effects of substance abuse as a result programmes are designed to prevent and empower youth against harmful effects of substances.

Further, in addition to existing 205 Teenagers Against Drug Abuse (TADA) groups, 240 new TADA groups will be established provincially targeting .Ten new TADA groups each of our 24 area offices in 2011/12. During October and November the Department conducted Substance and Drug Abuse Community Mobilization in 3 Districts (Amatole, Chris Hani and OR Tambo) targeting 300 people (100 per districts). This effort culminated to a Provincial Summit on Substance and Drug Abuse held on 8 to 9 February 2011. In this summit one of the critical resolutions is the rolling out of Community Based Care Model on substance abuse which will help in ensuring that services on substance abuse are accessible in all communities. The allocated budget for this sub-programme for 2011/12 is R8.4 million.

3.1.5 Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP)

The Department of Social Development leads in the provision of victim empowerment programme targeting victims of crime and violence through coordination of multi sectoral responses in building safe and peaceful communities.

In the financial year 2011/12, we will continue to fund five one stop centres, 12 safe homes and 47 community based initiatives, targeting 4 500 victims of crime, human trafficking and violence. An amount of R8.9 million has been allocated for this purpose. Furthermore, the European Union through United Nations (UN) Office on Drugs will continue to provide support in the province through capacity building, strengthening of KwaNobuhle one stop centre and funding of 6 civil society organisations and an amount of R5 million has been allocated for this purpose.

3.1.6 Care and services to older persons

Honourable Speaker and Members, the highest proportion of older persons is in the Eastern Cape (626 612) which is an indication of the economic vulnerability of the province. The Department will continue to implement integrated services for the care, support and protection of Older Persons. These services entail promoting active ageing, marketing the rights of older persons, training key stakeholders in the regulations of the Older Persons Act No. 13 of 2006 and strengthening fora for older persons. The department will continue to fund 235 service centres, 54 old age homes and four social work agencies. An amount of R91.9 million has been allocated for this purpose.

3.1.7 Services to people with disabilities

The programme is responsible to see that people with disabilities, who are poor, vulnerable, marginalised access a comprehensive, and well organized service delivery system that enhances their independence and advance their integration into the mainstream society in line with the department’s Policy Framework on Disability, UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities and Integrated National Disability Strategy.

The departmental intervention to People with Disabilities therefore includes: continuing to facilitate the transformation of protective workshops, provision of care and support services, and the implementation of integrated support services to children with disabilities. In 2011/12, the department will continue to fund 23 homes for the disabled with 1 040 beneficiaries and 12 welfare organisations in line with Minimum Standards and Disability Policy, implementation of integrated support services to 764 children with disabilities in 31 special day care centres. An amount of R34.1 million has been allocated for this purpose.

3.1.8 Care and support to families

The family in all its cultural and religious manifestations is an important agent of socialisation and a major instrument for nurturing values, attitudes and behaviour. The department recognises this potential and the fact that the family is the basis and foundation of healthy functioning communities and society. In facilitating the implementation of a family based approach to fight poverty and strengthen the family unit as a basic centre of development, the department will continue to fund 15 family resource centres based in 7 district municipalities including Nelson Mandela Metro in 2011/12 financial year. In addition, 14 family preservation programmes will be funded in all 7 districts including Metro encouraging community participation in the upbringing of the child while contributing to building caring communities.

The department will continue to fund and strengthen district based Single Parent Associations which are aimed at empowering the single parents with life skills, parenting skills as well as income generating skills and child-parent relationship. Capacity building programmes will also be implemented for all relevant stakeholders on how to deal with vulnerable families in crisis and how to instill positive values in line with the relevant policies. These interventions will restore the dignity of people within the family unit. The budget allocated for this programme is R8, 1 million.

3.1.9 Social relief

To address the challenges faced by families experiencing undue hardship and imminent threat of national disasters, the department will continue to provide material support including food parcels and other necessities to families who qualify in terms of applicable legislation. In maximising Social Relief interventions, especially on issues of disaster management, we will strengthen collaboration with South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the Department of Local Government and other local spheres of government. The budget allocated for social relief is R7.1 million. 

3.2 Community development

Honourable Speaker and Members, the department has a specific mandate to empower poor communities in the Eastern Cape for sustainable livelihoods. The strategic goal for this programme is to improve the livelihood capabilities of the poor communities especially youth and women in the Eastern Cape province. Our overall responsibility as a department is to build healthy functioning families and communities in the province. This will be achieved through positive social and economic change as identified and driven by communities themselves and should be as a result of collective effort and actions by the communities in the development of their own lives. Honourable Speaker and Members, this is in line with the spirit of the freedom charter as reflected in the pledge “Let all people who love their country now say, as we say here: These freedoms we will fight for, side by side, throughout our lives, until we have won our liberty”. 

The United Nations Development Programme (1971:2) defines the concept of community development as “the process by which the efforts of the people themselves are united with those of governmental authorities to improve the economic, social and cultural conditions of communities, to integrate these communities into the life of the nation and to enable them to contribute fully to national progress. This complex process is then made up of two essential elements: the participation of the people themselves in efforts to improve their level of living with as much reliance as possible on their own initiative, and the provision of technical and other services in ways which encourage initiative, self-help and mutual help and make these more effective”. Community development as a programme contributes directly to the 10 government priority areas particularly priority area No. 7: Cohesive and sustainable communities as well as the 12 National Outcomes in particular National outcome No.7: Vibrant, equitable and sustainable rural communities with food security for all.

3.2.1 Sustainable Livelihoods Programme 

The Sustainable livelihoods approach is used in this programme to place emphasis on the strengths, needs and adaptive strategies of communities to contribute to their own development. Livelihoods in this context refer to means of living that a family and community use to sustain the well being of its members. Honourable Speaker and Members, the Eastern Cape is one of the poorest provinces in the Republic of South Africa. As the situation analysis shows, the province is characterised by high levels of underdevelopment with high rates of unemployment, low average household incomes, poor institutional density, poor social infrastructure and huge service backlogs. Through this programme, we will facilitate the strengthening of livelihood status of the poor and the vulnerable in the province. The department has prioritised the improvement of access to fresh produce and food by poor households in the Eastern Cape on a sustainable basis. To this end, 2 275 households are targeted to be assisted with startup capital to establish household food production initiatives in order to address their immediate needs of hunger. An amount of R31.4 million has been allocated for the establishment of these initiatives in 2011/12 financial year.

The department has prioritised the linkage of social grants beneficiaries to sustainable livelihoods and economic activities in line with the Presidential call during his State of the Nation Address (SoNA). This means additional empowerment opportunities targeting social grant beneficiaries. In partnership with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the department is targeting 500 poor households in the Province who are social grant beneficiaries to be linked to sustainable livelihoods and income generation initiatives towards self-reliance. This is an attempt to address the high number of households (26.4%), in the province, which rely on government grants as their main source of income. An amount of R33,1 million has been allocated to link social grant beneficiaries to sustainable livelihoods programme in 2011/12 financial year.

The department has prioritised the initiation of vibrant Community Development Outreach and Awareness Campaigns in each district in the Eastern Cape during 2011/12 financial year. This campaign involves engaging the local communities of the Eastern Cape in building and strengthening their livelihood capabilities and strategies to combat poverty. This will promote amongst other things the spirit of social and gender activism towards solidarity and social cohesion. As part of Community Development Outreach & Awareness Campaigns in the province, the department will continue to strengthen its communication strategy.

3.2.2 Women development

During the liberation struggle, the focus on political liberation of the oppressed put women’s agenda in the background as they also participated in the struggle for democracy. The time to bring forward women’s agenda and development is imminent in our young democracy. It is therefore in this context that women development must be at the centre of all sectors in this province in order for us to have a meaningful impact in the development of our society.

Therefore Honourable Speaker and Members, our programmes will pay particular attention to those who occupied the lowest rungs on the apartheid social ladder to which the majority are women. In view of the fact that patriarchal oppression was and still is embedded in the economic, social, religious, cultural, and family and other relations in all communities, its eradication cannot be assumed consequence of democracy. All manifestations and consequences of patriarchy from the feminisation of poverty, physical and psychological abuse, undermining of self-confidence, to open and hidden forms of exclusion from position of authority and power need to eliminated. 

Honourable Speaker and Members, critical in this regard is the creation of the material and cultural conditions that would allow the ability of women to flourish and enrich the life of this nation and our province in particular. This department will in the year under consideration 2011/12 work towards the realisation of these noble objectives by delivering services to women of this province through various interventions which amongst other are the following: In promoting socio-economic development opportunities & empowerment of women in rural and poor communities, the department has allocated an amount of R27.7 million targeting to fund 55 women initiatives in order to combat poverty & promote income generation ventures set to benefit 825 households in the province. A total target of 350 women from all seven districts including Metro will be empowered & exposed to computer literacy programmes which will be rolled out in partnership with Microsoft South Africa. 

3.2.3 Youth development

Honourable Speaker and Members, a nation`s success depends also on its ability to encourage, harness and incorporate into its endeavours the creativity, daring and energy of young people. This relates to such issues as access to social and economic opportunities, engendering activism around issues of development and values of community solidarity and creating the space for youth creativity.

The department has targeted to assist 375 out of school and unemployed young people to start entrepreneurship development initiatives and an amount of R12,6 million has been allocated for the establishment of 25 entrepreneurship development initiatives in 2011/12 financial year. 

The department in partnership with National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and the department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture will pilot a programme that promotes a healthy lifestyle amongst young people in all seven districts including Metro. This pilot programme is aimed at introducing an alternative healthy lifestyle through sport and recreation activities to fill a void that would otherwise be filled by drug and alcohol abuse. An amount of R4 million is allocated for this pilot programme. The department has since 2007 introduced the Masupa-Tsela Youth Pioneer Programme (MYPP) as a youth leadership, empowerment and activism programme which seeks to facilitate and encourage young people to become pioneers and activists for social change. The MYPP is also central in the bilateral agreement between Republic of South Africa and Cuba entered into during 2001 which was concretised in the Joint Bilateral Commission (JBC).

A total of 420 Masupa-Tsela Youth Pioneers were initially recruited of which 79 of them have already exited through absorption in available permanent jobs. The Community Development Outreach & Awareness Campaign (mentioned earlier) also be used as an opportunity for an exit strategy for the remaining 341 Masupa- Tsela Youth Pioneers by redirecting them into the Auxiliary Community Development Practitioners (ACDPs) within the department on a permanent basis. This will also assist to bring the services closer to the needy communities and it is for this reason that the department has targeted the appointment of 1000 out of school and unemployed young people in the province as Auxiliary Community Development Practitioners (ACDPs) to act as Social Activist for Change. An amount of R11 million has been allocated for this purpose. This committed cadre who must have matriculation as a minimum qualification will be deployed to live and work in the wards together with the targeted communities. Fundamentally, the appointment of Auxiliary Community Development Practitioners is a programme that seeks to promote the spirit of social activism and patriotism which directs youth action towards solidarity, cohesion and cadre development. This programme will be enhanced until we achieve our goal of two ACDPs per ward across the province of the Eastern Cape. 

3.2.4 Institutional capacity building and support

The department has a mandate to transform our communities into vibrant communities who will take development into their own hands. An amount of R9 million has been allocated for the purpose of capacitating community based initiatives – including youth development and women development initiatives that will be funded by the department during the 2011/12 financial year. These initiatives will be trained in various aspects like crop production, poultry farming, cooperative development, governance, project & financial management as well as marketing. This training is intended to enhance the performance of projects not only in their core business but also in the management of funds which is key to sustainability of these initiatives. 

3.3 Poverty coordination

Honourable Speaker and Members we are mandated to coordinate and integrate anti-poverty programmes in all government Departments and Social Partners. In 2011/12 financial year, we will convene a Provincial Anti- Poverty Indaba as mandated by the provincial Cabinet, with a view to evaluate the effects of our integrated interventions focusing on the family as the unit of development in the identified 11 poorest local municipalities.

3.4 Population and research

The Department is mandated to bring about change in the determinants of the province`s population trends, so that these trends are consistent with the achievements of sustainable human development. Research is the most critical component of any effective planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the impact of programmes to ordinary people of our province. 

In 2011/12 financial year we will enhance the quality of life of the people through: The systemic integration of population factors into all policies, plans, programmes and strategies at all levels and within all sectors and institutions of government. This will also help to develop and implement a coordinated multi-sectoral, interdisciplinary and integrated approach in designing and executing programmes and interventions that impact on major national population concerns. It will also assist in making available reliable and up-to-date information on population and human development situation in the province.

3.5 New mandate: Special Programmes

Honourable Speaker and Members, the Provincial Executive Council has given the Department of Social Development a new responsibility of coordinating and mainstreaming of all sectors of the previously disadvantaged groups i.e. Women, Children and People with Disabilities (Special Programs Function) across the province, a function that was previously performed by the Office of the Premier. Furthermore, in our First Cabinet meeting in January 2011, a decision to reconfigure the department was taken, which has serious implications for the strategic direction of our Department and this consequently led to the renaming of the department to become the department of Social Development and Special Programmes.

The department convened a Provincial Special Programmes Summit from 13 to 15 February 2011 and invited the gender machinery in the provincial legislature, local municipalities and other stakeholders to participate in the summit. The main purpose of the summit was to seek a systemic alignment and synergy between national, provincial, and local government for better co-ordination and reporting on the Special Programmes function across the province. The summit finally emerged with the following most critical resolutions:

The Special Programme Units (SPU) to report directly to the Head of Departments to ensure alignment of their programmes to the provincial priorities.

Prioritise the development of overarching SPU strategy as guiding framework that embraces all groups to ensure synergy.

Prioritise the development and implementation of policy frameworks favourable and relevant to the needs of vulnerable groups in order to address the imbalances of the past.

Prioritise institutional / structural arrangements to strengthen working relations between the special programmes and line function departments, district and local municipalities as well as other social partners. 

4. Socio-economic transformation & integration as a priority function

The transformation process in the department which began in 2001 has to be concretised through a radical shift to the developmental approach in the strategic thinking and operations of the department. It is imperative that this radical shift takes place immediately through the implementation of the Integrated Service Delivery Model (IMDS) and the aggressive rollout of the Re-Orientation Programme to all departmental staff to improve their understanding of a developmental approach and social transformation. This is considered the first necessary step for the department to really live up to its name as a social development institution. As the first provincial department of Social Development in the country to start the transformation process towards social development, it is imperative that we take the lead in the implementation thereof.

It is in this context that the department is giving urgent consideration to pay a special focus on socio- economic transformation and integration as a priority function. This function will have two main responsibilities: the first responsibility will focus on integrating and with the emphasis on coordinating the key areas and specifically the core functions of the department i.e. Social Welfare and Community Development and guide these programmes towards a developmental approach. This is meant to ensure adherence to the policy on the developmental approach as adopted by the National Government. Included in this responsibility will be the provision of institutional support and development of institutional systems to manage the process of integration and coordination. Institutional support would involve research and policy formulation and information dissemination.

The second responsibility with emphasis on socio-economic transformation will focus on establishing a strong relationship with relevant external partners who are key players in enhancing this function of integration. Some of these key players are SASSA, Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs, Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Government Communications & Information System (GCIS), National Development Agency (NDA), National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NAFCOC), Southern African Council of Churches (SACC) and Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (ECHTL), ABSA and Microsoft South Africa. As an example, the developmental approach could be used to shift those who are in receipt of social grants to a sustainable livelihood programme which will draw all role players within the department of Social Development and external partners that can contribute to sustainable livelihoods of families and communities. This will particularly include strengthening the link between social cooperatives established under Community Development in the Department with the Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs (DEDEA) as well as Rural Development and Agrarian Reform as part of a graduation process for these initiatives. This is in view of the fact that there is now a special allocated fund targeting cooperatives in the province. Another external partner is the Department of Local Government and Traditional Affairs. In this partnership of socio-economic transformation and integration, the first step of community and household profiling undertaken by the Department, will serve as a baseline for all role players to participate in the IDP processes in order to promote community driven development which is based on authentic research. 

The department is committed to establishing and strengthening public-private partnerships to contribute towards the socio economic transformation especially the empowerment of Women and Youth in the province. Partnerships will be strengthened with ABSA, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Nestlé. The newly established partnership with Microsoft South Africa will assist the department in utilising our existing Community ICT Centres for the benefit of woman and young people in the province. Microsoft South Africa has developed Digital Literacy Curriculum for these identified groups as well as free software to eligible NGOs and NPOs funded by the Department in the province. The department has also forged links with NAFCOC Eastern Cape to assist in mentoring funded Entrepreneurship development initiatives and also link these funded projects with the established businesses to strengthen their marketing capacity and lead them to operate in line with acceptable business principles and practices towards sustainability.

5. Building institutional capacity through corporate governance

5.1 Strengthen institutional leadership

The department will provide good governance through leadership, management and accountability, utilising effective management systems and resources. The department has prioritised the filling of management and other leadership positions during 2011/12 financial year and an amount of R 5.3 million has been allocated for this purpose. 

Furthermore, the department has already started the selection process to fill 242 vacant funded posts and this is in line with the presidential call. In an attempt to address the dire shortage of social workers in the province, we will be absorbing 315 new social work graduates who benefitted from our bursary program as an additional 135 students will receive bursaries for 2011 academic year. In the spirit of strengthening our relations with communities, we will also be employing 1000 Auxiliary Community Development Practitioners (ACDPs) to improve their awareness levels about the operations of the department. In enhancing our Human Resource Development and organisational development through the promotion of e-Government, the department has developed and launched customer care system in the current financial year which is the first non-proprietary customer care system in the Eastern Cape Government.

In 2011/12 financial year, we will engage other government departments to utilise this system as free software and improve their relations with customers. Furthermore, the department will continue to automate the business processes in the next financial year such as monitoring and evaluation, transport and fleet management, asset management, contract management and community development project management. An amount of R4.8 million has been allocated for this task.

5.2 Social infrastructure

The Department will prioritise construction and upgrading of new as well as existing infrastructure as part of responding to office accommodation requirements and infrastructure backlogs. An amount of R42 million has been allocated for this task.

5.3 Structural review

Honourable Speaker and Members, given that the department has a new responsibility of coordinating and mainstreaming all sectors of the previously disadvantaged groups, it is therefore necessary amongst others that we revisit and review our organogram to be in line with this new mandate. The organogram has to be an accurate reflection of structures that will effectively and efficiently implement the functions of social development services. These structures should reflect how best the needs of individuals, families and communities can be served by the department.

Since our main purpose is to eradicate poverty and serving those who are in need and vulnerable, our organogram, therefore, should show biasness towards a structure that enables and facilitates social services where they are needed most, that is at local community level. This will facilitate one of the Batho Pele principles: accessibility and bringing the services nearer to where the people are i.e. at community level. 

6. Conclusion

Honourable Speaker and Members, I would like to conclude by urging everyone present here, to commit entirely into the creation of an equal society, the one that guarantees equal access to opportunities to all children, and I would first invite all our partners to join us in the realisation of these noble plans. Our profound gratitude goes to the Portfolio Committee for Social Development, Office of the Premier, my colleagues and friends for their guidance, Department of Social Development staff, SASSA, our sister Departments, Local Municipalities, Traditional Leadership, Faith Based Organisations, NGOs, NPOs, Business sector, and other stakeholders. Without your insight and wisdom, our path would have been more difficult to walk, and we are standing tall here confident that even in these trying times of limited resources, we are guaranteed of your unwavering support. I would also like to thank the Business sector (particularly NAFCOC) for the valuable role they continue to play, in enhancing our capacity and augmenting to our depleted resources so that at least our programmes can change many lives for the better. 

Even though the current budget allocation is leaning towards Social Welfare services, we wish to point out to this august house that the department is determined to take forward the transformation process towards a developmental approach. This process will be realised through the implementation of the Integrated Service Delivery Model which will influence the future allocation of resources including the budget and will also guide the reorientation of the departmental staff towards a service delivery that is developmental in nature. Within Programme 2 (Social Welfare Services), we have targeted interventions that are geared towards this transformation shift, in an integrated and sustainable manner.

Honourable Speaker and Members, I now present to you the budget, proposal for the2011/12 financial year.

7. Budget breakdown per programme

“…These freedoms we will fight for, side by side, throughout our lives, until we have won our liberty”.

Mandibulele Somlomo, amathol’ enyongande nje kukudlelana.
Ngoku ke makube chosi,
Kube hele
Kwimpula zika lujaca.

Source: Eastern Cape Department of Social Development