Welfare Department Budget briefing

PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WELFARE
8 March 1999
WELFARE DEPARTMENT BUDGET BRIEFING

Documents handed out
Department of Welfare Budget Information (see Appendix)

SUMMARY
The budgets for the provinces were scrutinised by the committee. The Director General acknowledges the need to alter policies to ensure that the 80% : 20% ratio between social security funding and welfare developmental programmes is achieved in all provinces. Lack of clear budget forecasting by certain provinces has led to under-funded budget allocations. Other reductions were due to the phasing out of the state maintenance grant. Committee members were particularly concerned regarding the decrease in the Eastern Cape allotment.

MINUTES
Chairperson Saloojee told the committee that The National Drug Plan was supposed to be formally discussed today; however there was a problem with the tagging mechanism. The minister will clear that up this week, and then the committee will vote. Minister of Welfare and Population Development Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi introduced the Director General, Luci Abrahams, who would be presenting the briefing. The Minister then made several comments, stating that the budget underlines the policy debate for the Department. She stated that the primary aim of the Department is to promote anti-poverty measures. She also referenced the AIDS policy train arriving in Cape Town that afternoon to promote International Women’s Day. She then thanked the committee for the wonderful relationship over the past four years, and handed the presentation to the Director General.

The Director General thanked the committee and stated that the province budget increased from R80 billion to R86 billion, representing a 6.6% global increase throughout the provinces. Within the social security budget, there is not a tremendous increase; however the welfare services did see an increase within their allocation. The Director General stated that the Finance Minister’s 4% adjustment for the upcoming year was included in the numbers accompanying this report. She also stated that the figures she was presenting were the most recent. The Director General discussed the MTEF per province, stating that the Eastern Cape’s allotment was decreased because of a greater alliance between provincial and national officials. The Western Cape’s MTEF decreased by 2.2% due to the phasing out of the state maintenance grant. Kwazulu Natal’s significant decrease was due to under-budgeting by the province.

Ms Turok (ANC) asked if the reduction in the Eastern Cape’s allotment is a reflection of the failure between budgeting and payouts. Turok wanted to know if the problem lay within the financing, and did not force the provinces to find the people who need assistance? The Director General responded that this is a mid-to-long term problem that lies with the appointment and payment process. Currently, the programme is seeking to revise this policy, and a published document will be forthcoming in the year.

Ms Chalmers (NP) asked whether the Eastern Cape’s reduction was due to the reduction of the temporary disability grants as well? The Director General responded that there was a clean up throughout the entire system. Again, the Department is conducting a full review. The problem that arises is within definition.

Ms Tambo (ANC) asked whether the money rolls over from year to year. The Director General stated that the Department under-spends not on the transfer funds; rather personnel, operational and unconditional grants is where Welfare under-spends. The Department is unable to roll over funds from personnel to welfare services, and this is wherein the frustration lies.

Ms Capa (ANC) asked why the huge decrease in KZN’s allocation when it has a tremendous rural population that needs services? The Director General stated that KZN under-budgeted, and that is the province’s problem, not the Department’s. The Department is working with the MINMEC joint committee to facilitate discussions after discovering the province under-budgeted.

Ms Chalmers (NP) inquired if when the state maintenance grants run out, do the child support grants kick in? 25,000 individuals currently receive child support grants, responded the Director General.

Mr September (ANC) asked if the Eastern Cape 2.6% reduction was due to a decreased number of individuals on the programme, or if there is still a significant need that the Department is unable to reach?

Ms Tambo (ANC) asked if the Department had found a reliable and proper financial manager?

Mr. Botha (FF) stated that he was appalled with the Department’s decision to reduce the Eastern Cape’s allocation. What figures is the Department using, where do they get the numbers from, and is there not a discrepancy between the numbers and the need?

Dr Kuzwayo (ANC) asked if there was a problem within the Eastern Cape when determining the figures.

The Director General said that as MPs September, Botha, Kuzwayo questions are similar, she would address them together, and then tackle Ms Tambo’s question. She stated that the allocation per province is a joint effort by the Department and the Finance Department. The budgeting process is not a matter of what we "think" is required. Rather, it is based on figures from the previous year, plus a little bit of theorising. The Director General agreed that the figures are questionable, and the Department needs to come up with a better system, because government cannot afford to park money in various Departments. The Director General stated that she uses the current information base, and we must accept that the figures are incorrect.

Mr. Botha (FF) stated that he has a tremendous problem with the Welfare Department’s attitude towards the Eastern Cape, because he is extremely aware of the situation in the Eastern Cape and knows that greater energy needs to be applied there.

The Director General continued that in regards to Ms Tambo’s question, a Deputy Director of Financial Administration reorganises financial functions, placing all financial functions in one department. We have improved internal controls, created a budget committee, and made programme managers financial managers, established internal audit directorship, as well as an audit committee.

Rev Meshoe (ACDP) asked why there was a decrease in the Northern Province expenditure for welfare services. The Director General reminded him that the province’s social security budget was increased, creating a decrease in the welfare expenditure.

An ANC committee member asked why there was an overall decrease in welfare expenditures. The Director General replied that the reason was due to significant under spending because posts were not filled. Also areas such as the Northern Cape are not endowed with NGOs, and financial transfers are not occurring. On the funding issue, the Director General stated that there is frustration within the Department with funding policy. Currently, the funding criteria for welfare services between state-run and NGOs is different. Rather than focusing on the quality and service provided, funding is geared towards the number of individuals within organisations, structural requirements, etc. Thus many good, non-mainstream programs for the needy are unable to receive grant monies.

Ms Tambo (ANC) inquired about the situation of the child support grants. How much money goes towards this grant, and how many does it reach? The Director General replied she would answer the question later in the programme.

The Director General continued, stating that the current financial projections show little increase within the upcoming financial years. Therefore, the Department needs to alter policies in order to meet the 80%: 20% ratio on social security to welfare services funding.

Ms Turok (ANC) asked for a clarification on the graph distinguishing between the various aspects of the welfare services budget. She asked where R47 million was allocated. The Director General replied to secure-care and victim empowerment programs.

Ms Chalmers (NP) inquired where the administrative figures for personnel were, and why there were not enough funds for such positions.

Rev Meshoe (ACDP) asked how many disabled individuals received social security. The Director General replied that 616,852 individuals receive R346 million in pensions.

Ms Tambo and Ms Turok (ANC) both questioned the R12 million allocated to the population unit. They inquired about its purpose. The Director General replied that it is a statistical service for not only the Department of Welfare and Population Development, but also for Portfolios who deal with similar issues. The Chairperson expressed the committee’s concern that this was an unnecessary expense for the Department, stating that other portfolios that use the service must also contribute. The Director General agreed, stating that the Population Unit needed to be recognised as a separate agency, and receive its own funding, possibly in conjunction with the GCIS.

The Director General then went through each province’s spending ratio between welfare and social security. The Department still needs to evaluate why the ratio is better in some provinces and not others. Also, Mpumalanga and Northern Province have regressed since the setting of the 80%: 20% ratio.

The Chairperson stated that no matter the increases or decreases in percentages, the real problem lies with the social security programme. Until the programme is restructured, the Department will not solve the problem. Does the Department have any plans to restructure? The Director General responded that the problem lies with the Department being defined within the social sector, and it needs to be seen within the socio-economic sector.

Appendix: Department of Welfare Budget Information

1999/ 00 Budget: briefing

26 February 1999

Briefing in preparation for the budget vote on Welfare

PRESENTATION TO THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES

Introduction

The Department of Welfare is honoured to make a presentation on its work over the past year 1998/99 and to focus on a few key areas as requested by the Council. To overcome the time constraints we may face, I would be willing to make future presentations on any of the issues which may need further discussion.

A: Poverty Alleviation Programmes

The following information is pertinent to the Poverty Alleviation Fund:

1. 1997/98 Poverty allocation

* R50-million was allocated to 1 133 development projects throughout the country.

* 93 090 poor people benefited directly from this targeting

1.1 Provincial breakdown:

Number of projects:

Eastern Cape: 208

Free State: 142

Gauteng: 155

KwaZuluNatal: 96

Mpumalanga: 125

Northern Cape: 95

North Province: 89

North West: 113

Western Cape: 100

National Programmes: 10

TOTAL: 1133

1.2 Evaluation

An assessment of the developmental impact of these allocations is being made.

2. 1998/99 Poverty allocation

2.1 The money has been allocated in terms of 2 broad categories:

2.1.1 Projects identified through provincial departments

2.1.2 National projects aimed at enhancing intersectoral collaboration and the piloting of selected initiatives aimed at transforming social welfare services.

2.2 R203-million has been allocated to 2005 projects in all nine provinces

2.2.1 R20-million of this amount will go to the disability sector

2.2.2 This includes R8-million for the economic empowerment of people with disabilities (as part of our Job Summit commitments)

2.3 Provincial breakdown:

Eastern Cape: 655

Free State: 153

Gauteng: 140

KwaZuluNatal: 361

Mpumalanga: 173

Northern Cape: 109

North Province: 186

North West: 136

Western Cape: 92

TOTAL: 2005

2.4 The Department has also put aside R18-million from this fund to pilot new initiatives in:

2.4.1 Microsaving as a community resource

2.4.1.1 Four pilots will be initiated in the Northern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga.

2.4.2 Community empowerment to improve service delivery

2.4.2.1 Three pilots in North West, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape

2.5 R44-million has been allocated for the transformation of social services.

3. Flagship Programme for Unemployed Women with Children Under Five

3.1 15 projects operating throughout the country, since its launch in 1996

3.2 More than 1300 women are benefiting as well as their children and other family members

3.3 In some cases participating women earn 2 or 3 times more than recipients of grants

3.4 133 484 person working days have been created through this programme

4. Job Summit

4.1 The Department of Welfare to lead an inter-governmental investigation into the provision of child care and the establishment of community based models of care

4.2 Comprehensive, integrated social security system

4.2.1 The Department of Welfare is to investigate the establishment of a comprehensive, integrated social security system, incorporating existing public and private schemes as well as a basic income grant in collaboration with the Departments of Labour and Finance.

4.2.2 Discussions have been held with other departments and a task team has been set up, representing various schemes, including the Road Accident Fund, UIF, Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (formerly Workmen’s Compensation)

4.2.3 A report will be presented to Cabinet by June 1999

5. Starfish 2000

5.1 Partnership with Starfish 2000 Trust

5.2 Project to provide work experience to graduates, matriculants by placing them with participating companies

5.3 R6-million of the R203-million has been committed to this project until March 2000

6. Ex-offenders Project

6.1 Partnership with Working for Water

6.2 500 ex-offenders will be employed in 242 Working for Water projects

7. NGOs

7.1 To stimulate NGO development in underserviced areas, the Not-for-Profit Organisations Act was passed in 1997

7.2 Compulsory registration for fund raising has been scrapped

7.3 Voluntary registration is promoted

B: Social security

1. Budget

1.1 R16,6-billion was allocated for 1998/99

1.2 R14,0-billion was allocated for 1997/98

1.3 91% of total provincial Welfare budget goes to social security

1.4 Expenditure on social grants had an overall increase of 20% between 1995/96 and 1997/98 and 44% between 1995/96 and 1998/99

1.5 Provincial breakdown (social security allocation by province for 1998/99 and 97/98):

98/99 R’000 (1997/98)

Eastern Cape: 3 325 131 2 822 532

Free State: 1 074 393 908 395

Gauteng: 1 920 003 1 922 592

KwaZuluNatal: 3 777 704 3 443 968

Mpumalanga: 997 158 807 229

Northern Cape: 504 150 485 728

North Province: 1 956 760 1 454 486

North West: 1 226 296 983 276

Western Cape: 1 889 050 1 962 162

TOTAL: 16 670 645 14 790 368

2. Beneficiaries:

2.1 Every month 2,9 million South Africans are paid

2.2 Provincial breakdown (total number of beneficiaries per province):

Eastern Cape: 581 147

Free State: 172 575

Gauteng: 319 772

KwaZulu Natal: 622 725

Mpumalanga 156 373

Northern Province: 343 017

North West: 205 264

Northern Cape: 120 842

Western Cape: 382 041

TOTAL: 2 903 756

3. Total beneficiaries per grant type per province:

(See Annexure A)

4. Amalgamation

4.1 To bring together 14 different systems on to one computer data base

4.2 Completed in March 1997

5. Re-registration

5.1 To ensure clean and accurate data of all beneficiaries

5.2 MINMEC identified re-registration as a priority programme

5.3 In many provinces re-registration is being done on a pilot basis with roll-out on a full-scale later this year.

5.4 This process will be completed by March 2000.

6. Data clean-up

6.1 R281,9-million saved in 1998/99

6.2 This includes:

6.2.1 removing 70 772 "ghosts" (deceased beneficiaries)

6.2.2 suspending 18 801 temporary disability grants

6.2.3 suspending 29 096 children who were older than 18

6.2.4 suspending 120 invalid grant combinations

7. Backlogs

7.1 As at 12 November 1998, there were 61 969 backlogs

7.2 This is a reduction from the 80 636 reported in August 1998

7.3 Provinces have committed themselves to eliminating all backlogs by the end of March 1999.

8. Child Support Grant

8.1 Introduced on 1 April 1998

8.2 R100 per month per child under the age of 7

8.3 25 696 children are already benefitting, while other applications are coming in

8.4 Target is 3 million children within five years

8.5 CSG Provincial breakdown (number of children receiving CSG):

Eastern Cape: 5466

Free State: 1283

Gauteng: 2591

KwaZuluNatal: 7066

Mpumalanga: 732

Northern Cape: 1873

North Province: 2288

North West: 1392

Western Cape: 3005

TOTAL: 25 696

(Ignore figures as contained in Annexure A)

We are busy with a programme of provincial visits to assist provinces with implementing the CSG.

8.6 CSG focus areas for the next phase:

8.6.1 ensuring that the Department of Home Affairs can deliver IDs and birth certificates within a reasonable time

8.6.2 an agreement has been reached with Home Affairs to use mobile units

8.6.3 increase communication and target our communication more locally

8.6.4 enhance the monitoring system to improve tracking of performance

8.7 State maintenance grant

8.7.1 the second reduction to phase out the state maintenance grant will take effect on 1 April 1999

8.7.2 the grant will be reduced by one third of the amount currently being received

8.7.3 the final reduction will take effect on 1 April 2000

9. Business Process Re-engineering

9.1 An RFI session for a new Welfare Payment and Information Service was held.

9.2 Some of the features of the service will include:

9.2.1 high quality payment facilities, especially to rural and remote rural areas

9.2.2 access to grant payments 8 hours a day, 7 days a week

9.2.3 high-level financial and management controls to minimise fraud and corruption

9.2.4 financial tracking mechanisms for early detection of fraud

9.2.5 link to the Home Affairs National Identification System (HANIS) for real-time checking of vital registration information (births and deaths)

9.2.6 promoting a service-orientation and customer focus in government

9.2.7 rapid processing of applications (currently the majority of applications are processed within 2 – 3 months)

10. Conditional Grant

10.1 R200-million allocated over two financial years for the improvement of systems such as financial, administrative, information technology and human resources

10.2 R50-million has been committed for this financial year

10.3 It will be spent on re-registration, the information and payment system, capacity building and the Y2K project

10.4 R50-million has been rolled over to the next financial year 1999/2000

11. Y2K compliance

11.1 A project team has been established to manage the national and provincial Y2K project

11.2 The aim is to ensure certification of the national pension payment system, SOCPEN, as well as other information systems

11.3 Target date is 31 July 1999

11.4 A project manager has been appointed to oversee the provincial Y2K compliance effort

11.5 This project will also require all third party contractors to provide the department with Y2K certification.

12. Fraud and corruption

The following cases of fraud and corruption by officials are being dealt with:

12.1 In the Western Cape there are nine cases pending

12.2 In the Eastern Cape - 2

12.3 Free State - 23

12.4 Gauteng - 21

12.5 Mpumalanga 1

12.6 In the Northern Cape three officials have been charged in court.

12.7 In KwaZulu Natal an official has already been sentenced by a court of law.

13. Improving Customer Service

13.1 Payments are made every month in the Eastern Cape - not every two months

13.2 Better financial management with monthly reconciliations

13.3 An Operations Centre has been established at the national Department. Provinces are to set up similar centres linked to the national centre.

13.4 Reactivated a national toll-free number 0800-601-011 to deal with complaints and enquiries

C: Welfare Services

1. Budget

1.1 R1,6-billion was allocated in the 1998/99 financial year

1.2 These subsidies went to 1400 non-governmental organisations

1.3 This amount represents 9% of the total provincial Welfare budget

1.4 In 1997/98, a final allocation of R1,9-billion was made for welfare services

1.5 Provincial breakdown (allocation per province for 1998/99 and 97/98)

1998/99 R’000 1997/98

Eastern Cape: 203 590 360 045

Free State: 127 607 135 578

Gauteng: 414 651 421 383

KwaZuluNatal: 207 910 207 459

Mpumalanga: 95 210 66 856

Northern Cape: 61 969 72 326

North Province: 139 061 230 748

North West: 74 634 112 666

Western Cape: 316 906 308 768

TOTAL: 1 641 538 1 915 829

1.6 Welfare service allocations by sector (1998/99) R’000 (previous year in brackets)

Child and family care: 581 341 (621 732)

Care of the aged: 349 808 (393 046)

Care of the disabled: 102 805 (108 064)

Drug dependant care: 20 295 (20 249)

Care of the offender: 4 438 (6 010)

Other: 352 057 (538 765)

Admin support: 194 963 (171 580)

TOTAL: 1 605 707 (1 859 446)

2. Management of ageing (Care of the elderly)

2.1 2,8 million South Africans older than 60 (Census 96)

2.2 7 % of the total population

2.3 56% of the total welfare budget was allocated to care of the aged in 1998/99 (that is social security plus welfare services)

2.4 old age homes catered for mainly white citizens

2.5 Policy approach

2.5.1 age at home in the community - integration

2.5.2 community based care

2.5.3 de-institutionalisation

2.5.4 move to residential care only for elderly frail (24-hour care)

2.6 Achievements

2.6.1 new admission criteria finalised and piloted

2.6.2 decrease in the number of government subsidised homes for older persons:

from 589 for the 1996/97 financial year to 409 for the 1997/98 financial year

2.6.3 decrease in the number of residents from 33 854 to 28 752

2.6.4 passing of the Aged Persons Amendment Act:

2.6.4.1. to criminalise elderly abuse

2.6.4.2 to establish a register of incidents of abuse

2.6.4.3 to end racial discrimination in admission to old age homes

2.6.4.4 to ensure democratic participation in managing institutions

2.6.4.5 to ensure proper use of subsidies

2.6.5 International Year of Older Persons

3. A Partnership Against AIDS

3.1 Implications for welfare

3.1.1 The impact on social security, for example, an increase in disability grants, child support grants

3.1.2 The increasing need for alternative care for children affected by HIV/AIDS.

South Africa has 500 000 orphans and within 10 years this figure will rise to between 1 and 2 million.

3.2 A Social Welfare Plan on AIDS

This plan has been developed with five strategic focuses:

3.2.1 reducing the prevalence of HIV/AIDS through targeted preventative interventions;

3.2.2 managing the impact of AIDS on social security;

3.2.3 developing affordable community based care and support models;

3.2.4 forming strategic alliances (partnerships);

3.2.5 developing appropriate policy to enhance service delivery.

3.3 Community based models of care

The Department is involved in the piloting of two projects:

3.3.1 CINDI (Children in Distress) in KwaZulu Natal:

is a network of social welfare agencies and other stakeholders trying urgently to develop models which provide which will provide the best possible quality of upbringing for large numbers of orphans within communities profoundly affected by HIV/AIDS; rapid identification and placement of orphaned, abandoned and abused children into these models of care; economic self-sufficiency for social structures caring for orphans - especially families headed by the aged and by children; and motivation and support for people and organisations involved in social service delivery to communities profoundly affected by HIV/AIDS.

3.3.2 Kerux care and intervention programme for children and families affected by the AIDS epidemic.

3.3.2.1 Kerux is an integral part of the professional health care service at Kalafong Hospital and Pretoria Academic Hospital, working amongst people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

3.3.2.2 KERUX was recommended in the recently published National AIDS Review as being an ideal combined hospital/community/NGO model of care for people living with AIDS.

3.3.2.3 At the end of 1997, KERUX provided a wide range of care interventions to 2 000 HIV positive children and over 4 000 infected adults and their families.

3.3.2.4 Of the 4 000 adults, two thirds were women. The outcome of this pilot project would be a holistic, integrated and sustainable community-based care and support model.

3.4 Women’s Partnership Against AIDS

3.4.1 This is a follow-up initiative to the Partnership launched by the Deputy President

3.4.2 The overall theme for the Partnership is Vusa Isizwe - Restore the Nation

3.4.3 The first campaign of the Women’s Partnership will be launched on March 4 in Pietersburg and is called "On the Right Track"

3.4.4 This will involve a train journey from Pietersburg to Cape Town which will end on March 8, International Women’s Day

3.5 Transformation of the Child and Youth Care System

Since the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Young People at Risk (IMC) in 1996, a number of advances have been made:

3.5.1 The 6 IMC pilot projects are complete. They will be used as a basis for roll-out for the Make a Difference Project

3.5.2 IMC Policy guidelines were finalised at the end of 1997. Implementation will ensure the transformation of the child and youth care system along developmental lines.

3.5.3 We have designed minimum norms and standards for the Child and Youth Care system. These will be linked to future funding and to capacity building as part of a developmental quality assurance programme.

3.6 Project Go

This project has greatly impacted on the lives of children, as reflected in the national outcomes listed for the period July- November 1998:

3.6.1 4609 reviews completed

3.6.2 2270 children diverted from the criminal justice system

3.6.3 898 children moved out of prison through developmental assessment

3.6.4 234 children diverted via family preservation

3.6.5 377 children prevented from moving deeper into the system

3.6.6 1187 children returned to their families

3.6.7 419 children moved out of places of safety

3.7 Transforming probation services

In line with the Transformation of the Child and Youth Care System, probation services underwent dramatic changes in 1998:

3.7.1 The Act on Probation Services has been amended and will enable welfare departments to appoint probation officers and family finders

3.7.2 The establishment of the first honours degree in Probation Practice (UCT) and the introduction of a degree in child and youth care for youth care workers (the Technikon RSA)

3.7.3 Two pilot projects under the IMC have been identified for national roll-out in 1999. They are the Durban Reception, Assessment and Referral Centre and the One Stop Youth Justice Centre in P E

3.7.4 In addition:

3.7.4.1 38 new posts have been created since January 1998

3.7.4.2 321 probation officers deliver a service on a full-time basis

3.7.4.3 580 social workers deliver probation services on a part-time basis

3.8 Secure care

77% of the original RDP allocation of R33m has been spent on the building and upgrading of secure care facilities in all nine provinces:

3.8.1 Eastern Cape (R3,5m), to upgrade a number of existing residential care facilities for use as secure care facilities; the Enkuselweni Secure Care facility was opened in July 1997

3.8.2 Gauteng (R2,8m), for the secure care unit in the Walter Sisulu Child and Youth Care Centre - opened in April 1997

3.8.3 Free State (R5,9m), for the Kroonstad secure care facility;

3.8.4 Northern Province (R1,0m), for the facility in Pietersburg;

3.8.5 KwaZulu/Natal(R4,0m) for the Excelsior facility in Pinetown.

3.8.6 The North West province’s facility in Brits is complete

3.8.7 Phase I of Mpumalanga’s Hendrina Child and Youth Care Centre is complete

3.8.8 The Western Cape used their provincial budget to upgrade existing facilities for utilisation as secure care units. The RDP allocation is in the process of being paid to the province.

3.8.9 Northern Cape spent 62% of their allocation on the upgrading of the Molehe Mampe Secure Care Centre. It was opened on 10 December 1998.

3.9 Child Protection

3.9.1 Provincial Protocols on Child Abuse and Neglect have been adopted

3.9.2 Registration of street shelters is compulsory

3.9.3 A draft Bill to curb the commercial sexual exploitation of children has been tabled

3.10 Victim Empowerment Programme

Welfare is the lead department for the Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) under the National Crime Prevention Strategy (NCPS)

3.10.1 A number of new 24-hour services are being established or existing services will be expanded under funding from the VEP.

3.10.2 Many of these services operate on a 24-hour basis and are staffed by volunteers who will undergo the necessary training.

3.10.3 Some of the approved projects are listed in the table below:

D: LEGISLATIVE REFORM

Since 1994, eleven welfare laws have been passed by Parliament. It is envisaged that by the end of 1999 seven or eight more will have been passed.

1. Amendments

1.1 Minor amendments were made to the Fund-raising Act, 1978, the Aged Persons Act, 1978, the Social Work Act, 1978, and the Social Assistance Act, 1992.

1.2 In 1996 the Child Care Act, 1983 was amended to provide, amongst others, for the legal representation of children in children’s court proceedings and for the registration of shelters.

1.3 The Welfare Laws Amendment Act, 1996 amended the Social Work Act, 1978 by enlarging the membership of the Interim Council for Social Work

1.4 These amendments also provided for the repeal of the different sets of laws which were in force in the Republic and for the extension of certain welfare laws to the whole national territory of the Republic.

2. The Non-Profit Organisations Act, 1997 (NPO Act)

2.1 In 1997, the Non-profit Organisations Act 1997, was passed.

2.2 It provided for the creation of an enabling environment for non-profit organisations by scrapping compulsory registration

2.3 Instead it promoted voluntary registration

3. The Welfare Laws Amendment Act, 1997

3.1 This law introduced the child support grant (CSG)

3.2 It also provided for the phasing out of the state maintenance grant over three years.

4. Laws passed during 1998

Three laws administered by the Department of Welfare were passed during 1998, namely -

4.1 The Adoption Matters Amendment Act, 1998 (Act No. 56 of 1998);

4.2 The Aged Persons Amendment Act, 1998 (Act No. 100 of 1998); and

4.3 The Social Work Amendment Act, 1998 (Act No. 102 of 1998).

4.4 The Adoption Matters Amendment Act, 1998

4.4.1 This Act amended:

4.4.1.1 the Child Care Act, 1983 in order to simplify the procedure for the granting of legal representation for children in children’s court proceedings and to provide for the rights of certain natural fathers in the adoption of their children born out of wedlock;

4.4.1.2 the Natural Fathers of Children Born Out of Wedlock Act, 1997 in order to consolidate the law on adoption; and

4.4.1.3 the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1992 so as to afford a father of a child born out of wedlock the opportunity to record his acknowledgement of paternity and his particulars in the birth registration of the child.

4.4.1.4 The Act was assented to by the Acting President on 28 September 1998 and came into operation on 4 February 1999.

4.5 The Aged Persons Amendment Act, 1998

4.5.1 This Act upgraded measures relating to the protection of the aged against abuse through the provision of more effective measures for the investigation and handling of cases of abuse. (See 2.6.4 under Welfare Services)

4.5.2 The Act was assented to by the President on 27 November 1998, and gives a voice to the elderly to speak out for themselves.

4.6 The Social Work Amendment Act, 1998

4.6.1 This Act provides for the establishment of the SA Council for Social Service Professions and for professional boards for social service professions.

4.6.2 Regulations relating to the election of members of the SA Council for Social Service Professions were published on 31 December 1998 and the election will take place in the first quarter of 1999.

4.6.3 The new council will have its first meeting on 31 May 1999.

4.7 Regulations

Amongst others, the following regulations were passed during 1998:

4.7.1 Regulations under the Non-profit Organisations Act, 1997;

4.7.2 Regulations under the Child Care Act, 1983; and

4.7.3 Regulations under the Social Work Act, 1978.

4.8 Legislative programme for 1999

Three Bills have been introduced in Parliament for the first session of 1999, namely -

4.8.1 the Child Care Amendment Bill;

4.8.2 the Probation Services Amendment Bill; and

4.8.3 the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Amendment Bill.

4.8.4 It is envisaged to introduce five other welfare Bills in Parliament in 1999.

4.8.4.1 the Status of Older Persons Bill

4.8.4.2 the Non-profit Organisations Amendment Bill

4.8.4.3 the Social Assistance Amendment Bill

4.8.4.4 the Developmental Welfare Governance Bill

4.8.4.5 the Disaster and Emergency Fund Bill.

Comparative allocations - Welfare function