Members of the media
Ladies and gentleman
Thanks for responding to this call
I have noted with great dismay number of children living and working in the streets across the province. These children are trapped and caught up in downward emotional and behavioural imbalances that lead to all sorts of juvenile delinquency; gangsterism, get involved in drug abuse, crime and immorality.
These behavioural imbalances expose children to HIV and AIDS which is the country’s main concern today. Guided by Children’s Act 38 of 2005, National Policy Framework for Children Working and living on the streets, the department has developed a three year plan, wherein during the first year a situational analysis has to be conducted to assist department in mapping services towards these vulnerable children per district and to further develop programs to address identified circumstances that give rise to children leaving their homes.
A situational analysis will assist the department in determining priorities for intervention. With analysis, the department will understand children living on and off the streets as individuals and their social environment in which they live. This would assist in identifying problems, needs of children living on and off the street and their families, set objectives for intervention and plan services and support.
The department will later this month start with a process to ensure the registration and full operation of Early Childhood Development centres (ECD). A total of 160 centres have been assessed for provision of equipment and 98 for minor renovations.
An agreement has been entered into with two implementing agencies namely: Independent Development Trust (IDT) and Isago Consulting Group for the expansion of ECD services targeting 15 prioritised municipalities in the four district municipalities. IDT will be focused on Bojanala, Ngaka Modiri Molema and Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati Districts while Isago focused on Dr Kenneth Kaunda District. This project has a financial backing of R15 million.
The focus of the expansion project is on deprived wards in the province in terms of the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy (PGDS) and the Poverty Eradication Strategy (PES). The expansion project aims at assisting partial care facilities that cannot meet the registration requirements, improving conditions in facilities in terms of renovations and provision of indoor and outdoor equipment to ensure that the environment is conducive for the care and protection of children and provide appropriate school readiness programmes.
This resolve comes after a study conducted revealed that about 4,5 million children between the ages of three (3) and six (6) years in South Africa still need to access government’s early childhood development services.
The department acknowledges the challenges and hardships experienced by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) across the province due to the migration from walker financial system to BAS financial system from 1 April 2010. The interface from the old financial system resulted in delays and to a greater extent to the non-payment of subsidies to certain NGOs in the province.
To date the department can attest that, all outstanding payments which dates back from April 2010 to July 2010 have been processed into respective NGOs accounts. This represents 96 percent of payments done during that period. There is regular contact and communication with affected NGO’s in an attempt to address bottlenecks identified in order to ensure that payments are processed without delays.
As part of Social Development Month activities, I will be awarding Community Builder of the Year this coming Friday in Taung. This award acknowledges and celebrates the contribution of diverse individuals, groups and institutions towards the upliftment of South African communities. It also acknowledges community workers for their outstanding work and sacrifice, irrespective of race, colour or creed, in the quest to build a South Africa that truly belongs to all.
I thank you!
Ngwako Ngwako
Tel: 018 387 5740/5830
Cell: 082 964 8838 or 082 097 4970
E-mail: nmotsieng@nwpg.gov.za or nmotsieng@gmail.com
