Speech delivered by the member of the Executive Council, the Hon. M Koloi (MPL), on the occasion of the presentation and debate of the budget vote 7 for the Department of Social Development. Budget vote 7: 21 April 2023, DR Reginald Cingo Secondary School, Kroonstad
Hon. Speaker,
Hon. Deputy Speaker;
Hon. Premier of the Free State Province;
Hon. Members of the Free State Provincial Legislature;
Hon. Members of the Executive Council;
Executive Mayors, Speakers, Councillors,
House of Traditional Leaders,
The Director-General & Heads of Departments and Senior Managers in all spheres of Government;
Representatives of NPO’s and the broader civil society;
Members of the Business Fraternity;
Leaders and representatives of NEHAWU, PSA and other labour partners, Media Houses;
Comrades, Compatriots Esteemed guests le setjhaba sa Profensi ya Foreistata
A Very Good Day to you All. Dumelang
Madam Speaker, we are presenting our Budget Vote Speech 6 days before the commemoration of the Freedom Day, a day on which millions of South Africans who were previously excluded from decision making, were given an opportunity to cast their ballots
for a government of their choice. We should never forget the heroes and heroines that paid a huge cost for the dawn of this day, some paying with their own lives in ensuring our universal suffrage.
The government that the people chose in 1994 has made significant strides towards improving people's lives but the spectre of unemployment, inequality and poverty remains quite significant and very concerning, particularly now that it is accompanied by a wide range of social ills and challenges such as Gender Based Violence and Femicide, substance abuse and nowadays the alarming rate of teenage pregnancy. It therefore calls upon all of us, to be as selfless as the patriots who paved the way for a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa, in carrying out our duties.
Madam Speaker, allow me to provide You, the Honourable Premier, My Esteemed Colleagues and the guests in this august house with feedback on the commitments we had made in the previous financial year while also mapping the way forward for the
2023/24 Financial Year. This report will also include the feedback and plans of the Social Development Agencies NDA and SASSA.
Budget Allocations for 2023 MTEF Allocation
Hon. Speaker,
For the 2023/24 financial year, the final allocation to the department amounts to R1.186146 billion, this represents a decrease of 2.6% against the adjusted allocation of R1.217.709 billion for the 2022/23 financial year.
The Budget Break down for the 2023 MTEF per Programme is as follows:
Programmes Medium-term estimates 2023/24 2024/25 2025/26
- Administration 307 593 299 209 311 600
- Social Welfare Services 235 664 292 883 303 520
- Children and Families 291 766 335 236 344 932
- Restorative Services 204 648 210 031 218 586
- Development and Research 146 475 139 915 146 596
Total 1 186 146 1 277 274 1 325 234
Programme 1: Adminstration (307.593 million) Diversity Management
Speaker,
The Department of Social Development remains a lead department in terms of diversity management and has the highest female SMS representation. Female representativity on senior management level comprise of 60% Women vs 40% Males. Disability representation is 5% and exceed a national norm of 2%. Disabled persons are represented across all levels including Senior Management echelons. In the 2022/ 2023 financial year, in assistive devices for officials with disabilities, sixteen (16) computers were procured and allocated to 16 officials of the department who are partially sighted. The16 software licenses for a zoom text software were procured and installed on these computers to enable better interaction between the user and computer.
Capacity Building
Speaker,
Within the context of enhancing our monitoring capacity, during the previous Budget Speech, we committed to train our staff on Monitoring and Evaluation, including ExMasupatsela Pioneers. I am proud to report that forty-five (45) staff members attended
the training nine (9) of which were the Ex-Masupatsela Pioneers.
Creating opportunities for youth employment
Honourable Speaker,
During his 2023 State of the Province Address, the Honourable Premier Mxolisi Dukwana pronounced that during the 2023/24 financial year, sixty-three (63) Social Work Graduates who were beneficiaries of National Department of Social Development’s
(NDSD) bursary programme will be employed by both the Departments of Education and Social Development, on the same terms and conditions as the previous cohort of ninetytwo (92) Social Work graduates who were recruited as part of COVID-19 intervention.
Thirty-eight (38) of the sixty-three (63) graduates will be placed in the Department of Social Development, whilst the remaining Twenty-five (25) will be placed at the Department of Education.
I am pleased to state Honourable Speaker, that these graduates will not only reduce the number of unemployed social work graduates in our Province but will increase capacity in dealing with the foster care backlog in the Department that is still weighing heavily on us as pronounced by the North Gauteng High Court Order.
Honourable Speaker, during the previous financial year, we committed to enter into partnership with the Sectoral Training Authorities (SETA’s) to provide funding for Graduate Interns to be placed at the NPO’s in order to strengthen our monitoring and
evaluation. To this end, BANKSETA and MERSETA collaborated with the department and provided funding for 18 Interns who are qualified in financial management.
I am glad to report that the BANKSETA committed to extend the contracts of the Interns with a further 12 months in the 2023/24 financial year.
During this Financial Year under review, National Department of Social Development (NDSD) in partnership with the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) made available 500 fully funded Learnerships for employees of all
provincial Departments of Social Development. Fifty-one (51) employees expressed interest in these learnerships in the categories of Child and Youth Care Workers and Social Auxiliary Workers, on NQF levels 4 and 5. This will enhance their skills and
knowledge and ensure that they provide quality and improved service to our communities. We will further collaborate with HWSETA to provide similar learnerships for the unemployed Child and Youth Care and Social Auxiliary Workers.
Honourable Speaker, I have further engaged the Free State Training and Development institute (FSTDI) to provide our department with learnerships and internships in the areas of Security, Cleaning and Hygiene, TVET and Graduate Internships. Candidates will be recruited from across the province and this will contribute to the creation of the employment of youth in the Free State.
During 2023/24 financial year, the department will fill critical vacancies at the residential care facilities, targeting nursing professionals and Centre Managers. This will improve the delivery of services at the departmental institutions, which remain a critical
implementation arm of the department.
Infrastructure Planning and Facilities Management
Speaker,
We have, in the previous budget speeches committed to set aside funds for the maintenance of our government buildings. Although some of the planned renovations could not be done due to budget reprioritisation, we have to date managed to prioritise
these institutions so as to enable us to register them:
- Leratong Child and youth Care Centre
- Thabo Mofutsanyana Secure Care centre
- Botshabelo Old Age Home
Tshireletsong Child Youth Care Centre
The project of renovating Tshireletsong Child and Youth Care Centre which is executed by the Department of Public Woks & Infrastructure is anticipated to be completed during the first quarter of the current financial year. The main focus of the department is to ensure that all our institutions comply with the registration requirements. We will not tire in our efforts to ensure that our institutions are registered because it is our firm belief that our Communities deserve nothing but the best from us as a Department.
Madam Speaker,
The Department improved its audit outcome in 2021/2022 financial year to “Unqualified with findings” and aspires for improvement in the 2022/2023 financial year. It was indicated in the previous Budget Vote Speech that the Department will not be able
to get a clean audit for as long as the ENGO debt is not settled.
I am pleased to report, Honourable Speaker that as at 14 April 2023 we managed to settle the outstanding amount of ENGO. This means that for 2023/2024 financial year the department stands a chance to obtain the clean audit.
As at 31 March 2023, all service providers were paid within 30 days in line with the Treasury Regulations and the dictates of the Executive Council. On the SOPA injunction of 2022/2023, we were able to allocate 53% of the Department of Social Development procurement to companies owned by women. This translates to R15.3million.
We will continue to prioritize women, youth and people with disabilities owned companies when we procure goods and services.
Programme 2: Social Welfare Services (R235.664 million)
Services to persons with disabilities
Madam Speaker, during the 2022/23 financial year, in addition to Thabo Mofutsanyana and Fezile Dabi District Committees we established parents Committees of children with disabilities in Lejweleputswa, Xhariep and Mangaung Metro Districts. This is an important milestone because it will encourage these parents to ensure that their children attend mainstream education instead of hiding them at home as per the previous practices.
For the 2023/24 financial year we will continue to support such structures through capacity building and working together with sector Departments particularly the Department of Basic Education. The department will continue to fund 24 Protective Workshops with an allocated budget of R3.170 million. These Protective Workshops are meant to equip persons with disabilities with skills to become economically active and provide them with social services.
In our strive to further empower and ensure the independence of Persons with Disabilities, five (5) of these protective workshops will be supported to become sustainable, viable cooperatives. We will, in partnership with DESTEA and other Stakeholders, facilitate their access to training as well as networking and marketing opportunities in order to ensure that they sell their products and generate income.The department in cooperation with the National Department of Social Development and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) which provides aid promoting economic and social development empowerment to children and people with disability in Thabo Mofutsanyana, will extend their cooperation agreement for a further three years.
Care services to older people
Honourable Speaker,
The provision of care and protection to the elderly remains key in our day to day operations of the department. We do not underestimate the importance of taking care of the men and women that brought us to this earth sacrificing their time, energy and at
times very limited resources to ensure that we become the adults that we are today. Sadly, we have seen how some of our senior citizens are exploited, abused, and neglected at unregistered residential facilities for older persons, it’s only by working together that we can eradicate this disturbing phenomenon. Let us take this moment to remember Nkhono Mamachitje Mokwakwe, the 73 year old who died on the 19 July 2022 outside Boiketlong Old Age Home in Gelukwaarts, Kroonstad. We pass, once more, our sympathies to the family and Pray that Nkhono Mokwakwe continues to rest in peace.
We request that our NPOs continue to work with us to identify illegal centres in our communities- these are fast becoming a pandemic on its own.
Speaker, the department partnered with 200 NPOs to provide Community Based Support Services, Social Services and Residential Care Services to older persons. A total amount of R55.325 million was spent in the 2022/23 Financial Year, we have allocated
R52.148million for this purpose in the current Financial Year. It is worth mentioning Speaker that more than 85% of this allocation has been for residential care.
Selemong sena, Maqheku le Maqhekwana a Foreisitata a tlo nka karolo ho diGOLDEN Games tse tla tshwarelwa Mpumalanga ka October 2023. Lefapha le tla sebetsa le lefapha la dipapadi, bonono le botjhaba ho netefatsa hore ba fumana ditlhoko tsohle jwalo
ka diaparo, bodulo, dijo le dipalangwang tse tla ba fihlisa Mpumalanga le ho kgutla.
Programme 3: Children and Families (R291.766 million)
Services to children
Speaker,
We successfully managed the migration of the ECD function to the Department of Basic Education in the 2021/2022 Financial Year. We need to acknowledge posthumously, our colleague and comrade former MEC Tate Pule Makgoe, who played a pivotal role
towards seeing the not so easy task to completion. Indeed, he left an indelible mark. Robala Ka Khotso Simply the Best.
Madam Speaker,
The department remains the custodian of the Children’s Act and has the responsibility to ensure that children’s rights are protected and that all people working with Children are vetted, accordingly. Together, working with the Department of Education we will ensure the screening and vetting of all those who work with children.
For the 2023/24 Financial Year, we have allocated R139.813million for the programmes that will ensure provision of services like Adoptions, Foster Care, Street Children and Residential Care to children in need of care and protection.
Ditshebeletso tsa tlhokomelo le tshireletso ya bana ditla nama ho fihlella dibakeng tseo di sa fihleng, eleng mapolasing le ditoropong tse nyane.
I take this opportunity to thank Social Workers, who despite limited resources continue to selflessly provide much needed services to vulnerable children and families. I have committed to meet with all of them in this financial year and understand their plight.
Programme 4: Restorative services (R204.648 million)
Substance Abuse
Motsamaisi wa Dipuisano, Department of Social Development is mandated to provide comprehensive services for the combating of substance abuse aimed at demand and harm reduction, through prevention, early intervention and re-integration programmes in terms of the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act 70 of 2008. Our department, the National Department of Social Development will, in partnership with Bakoena Traditional Authority and Maluti-a-Phofung local municipality, establish a Harm
Reduction Centre for substance use disorder in Qwa-Qwa. This will go a long way in strengthening a fight against the scourge of drugs and render outpatient services to more or less 5000 drug dependants.
Department of Social Development will continue to fight the problem of substance abuse in the Province. In this financial year, we set aside R8 445 000 for funding of NPO’s to render Substance Abuse Prevention Services, Treatment Services and Re-integration
Aftercare Services.
The month of September is Globally dedicated for commemoration of Alcohol Foetal Syndrome and the Department of Social Development will this year go to Koppies to provide prevention services to the families and individuals affected by the abuse of
Alcohol.
Charlotte Maxeke Treatment centre in Botshabelo continues to be functional, it provides a 12 weeks treatment programme for adults and 8 weeks for adolescent, admitting service users from all 5 districts in the Free State Province. The Centre has built Partnerships with Motheo TVET on skills development programs, this is to empower service users with skills to utilise upon discharge from the program.
The Department also Works with Botshabelo Digital Hub (BDH) to give short courses on Skills Development at Charlotte Maxeke Treatment Centre. Beyers Naude half way house has since admitted 115 service users who completed treatment program.
Victim Empowernment Programmme
Honourable Speaker,
The fight against Gender Based Violence remains top of the priority for the Department, in the previous financial year, the Department was able to launch a GBV shelter is Sasolburg and relocated a Shelter in QwaQwa to a more conducive environment.
The Department will in this financial year launch a Shelter in Xhariep District (Koffiefontein), R690 000 has been set aside to ensure that the Shelter complies with all required norms and standards. This will means that all Districts in the Free State have a
Shelter for VICTIMS OF CRIME AND VIOLANCE. We are grateful to our partnership with the Department of Public Works for donating a house for the establishment of this shelter. Furthermore, we have allocated an amount of R569 000 for operationalisation the Safe House for Victims of Gender Based Violence in Botshabelo in Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality ensuring we provide emergency response to the victims and their children.
Safe house will be utilized for Emergency responses and victims will be accommodated for maximum period of a week.
Social Behviour Program
Honourable Speaker,
Dealing with Social ills requires investing in Prevention Programmes. A budget of R5 900m is available for 2023/24 as part of earmarked funding for the expansion and furtherance of Social and Behaviour Change Programmes. These programmes are an all-rounder that tackles all aspects of social ills through a compendium/package of sub-programmes. For purposes of making an impact, the department will review the current NPO’s rendering the Social Behaviour Change programs
Speaker,
For the financial year 2023/24 Child Protection Week, the department intends to launch Chommy and YOLO programs in Ficksburg, which will be part of the 365 days Child Care and Protection integrated programme.
These programs aims to strengthen pre-teens sense of self-worth, sense of purpose and personal values. It equips the target group with knowledge, skills and values to make responsible choices and decrease HIV infections.The department also aims to intensify and strengthen partnerships with external stakeholders such as the USAID Government to Government (G2G) programme. This partnership will yield positive results in addressing social ills associated to HIV/Aids and Gender Based Violence. Furthermore, the partnership will create about 55 job opportunities of the youth in Lejweleputswa and Thabo Mofutsanyana. The G-to-G agreement with USAID will be in existence until 2026.
Madam Speaker, in order to ensure the empowerment and reform of children in conflict with the law in our Secure Care Centres, the Department will introduce creative arts programmes and developmental programs.
Programme 5: Development and Research (R146 475 million)
Women Development
Madam Speaker,
For the 2022/23 Financial Year, the department provided support to 2 Women Development Cooperatives based in Zastron and QwaQwa (Xhariep and Thabo Mofutsanyana Districts). The two organisations, together with the three Cooperatives in Tweeling, Virginia and Mangaung that were assisted with the procurement of containers in the 2021/22 Financial Year, will be given further support to ensure that they have access to markets in collaboration with NDA, SASSA and other relevant departments and Stakeholders.
This is part and parcel of the Departments’ endeavour to ensure that they become selfsustainable and continue to provide work opportunities to the 27 Women who would have otherwise been left unemployed and destitute. Additionally, the department will allocate R1.402 million towards further support of 5 other Women Development Cooperatives in the Province, 1 per district. 33 work opportunities will be created through this endeavour bringing the total work opportunities to be created under this programme to 60.
Expanded Public Works Programme
Honourable Speaker, The transfer of the ECD programme from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Education & Training led to a notable reduction of work opportunities and FETs created by DSD. Compared to the six thousand plus work opportunities that we had managed to create in the previous Financial Year, we have managed to create 1 300 work opportunities from both the Incentive Grant and the equitable share allocation.
For 2023/ 24 Financial Year, the Department has been allocated R15.9 million which will be used to create 494 work opportunities. The department will place a conscious effort towards creating additional work opportunities through its line function budget.
Poverty Alleviation & Sustainable Livelihood
The department continues to partner with NPOs to implement Poverty Reduction Initiatives, to give vulnerable households access to nutritious meals and developmental programmes while also facilitating the linkage of Cooperatives with Economical Opportunities. To this effect R9.6 million was spent in the previous financial year to sustain the existing Community Nutrition & Development Centres (CNDCs) and establish 4 new ones in a bid to extend the footprint of the department.
Speaker allow me to take this opportunity to thank the Royal Houses of Bakoena in QwaQwa, Batlokoa also in QwaQwa and Barolong Bo Seleke in Thaba Nchu for graciously working with the department to establish 3 of the 4 new CNDCs, ensuring that
an additional 678 individuals were given access to nutritious meals in the last two quarters of the Financial Year 2022/23.
Under this programme, the department will for the year 2023/24 focus on the following:
✓ Provide nutritional meals and developmental programmes to 6 700 individuals
✓ Continue supporting operational CNDCs
✓ Provide further training and mentorship to CNDCs that did not comply with MOA and other relevant prescripts in the previous year(s).
✓ Source operating sites and/ or structures for CNDCs operating from temporary or rented facilities, Churches or community facilities. R12.5 million has been set aside for this purpose.
Honourable Speaker, we will in this Financial Year appoint a service provider for the capacity building, training and mentoring of NPOs, NGOs, NPCs and CBOs. This will go a long in ensuring that these structures are compliant, make impact and their funding is
value for money. Further, the department will ensure that legal and advisory services are rendered to the NPO’s to keep them compliant and on the straight and narrow.Madam Speaker in ensuring our footprint on the vulnerable groups, the department will
devise mechanisms in the form of NPO and or cooperatives in assisting the ex-detainees and widows of military veterans.
Food and Clothing Bank
In the previous budget speeches Honourable Speaker, we had committed to complete the Provincial Food and Clothing Bank at the Hamilton House in Bloemfontein. We are proud to announce that the renovation of the structure allocated by the Department of
Public Works & Infrastructure has been completed and we will be calling out for proposals from suitable NPO’s for the operationalisation of the centre in the current Financial Year. We will work with our sister department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on the Disaster Relief Centre and ready the Province for the disasters’ response. It is worth mentioning Speaker, that the shrinking fiscus has necessitated the review of the initial commitment to establish a Departmental Rapid Response Relief Centre in the 2021/22 financial year. We will instead, together with COGTA use the Provincial Food and Clothing Bank to provide material assistance in the form of blankets, mattresses, clothing, dignity packs and food parcels to the affected impoverished households and communities in the various districts of the province.
Youth Development
Speaker, as part of developing and implementing support programmes for Youth in the Free State Province, we spent R622 000 to provide support to 2 Youth Organisations in the Food Security Sector in Qwaqwa. The organisations, Albumen Agriculture Primary
Cooperative Ltd is involved in the poultry industry, specialising in the sale of eggs while Makwane Arts and Food Security Organisation specialises in crop farming. The focus for this year is to ensure that the two organisations can establish solid linkages and relations through which they can sell their produce. We must ensure that the organisations are stronger and are expanding 5 years down the line, creating further employment for Young People. R3.4 million has been set aside to provide support to 5 Youth Development organisations in the Province.
Poverty Alleviation Through Social Grants (SASSA)
In line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the provision of Social Assistance in the form of social grants is one of Government‘s major programmes to mitigate the impact of poverty among the most vulnerable people. Priority focus is put on children, older persons, and persons with disabilities. The Department’s agency, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), disburses various social grants as part of Government’s poverty alleviation efforts. Speaker, by 31 March 2023, a total of 1,569,905 (one million, five hundred and sixty nine, nine hundred and five) needy people were benefiting from social grants in Free State. The number of people benefiting constitutes 55% of the Free State population. The total amount of social grants paid is R1,163,887,770 (i.e. over R1,1 billion) per month, amounting to over R13,9 billion per year.
Social Grant Increases during 2023
The following increments were announced by the National Minister of Finance during his budget speech in February 2023. The increases will be effected on 1 April 2023 and 1 October 2023 respectively.
Speaker,
During 2022/23 financial year, National Development Agency (NDA), in collaboration with DSD, managed to assess over 400 Civil Society Organization (CSO’s) to determine interventions to be made and the following achievements were realised:
- Over 348 CSOs have undergone organisational management training in NPO Governance, Finance Management, Project Management, Resource Mobilisation and Conflict Management.
- Over 257 work opportunities have been achieved with beneficiaries mainly youth. (additional 77 will start in May 2023) In addition, through the CARA program, 114 jobs have been sustained and created.
- NPOs and co-operatives have been assisted with referrals and resource mobilisation to gain access to market and resources valued at more than R4.8 million.
The mobilisation of resources from donors and grant funders was conducted in collaboration with government departments, SASSA, National Lotteries Commission and others.
Speaker,
Through NDA grant funding, 30 job opportunities were created from 5 funded Projects to the value of R1.7 million.
In addition to 30 jobs opportunities created, 52 volunteers from Presidential Stimulus program and 77 from volunteer program benefitted to the value of R681 600 and R1 011 600 respectively.
Honourable Speaker,
For 2023/24, NDA will Implement Phase 2 of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) Volunteer Program for 6 CSOs in all the 5 districts, contracting 77 volunteers for six months at R1 800 pm (This is a Presidential Stimulus Program valued R1.011 600.00) and a CARA 2 program for 3 Projects at R225 000 each [in Lejweleputswa, Thabo Mofutsanyana and Mangaung Metro].
NDA will also ensure;
- Continuation and conclusion of the Department of Labour /UIF New Venture Creation program.
- Institutional Capacity Building Program to 280 CSOs in all 5 areas of the province (4 districts and Metro).
- Implementation of Pilot Program in the District Development Model in the Free State as part of turnaround strategy
- Co-operative development and job creation program in collaboration with SEDA and DESTEA.
- Allocation of R 2 million for grant funding to CSOs.
Speaker,
Funding for the following projects is at conceptual stage and will also be undertaken by NDA during 2023/24 financial year:
- Bakwena (Kgora Namahadi) CNDC- Thabo Mofutsanyana, Maluti a Phofung Local Municipality – R396 570,61
- Batlokoa (Baitshepi) CNDC – Thabo Mofutsanyana, Maluti a Phofung Local Municipality – R323 529,25
- Iphahamiseng Trust Non-Profitable Coalition in Mangaung Metro – (Rand Value –R477 532,07)
- Dumellanang ECD - in Xhariep (Rand Value – R140 000)
- Rearabetswe CNDC - Fezile Dabi, Moqhaka Local Municipality, Steynsrus, Matlwangtlwang - R113 444,31
- Itekeng Self Help Project (Disability) - Lejweleputswa, Tswelopele Local Municipality, Bloustein, Phahameng) - R 293 108,88
Our Investment in Kroonstand
Honourable Speaker, it is prudent to talk of our footprint in Kroonstad where we are today.
The total number of social grants excluding SRD R350 in Kroonstad is 92,381, paid to the tune of R89,992,440 per month (i.e. over R89 million per month) amounting to R1,079,909,280 per year (i.e. over R1 billion per year).
Social Development is also investing R8.1 million in Kroonstad for provision of services as follows:
Type of Service Amount
- Services to Older Persons R1 489 680
- Services to Families R125 280
- Services to Persons with Disabilities R328 080
- Child Care and Protection R1 853 431
- HIV and AIDS R1 525 700
- Poverty Alleviation (CNDCS) R268 500
- EPWP Incentive Grant R1 354 113
- Total Investment R8 120 784
Speaker,
We continue to rely and count on our partnership with NGOs to deliver services to our communities. Allow me therefore Speaker, to take this opportunity to thank the NGOs and to give them the assurance that we will continue to do our best to ensure that our working
relations are not only maintained, but also strengthened as we jointly deal with the social ills that are devouring our Province and country.
In conclusion, Hon. Speaker,
I wish to thank and appreciate the support of our Hon. Mr Mxolisi Dukwana and wish him well in his tenure as the Premier of the Province and the Executive Council. Let us appreciate with gratitude the work and support of the Portfolio Committee on
Education, Health and Social Services and the Provincial Public Accounts Committee (PROPAC).
I wish to thank the Senior Management Team of the Department, led by Advocate TJ Phahlo, who currently acts capably as the Head of Department in these challenging times.
I also wish to thank all the employees of the Department of Social Development who continuously strive to render services to the best of their abilities
We believe that the majority of our public servants serve our people with diligence and commitment. We applaud them for the excellent work they do.
Most importantly, special thanks to my family and friends for their continued support at all times.
Speaker, we hereby table the Budget of the Department for 2023/24 financial year.
I thank you!
