Hansard: Policy debate on Budget Vote No. 8 – Women, Children and People with Disabilities (proposed) (83)
House: National Council of Provinces
Date of Meeting: 17 May 2012
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
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FRIDAY, 18 MAY 2012
PROCEEDINGS OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
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The Council met at 10:01.
The Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP
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START OF DAY
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon members, again, we will repeat this until we all learn. In order to assist you to log on, press the select button which will show a list of members' names. Thereafter, select your name on the list appearing on the screen. In case you cannot see your name, scroll down. After selecting your name, press the OK button. You will see a small window with the words "Place finger on the reader". Place your index finger on the fingerprint reader above the orange flashing light. If you have successfully logged on, you will see your name and picture on the left top corner of the screen. Please do not use any object on the screen other than your finger. In case any members experience some challenges, the staff will assist you.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! I have been informed that the Whippery has agreed that there will be notices of motion or motions without notice today.
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
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The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP
APPROPRIATION BILL
(Policy debate)
Vote No 8 - Women, Children and People with Disabilities:
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Hon Chair, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, it is indeed an honour for me to present the Budget Vote of the Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities to the National Council of Provinces.
As we mark the centenary of the ANC, the oldest liberation movement on the continent, we reaffirm our commitment to working tirelessly for a South Africa that promotes and monitors the realisation of the rights of women, children and people with disabilities. At the core of our struggle for liberation was a determination to ensure that all our people were liberated from a life of indignity, discrimination and oppression.
We are celebrating a century of heroic struggles by women of our country, women such as Charlotte Maxeke, Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa, Sophie de Bruyn, Albertina Sisulu, Ruth Mompati, Dorothy Nyembe, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, to mention but a few, who are the embodiment of a hundred years of a relentless forward march to total emancipation, equality, justice and democracy.
Unarmed and defenceless, they challenged the might and brutality of successive oppressive regimes in order to ensure that future generations could live in a South Africa that truly belonged to all. We are grateful for their sacrifices and inspired by their courage, as we carry the baton towards equality, employment and poverty eradication. As we start another journey into the second centenary, united in our diversity, our collective focus will be on making further advances and jealously defending the gains of freedom and democracy.
Let me quote the words of President Jacob Zuma, when he articulated the mandate of this department during Women's Month in 2010:
The department was instituted to ensure the mainstreaming of gender, children's rights and disability considerations into all programmes of government and other sectors. This will help government to respond to issues of these targeted groups in an integrated and coherent manner.
Thus, the responsibility of translating into reality the realisation of the rights of women, children and people with disabilities was placed firmly on this department. However, it has to be understood that ours is not an implementing department. In discharging our mandate, we work with other government departments, provinces, municipalities, civil society and other private-sector organisations to ensure that mainstreaming actually happens.
We believe that the correct understanding of our mandate is a critical prerequisite if our public representatives and stakeholders are to make meaningful inputs into our programmes and effectively hold us to account.
We are doing our best to strengthen our capacity to serve all our provinces. As you are aware, we do not have regional offices. This has a major implication on our resources and capacity to do outreach work. This department continues to experience further challenges, particularly as we need to continually consult the three sectors on our constitutional and international obligations. In this regard, we are currently engaging National Treasury to address our resource constraints to enable us to serve our provincial stakeholders more effectively.
However, I am pleased to inform the House that, as a department, we have responded practically to the employment policy imperatives of our own government to empower people with disabilities and women. We have achieved a 5,5% representativity of employees with disabilities, and a 57,5% representativity of women in senior management positions. Both these achievements exceed the targets set by Cabinet and, in particular, the 2% employment equity for persons with disabilities reconfirmed by President Zuma in his state of the nation address this year.
Regarding women empowerment and gender equality, we have held consultations with women on a wide range of issues that affect their lives. We hosted a successful national summit for rural women in Tzaneen, Limpopo. I am also pleased to announce that we held provincial consultations with rural women in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. These summits and engagements seek to ensure that women have the platform to influence government policy on matters that relate to women empowerment and gender equality.
We hosted a four-day national women's conference in Gauteng, which was attended by over 1 000 women and addressed by 16 Cabinet Ministers and Deputy Ministers, as well as the Deputy President.
I am pleased to inform the House that we are in the process of finalising consultations on the women empowerment and gender equality policy towards the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill. The Bill will provide us with legislative authority to hasten the empowerment of women and the attainment of the 50:50 gender parity.
Once signed into law, it will give effect to our collective commitment to women empowerment and gender equality. Consistent with the directive of the President in his state of the nation address, we intend to table this policy and the draft Bill before Parliament this year. This will enforce compliance in both government and the private sector.
With regard to the 50:50 parity, I would like to commend various provincial and local legislatures and governments for striving towards the attainment of this objective. We hope that the Western Cape executive will also follow the progressive examples of other provinces and national government.
We will also be finalising the engendering of the New Growth Path framework and the Green Fund, so that these initiatives are gender and disability responsive, and that women and people with disabilities benefit from these initiatives, including the Jobs Fund. We will endeavour to ensure that the benefits of all these initiatives are shared across provinces.
Working with the Departments of Water and Environmental Affairs and of Energy, we are facilitating opportunities for women in rural and peri-urban areas, as well as in informal settlements to participate in green economy projects, such as solar energy, water purification, agriculture, construction, waste management and tourism. We are also facilitating financial support and training for women farmers and women's co-operatives with our national and international partners, particularly the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Women, and the United Nations Population Fund, UNFDA.
I am pleased to announce that the Industrial Development Corporation, IDC, has responded positively to our partnership call. Through its transformation and entrepreneur scheme, the IDC has committed over R200 million towards women empowerment and economic empowerment, as well as over R50 million towards people with disabilities.
In addition, we are also empowering women in construction, in collaboration with the Departments of Human Settlements and of Public Works. We are facilitating opportunities for rural women to enter the alternative construction technology field. Gombani in Limpopo and Chaguba in the Eastern Cape will provide an example of what rural women can achieve if given opportunities. In these two rural communities, women are building houses and women's development centres using alternative technology. With the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, we are facilitating women's access to land.
In collaboration with the UNFPA, the department is currently conducting gender audits in four provinces, namely the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo. The audits will also be undertaken in the remaining provinces.
Regarding the Traditional Courts Bill, as a department we are currently involved in the co-ordination of women's consultations on the proposed Traditional Courts Bill. We shoulder a responsibility to ensure that women can freely interact and exercise their right to be heard in all democratic processes. In this regard, I am working with the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development to ensure that the concerns of rural women are taken into consideration regarding this Bill.
However, I would like the House to note that our concern is that in the public hearings that are being conducted by the NCOP as we speak, most of the women are subject to rude interjections and are silenced, and they are not allowed to participate. In some provinces, women were told they were not invited and should not be there. In this way, the women's right to self-representation has been denied. This behaviour cannot be allowed to persist in a democratic South Africa.
Women have already raised serious misgivings about the Bill and questioned its constitutionality. Women hold the view that the Bill, as it stands today, will not pass the constitutional test. Women are concerned that this Bill will strip them of their democratic rights to choose magistrates' courts if they so wish. There is a concern that women, including widows, have already suffered abuse, such as eviction from their homes and land by the largely all-male traditional chiefs, brothers-in-law, and so on. In some of the provinces and rural areas ...
IsiXhosa:
... abahlolokazi bayafikelwa ngobusuku zizixhiliphothi zamadoda. La madoda afika emizini utata wakhona engekangcwatywa nokungcwatywa, kuthiwe wena mama uyangenwa okanye uyahamba, khetha ukuba uza kungenwa okanye uyahamba kulo mzi.
English:
Furthermore, the Bill does not prohibit harmful traditional practices, such as ukungenwa, [the act of a male relative of the deceased husband, usually one of the brothers, taking over the wife of the deceased] ukuthwalwa, etc. South Africa has made commitments - through the Constitution, various pieces of legislation and international conventions - to respect, promote, protect and advance the rights of women. We have a duty and an obligation to honour these commitments. I call upon all South Africans to defend government's progressive positions on the rights of women, children and people with disabilities.
As a department, our interest is to ensure that this Bill does not reverse the gains that women have made towards empowerment and gender equality in the past 20 years. I would like to commend the progressive men who have spoken out during this process in defence of women's rights.
We are also concerned about the current attempts to reverse the constitutional gains we have made, as a country, relating to the rights of gays and lesbians. These attempts should not threaten our democracy. These homophobic tendencies, which, in some instances, have led to the killing of gay men and rape and murder of lesbian women, must be condemned by all South Africans. These rights are entrenched in our Constitution and all attempts to reverse these gains must be rejected.
The Techno Girl programme has been rolled out in all nine provinces. We are implementing it in partnership with various departments, including the Department of Basic Education, the Uganda Women's Effort to Save Orphans, Uweso, and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, Unicef. This project encourages girl-children to pursue studies in science, maths, engineering and technological fields, through job shadowing and career guidance.
About 15 departments are participating in this programme. One thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine girls will be part of the June school holiday intake from employers in both the public and private sectors. To date, 4 184 girls from all provinces are participating in phase 1 of the programme.
With regard to violence against women and children, no province or corner of our land has been immune to the scourge of violence against women and children. Gender-based violence condemns women and girls to a life of fear, and prevents them from being productive members of society. Women and children have a constitutional right to walk the streets of our country without fear of being raped, assaulted or killed.
The Minister of Police's efforts to strengthen and resource the re-established Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units at police stations are welcomed. This will expedite responses to these crimes. The National Prosecuting Authority has increased Thuthuzela Centres around the country to over 40, to provide integrated response, care and support programmes to the victims of violent sexual crimes.
We also commend the Minister of Health for recruiting 75 forensic technicians and training them as staff of the fourth forensic laboratory. This will go a long way in processing vital evidence and speeding up convictions of offenders.
Additional sexual offences and children's courts in all provinces must be put in place to ensure that we speed up and reduce the backlog of sexual offences and all cases relating to women and children. We are engaging with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and advocating for our justice system to impose the heaviest possible sentences and not give bail for perpetrators of violent crimes against women and children, including those with disabilities. This will send a clear message that our society is not willing to tolerate people who commit these atrocities.
We have a responsibility to take collective action, as government and communities, to protect the most vulnerable in our society. In this regard, Cabinet recently approved the establishment of the National Council Against Gender-based Violence to be led by the Deputy President.
This council is a multisectoral national response, and we commend the interim council for its groundwork thus far. The council's first priority, among other things, will be to review, facilitate and monitor the implementation of the 365 Days National Action Plan on No Violence against Women and Children.
The children's rights and responsibility agenda is informed by our Constitution and by the international and regional treaties that we have signed, namely the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the UNCRC, and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
As signatories to the UNCRC, we are required to develop a national plan of action for children, an NPAC. In this regard, we are reviewing and consulting the 1997 NPAC. Consultations are under way with national departments, provinces, municipalities and various organisations in the children's sectors.
We are intensifying our work with all relevant partners on child protection. Last year, we started the child-friendly cities or communities initiative. We have concluded agreements with the City of Tshwane Municipality, the Ugu District and the Port St Johns Municipalities. We are currently working with the Taung Municipality in the North West.
We will also have programmes for children with disabilities during Child Protection Week, starting on 27 May 2012, when the President will launch Child Protection Week in partnership with the Department of Social Development in Kimberley, in the Northern Cape. We will be in Gauteng on 1 June at the Philadelphia School for children with disabilities, and in Taung, North West, on 2 June. We will engage communities to create safe spaces for children. The official closing of Child Protection Week will take place in the Free State on 3 June.
A review of violence against children has been conducted by Unicef. We will release the report which includes the roles, responsibilities and commitments of various government departments. This report will be presented at the launch of the National Council Against Gender-based Violence this year. In addition, we will intensify our advocacy work during Child Protection Week, which will be launched, as I said, at the end of the month.
The department is of the view that children's active participation in matters that affect them is a right. Last year, the department facilitated the successful participation of children in Cop 17, in partnership with Unicef. This participation culminated on National Children's Day at the Union Buildings, where children from all provinces demonstrated their understanding of climate change. Of course, children in the Western Cape were denied this right and could not participate.
Addressing nutritional needs during the first 1 000 days of a child's life, including the 270 days of a woman's pregnancy, followed by 365 days in the first two years of an infant's life is imperative, if we are to reap the benefits of good health and the development of our children. Nutritional support programmes, in addition to ARV interventions, remain vital. This approach has contributed to the successful reduction of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by 50%.
The Nelson Mandela Children's Parliament has created an annual platform for children's voices to be heard and for legislatures to support them. This was launched on Mandela's birthday in Gauteng last year. This year's the Nelson Mandela Children's Parliament will be held in the Eastern Cape.
We are continuing to create opportunities for children's voices to be directly incorporated into the Budget Vote process. Last year, we engaged children at a skills school in Mitchell's Plain and last week we were at the Khayelitsha Special School and the Joe Slovo High School in Khayelitsha, amongst other schools.
Regarding the rights of people with disabilities, the concerns of people with disabilities are a priority on government's agenda. Recently, the President, the Minister of Social Development, and I met with Disabled People SA. The meeting discussed the mainstreaming of the rights of people with disabilities into government programmes, providing job opportunities and funding for people with disabilities. Prior to this, I also met a delegation from the SA Disability Alliance – with the Deputy Minister - to address some of their concerns. We will ensure that the issues raised in these meetings find concrete expression in departmental programmes. The President has also asked for another meeting with people with disabilities in the near future.
International commitments require the department to co-ordinate extensive consultations and monitor their domestication, at the department's cost, with, among other sectors, women, children and people with disabilities, and attend the annual sessions of the three sectors at the United Nations, the African Union and Southern African Development Community to report on progress in domesticating and advancing the goals of the instruments to which we are signatories.
This year I led the South African delegation to the 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations, in New York. The theme for this year was: The empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, development and current challenges. In line with this theme and our national priority as government, the department will focus on a multisectoral approach towards the empowerment of rural women, including women with disabilities.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Minister, your speaking time has expired. I will give you another three minutes just to wrap up.
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: In September the Deputy Minister will lead the South African delegation to New York to attend conference of state parties of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. I thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
Ms B P MABE /UNH / END OF TAKE
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The MINISTER OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Ms B P MABE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to send my deepest condolences to the family of the respected cleric and liberation stalwart, Rev Motlalepula Chabaku. She was one of the few surviving leaders of the resilient group of activists, including Lilian Ngoyi and Helen Joseph, who led an estimated 20 000-strong Women's March in 1956 to the Union Building to protest the apartheid-era pass laws. She was the first Speaker of the Free State of a democratically elected legislature, and a deeply spiritual person who carried an abiding sense of community and compassion for all people, especially women, the poor and the downtrodden. We thank her for dedicating all her life to the liberation of our people and acknowledge the role she played in the nation's reconstruction and development. May her soul rest in peace.
Hon Chair, if you allow me, I wish to raise a concern. I have observed that none of the provinces have sent special delegates to come and participate in this budget speech, except for Mpumalanga, and we thank you very much, Mpumalanga, for that. Hon Chair, I also wish to start my speech from the end, by saying that the ANC supports the Budget Vote.
The Department of Women, Children and People with Disabilities has identified the following key priorities for this financial year: advocating the promotion and protection of the rights of women, children and people with disabilities; monitoring and evaluating; ensuring the mainstreaming of gender, disability and children's rights; strengthening institutional capacity; and increasing participation in strategic bilateral and multilateral initiatives that contribute towards the empowerment and equality for women, children and people with disabilities.
Moreover, the department has also identified its roles with regard to researching, monitoring and evaluating, targeting key role-players to influence what they focus on, how they do it and ensuring that all key causal factors affecting women, children and people with disabilities are addressed.
While the budget of the department grew from R143,1 million in the 2011-12 financial year, to R172,2 million in the 2012-13 financial year, this department's budget constitutes a mere 0,01% of the overall national Budget.
As was the case in the last financial year, the women empowerment and gender equality subprogramme consumed most of the budget at 55%. Notwithstanding the budgetary allocation, the department is still expected to deliver on the aforementioned objectives with limited resources.
The select committee has conducted numerous oversight visits, not only to oversee the executive, but also to assess and investigate the challenges that face women, children and people with disabilities. Oversight visits were conducted in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. They highlighted various issues that have shed light on poor living conditions and services for people with disabilities. The oversight visits also revealed that whilst South Africa has the Domestic Violence Act, its implementation leaves much to be desired, and women continue to face challenges in terms of accessing services when faced with violence and abuse.
Hon Minister, I wish to bring to your attention that the committee engaged with the Western Cape provincial department of social development on challenges raised during our oversight visits to the Saartjie Baartman and the Thuthuzela Care Centre. To date, the status quo still remains the same; nothing has changed. We need your urgent intervention in this regard, and the department needs to be reminded that it is still accountable to the people of the Western Cape.
With these challenges and observations in mind, a budget of R13,5 million has been allocated for children's rights and responsibilities; R15,4 million has been allocated for people with disabilities; and an operating budget has been allocated of R21 million for women empowerment and gender equality, which amounts are absolutely insufficient.
I wish to congratulate the Minister and the department on filling most of the critical and strategic positions within the directorate. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr D A WORTH
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Ms B P MABE
Mr D A WORTH: Hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, the chairperson from Mpumalanga and hon members, firstly, I wish to thank the department for their presentation to our committee. The budget of the department, which is Budget Vote 8, increased from R143,1 million for the 2011-12 financial year, to R172,2 million for the 2012-13 financial year. Please forgive me if I repeat myself, but our chair said this department has once again received the smallest budget allocation, which constitutes a mere 0,01% of the overall national Budget.
As was the case in the last financial year, the women's empowerment and gender equity subprogramme consumed some 55% of the budget. Whilst this is still a relatively new department, under Programme 1: Administration, some 53,7% is allocated for the compensation of employees. While most of the top posts will be filled, there are still some 74 vacant posts in the department, some, of course, being unfunded posts.
After two years, many of the same problems still exist, namely insufficient budgetary allocations, a lack of skills and capacity. The committee was, however, pleased to hear that the internal audit unit in the department will now be fully functional by 1 July 2012.
The aim of the department is to drive, accelerate and oversee government's equity, equality and empowerment agenda on women, children and people with disabilities, especially in the poor and rural communities. One of the primary objectives is to facilitate gender equality through the mainstreaming of our government's policies and programmes. An amount of R27,5 million was set aside, according to the Estimate of the national Expenditure 2012 for the implementation and co-ordination of the National Women's Day celebration, 16 Days of Activism, the 365 Days National Action Plan.
A large part of this amount is spent on advertising, catering and travel. Other state departments, such as, Health, Justice and Constitutional Development, Social Development, Police and the provincial governments must assist this department to carry out the implementation and organisation of these functions. More often than not, these are allocated to a desk in the provinces based in the premier's office. The bulk of the resources continue to be within other departments, nongovernmental organisations, NGOs, and the private sector.
Under Programme 4: Rights of persons with disabilities, the department must assert its authority and insist that the 2% employment target, with regard to persons with disabilities, is now implemented by all state departments. The Minister, herself, stated at the recent International Day of Persons with Disabilities that the failure by both the government and industry to achieve a 2% target was an indictment on the country's commitment to the Constitution, with which we concur.
One of the main stumbling blocks, however, to fast-tracking this target is to provide reasonable accommodation for disabled persons, which is very expensive and slows down implementation.
Of concern is that many of the department's programmes and projects will only be starting during the 2012-13 financial year, some two to two and a half years after the has department began. The department is in the final year of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period and it must now expedite the implementation of its programmes in line with its set objectives and budget.
Rural women, meanwhile, continue to be the poorest of the poor, remain excluded from economic development and growth and, are often denied access to desperate needed services. We are also concerned with the protection of women's rights and children in regard to the proposed Traditional Courts Bill, and trust that women will attend the public hearings in the various provinces in large numbers, to voice their concerns to ensure reconciliation, and that redress takes place.
The Saartjie Baartman Centre for abused women, which we have visited with our committee in Athlone and the branch in Worcester, are examples of poor funding and assistance. These centres have had to turn away many abused women because of a lack of funds from government; and can you believe it: because they are dependent on money given by the National Lottery. Fortunately, it would appear that monies will be made available by the provincial government of the Western Cape to keep these centres open for the next few months.
This is happening throughout the country. The epidemic of sexual violence against women was revealed, with videos being filmed, of a mentally disable girl being gangraped by a group of youths, between the ages of 14 and 20. This episode is a damning indictment on the state on morality in our country and the moral decay that exists in our society.
The DA believes that the establishment of special rape courts and the reinstatement of the family violence, child abuse and sexual offences units will help to reduce the high incidence of rape in South Africa. We must also appeal for an effective child protection register to ensure that everyone with the history of sexual offences against children is recorded.
A recent High Court judgment has revealed a fatal omission in the new Sexual Offences Act, which will have a disastrous effect on sexual assault cases. Apparently, anyone accused of crimes in terms of the new Sexual Offences Act, cannot be charged because legislators - how this ever happened, I do not know - omitted to prescribe sentences for at least 29 offences listed in the Act. This could result in a rush of people applying to have their convictions set aside. This is clearly contrary to the principles of our law and Constitution. I thank you. [Applause.]
Ms M P THEMBA / LMM/ ARM(Checked)/END OF TAKE10:40:11
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Mr D A WORTH
Ms M P THEMBA: Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon chairperson of the portfolio committee on women from Mpumalanga, hon members, in welcoming the budget vote speech made by the hon Minister, I would like to make an observation that I believe form part of the core functions of the Ministry; this being to translate into reality the realisation of the rights of women, children and people with disabilities.
We are indeed proud of the countless efforts that our government has put in place to advance our collective efforts to ensure the protection of women, children and people with disabilities. This Ministry serves as a reminder that we are committed to putting our shoulders to the wheel and mobilise every resource and muscle to ensure that the most vulnerable in society also enjoy the fruits of our freedom.
We can say with the utmost affirmation and without fear of contradiction that our nation is on course to dismantle the apartheid social relations and the social ills of our divided and atrocious past. However, we are worried about the continued violence perpetuated against women and children and the discrimination that many people with disabilities still experience. Hence, I want to join the Minister in congratulating the real men who do not abuse women and children and who continue to take part in the awareness campaigns against abuse.
We want to acknowledge the efforts of this Ministry to continue in our national quest to mobilise our society to join the fight against gender violence and the abuse of women and children in our society. We rise to acknowledge the tireless efforts of the Ministry to mobilise all our people to be the defenders and champions of the rights and dignity of people with disabilities.
We want to express our profound disappointment that, despite all these efforts, women and children continue to endure unprecedented levels of violence in our society. Whereas this Ministry has succeeded in mobilising various government departments and nongovernmental organisations to take up the fight to combat all forms of antisocial behaviour, especially gender-based violence and discrimination, our nation and many communities across South Africa continue to witness the most gruesome cases of gender-based violence and abuse. Women and children do not feel safe behind the closed doors of their homes.
We want to make an appeal to the Ministry to continue with its tireless efforts to stand on the shoulders of our society and to speak out against gender-based violence and abuse. It must continue to champion our national efforts and interventions to focus on what once was termed "the RDP of the soul" – the Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP - in order for us to achieve our national objective of putting an end to gender-based violence and abuse.
The Minister has already outlined in her budget speech that the police are giving more resources to family violence, child protection and sexual offences units and that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is increasing the number of children's courts. All of these efforts are appreciated and will surely go a long way towards assisting the victims of gender-based violence in our society, and ensure that those who dare touch a woman face the full might of the law.
My humble submission is that the root cause of this bad behaviour has to be addressed by all of us, starting with the basic unit of our society, the family. In coming to this House, members of this august House, we need to do more to teach our children to respect women and children. We need to ask ourselves, as government institutions, and, most importantly, as communities, the difficult and uncomfortable question: What drives a group of young men to abuse a mentally challenged girl and make a recording of their deed, while not even one amongst them has the conscience to stop his friends? What happened to a person's sense of right and wrong when they dump a new-born child as happened in Soweto this week? Why are young children, particularly boys, joining gangs at such a young age? Ubuntu bethu buyekuphi? [What happened to our ubuntu?]
It is with those concerns in mind that I stand before you to welcome your announcement during the Budget Vote that Cabinet is going to establish a national council on gender-based violence to be led by the Deputy President.
The second area that I wish to focus on is the shelters or institutions that house our children and people with disabilities and abused women. Of concern here is whether any work has been done or plan in place to monitor and promote the safety standards in these institutions by the Ministry. As we work to reaffirm the dignity of vulnerable groups, we must be concerned about their safety and comfort.
Whilst we understand that the approval of building plans is a municipal competence, it would be better to get a sense of the state of safety in these facilities so that we are seen to be proactive in this regard, rather than responding when a tragic incident has already occurred.
In conclusion, I wish to commend the Ministry, other government departments and all other stakeholders for their dedicated efforts to ensure that we build a caring South Africa, which takes care of its vulnerable citizens through promoting their rights and ensuring their dignity. We need to measure up to this challenge. We are marching side by side with you towards a fully inclusive society, free from unfair discrimination, inequality, abuse and exploitation. We must all remember that Umntwana wami ngumntwana wakho. [My child is your child.] The ANC supports the Budget Vote. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Friday, 18 May 2012 Takes: 119 & 120
Ms M P THEMBA
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members, "The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives." This was said by one of the leaders of the philosophical movement in 1842, William James, and it is still relevant to this day.
People with disabilities are, more often than not, left on the periphery of society owing to discriminatory attitudes and stereotypes, as well as inhospitable and inaccessible environments. The level of ignorance we have come across in our work with government officials across all three spheres of government requires urgent political intervention.
This was also amplified by the lack of qualitative as well as quantitative data and information contained in the departmental, provincial and district submissions for the first country report on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The Ministry, therefore, embarked on a provincial road show over the past three months to discuss with provincial executive councils on the acceleration and understanding of the disability agenda and its priorities. The national disability agenda has been aligned with the priorities as reflected in the manifesto of the ANC.
On issues of education, we all agree that education remains a crucial weapon to liberate people from oppression. Taking into consideration that the Community Survey of 2007 projected that 467 000 children with disabilities of compulsory, school-going age were not in school; that the 2002 National Audit of Special Schools revealed that 813 incidents of sexual abuse and a staggering 233 cases of suicide were reported over a three-year period in these special schools; and that the 2006 accessibility audit of more than 10 000 mainstream schools across all nine provinces indicated that less than 2% of the schools surveyed had basic access such as ramps and wheelchair-accessible toilets, we can begin to understand that it cannot be business as usual.
Hon members, you are therefore invited to join the national Education for all Campaign that will be launched in September 2012, to encourage parents to enrol their disabled children in the nearest school to their home in support of our inclusive education policy that was passed in 1996. This will require collective action to monitor exclusions, and make these schools' curricula and buildings accessible to those children.
Regarding the creation of decent work, at the centre of the right to dignity is the right of people with disabilities to economic independence and their contribution to the ideals of a developmental state. As the Minister has already highlighted with regards to the 2% set target, let us reflect on the performance of our nine provinces.
The highest province in performance, at the moment, is the North West, at 0,40%; followed by Mpumalanga at 0,39%; the Eastern Cape at 0,38%; the Western Cape at 0,31%; Limpopo at 0,28%; the Free State at 0,21%; the Northern Cape at 0,19%; KwaZulu-Natal at 0,13%; and Gauteng at 0,12%. We can all agree that none of them is anywhere near the 2%, which they are required to meet by 2012. I hope that the National Council of Provinces will assist us in delivering the 2% set target with their respective provinces by 2012.
Of particular concern is the fact that the Western Cape continues to discourage the employment of people with disabilities with rapidly declining percentages. I walked into this Chamber without knowing the answer, but thank you so much, hon Worth, for actually giving me the answer why your numbers are declining so rapidly because reasonable accommodation is very expensive.
We call on members, when engaging with the Expanded Public Works Programme, to ensure that the 2% target is also achieved in this programme across all sites. The Expanded Public Works Programme should also be used as a tool in redressing accessibility issues across all sectors in all communities.
On the issues of rural development, we acknowledge the progress rural development is making through the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme sites as well as the National Rural Youth Service Corps, Narysec, programme. Once again, we emphasise the need to ensure that rural infrastructure and work opportunities comply with the principles of equal and universal access.
On issues of health, the roll-out of the NHI in the 11 pilot districts holds significant hope for our rural communities, especially those people with disabilities. Members are requested to ensure that the improvement of services in these districts also improves access for people with disabilities, particularly as it pertains to access to rehabilitation services, assistive devices, prevention of mother-to-children transmission, PMTCT, and access to antiretrovirals, ARVs.
Particular attention should also be given to disabled people and their organisations in rendering community-based rehabilitation services. We can all learn from Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal which have piloted this model.
On issues of safety, the recent exposure of incidents of child-on-child violence and the rape of young children with disabilities speak to the mental state of our nation – albeit not a new phenomenon.
The protection of children and women with disabilities from exploitation and sexual abuse is a constitutional obligation placed on every South African, especially on us as Members of Parliament as we take our oaths and affirmations.
These incidents have once again brought to the attention of ordinary South Africans the realities disabled people and their families live with daily. The abuse often goes unreported, but even if they do speak out, they are unlikely to be believed. It is, however, regrettable that this ongoing abuse has to go viral on social media before South African society sits up and takes notice.
The media, regrettably, often unintentionally contributes to an environment in which abuse of people with disabilities occurs because of the manner in which they portray people with disabilities as powerless, helpless victims and objects of pity. It is the responsibility of the media to ensure that they use the power of words and images responsibly and that their reports promote a culture of respect, dignity and human rights of people with disabilities.
We also realise that our work in this department will never be done unless South African men stand up and proclaim: "Not in our name."
I would like to invite members to join me as we all plan for our future. There are very few people in this House who can with any certainty proclaim that disability will not directly affect them in their life time. We have all submitted our applications to become disabled. The only thing we are all waiting for is just an authorisation. With our lifestyles, every morning when we wake up, that button that says "send" is ready.
We urge all members, through their oversight commitments, to ensure that any infrastructure development in their constituencies complies with the universal access design principles. In this way, we will all prepare to enjoy our golden years in the midst of our families and communities, and no one will be sent away to be cared for in isolation. I can assure you that everybody that reaches the age of 65 will experience one disability or another.
On issues of HIV and Aids,we remain committed to ensuring that the face of HIV and Aids changes from that of the burden of a black woman, to that of society in general. We will be monitoring the implementation of the National Strategic Plan, and we have made contributions to the operational plan as it affects women, children and people with disabilities, and as it is implemented by provinces. We call on members to familiarise themselves with these plans and to monitor the implementation thereof.
Our work in this department cannot be done unless we recognise that without partnerships and collective action across all sectors of society, spanning all three spheres of government, we will not succeed.
This week we convened the intergovernmental component of the National Disability Machinery as part of our commitment to strengthening our capacity to respond more effectively to the rights of people with disabilities.
We will, in keeping with advancing the principle of self-representation, convene the disability sector component of the National Disability Machinery on 14 June and 15 June 2012. Members, please note that all provinces should be represented across all national disability formations and opinion-makers in the field of disability.
South Africa will be hosting the 11th World Down Syndrome Congress in Cape Town from 14 August to 17 August, and we extend an invitation to members, as this will be an opportunity for members to learn and understand what Down Syndrome is.
Similarly, members are invited to join us at the launch of National Disability Month on 3 November this year, to be hosted in KwaZulu-Natal, and they are invited to the provincial and district Disability Month activities during the month of November, and to the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December to be held in Mpumalanga.
Allow me to thank the Minister for her leadership, my family, the team in the office of the Deputy Minister, the disability unit and the department as a whole, and the director-general who is still on sick leave, for their continued support in pursuing the disability agenda. I also want to thank the select committee for their ongoing support, together creating a caring, inclusive society that we can deliver as we have been given the responsibility. I thank you. [Applause.]
Mrs J P NGUBENI-MALULEKA (Mpumalanga) / Src/END OF TAKE
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The DEPUTY MINISTER OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! I am going to read the longest title now: the chairperson of the Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women, Youth, Children & People with Disabilities, the hon J P Ngubani-Maluleka from Mpumalanga. [Applause.]
Mrs J P NGUBENI-MALULEKA (Mpumalanga): Hon Chairperson M J Mahlangu, hon Deputy Chairperson T C Memela, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, hon members of the NCOP, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to greet you all.
It is really disappointing to see that provinces are not taking advantage of these opportunities to come and echo their provincial sentiments on these vital issues that affect women, people with disabilities and children. This should really be condemned. Nevertheless, Mpumalanga is represented here. I am here today. [Applause.]
As we continue to celebrate the centenary of the ANC, I am delighted to be invited, not only to support the budget speech by Minister Lulu Xingwana, but also to add a voice of reason to this debate with regard to issues of women, children and people with disabilities.
I must say that South Africa as a whole must go beyond a conformance mindset and focus on enhancing performance through empowerment for there to be socioeconomic inclusiveness. The improvement of the quality of life and status of women, children and people with disabilities has not yet been fully implemented and integrated into our work ethos.
There is a need to intensify the oversight function of all constitutional institutions that are mandated to ensure a better life for women, children and people with disabilities. It is important that we should not merely conform to the new legislative regimes, but develop a way of thinking and acting that reflects our embracing this legislative regime to really empower and engage the full spectrum of our country's diverse people.
We welcome the innovative thinking of the hon Minister and support the initiatives to implement the commitment made by the Industrial Development Corporation, IDC, to put aside R50 million for people with disabilities, as well as over R200 million towards the Women's Empowerment Fund. That fund will assist women to be independent and not to depend on men for a living. As the province of Mpumalanga, we also welcome the Techno Girl Programme. It is really appreciated; we are going to implement it. Thank you, Minister.
Admittedly, there are challenges that the ANC government faces in pursuit of our transformation agenda within government and all state organs focusing largely on the improvement and quality of life of these marginalised groups. The challenges evolve around mainstreaming for socioeconomic and sociopolitical inclusion that should be decentralised in all departments' plans and monitored continually as we oversee the performance of all state organs.
It is important to strengthen the state machinery by strengthening the transformation agenda which includes capacity-building; developing data-based policy-making and programme information; eliminating violence against women, children, youth and people with disabilities; creating decent employment for all of them; and working together more with marginalised groups.
Another crucial element is enhancing partnerships with civil organisations that deal with various aspects affecting the youth, children and people with disabilities. Continual interaction with these various groups will provide us with first-hand knowledge regarding the extent to which government and enacted policies contribute to the improvement of quality of life.
I would like to briefly mention that, as parliamentarians, our duties and responses to the social ills levelled against women, children and people with disabilities leave a lot of unanswered questions. I remember, Minister Lula Xingwana, that on 15 May 2012, when addressing a meeting of the national disability machinery, some thought-provoking questions were raised by people who were disabled, such as: Where is government in the midst of all this? What is government doing to protect people with disabilities against abuse and discrimination?
These questions suggest that we have neglected our people. Our presence has been overshadowed by the escalating failure just to meet the 2% employment equity target of people with disabilities; the inability to provide accessible housing for people with disabilities; the inability of our education system to produce competent disabled graduates and matriculants who can be employed by our government; the inability to transform the mentality of all directors-general, deputy directors-general, heads of department and other officials who are disability-conscious; and the inability to provide accessible public transport to allow people with disabilities to reach places of work and even school.
The Deputy Minister has clearly indicated here that Mpumalanga is still at 3,9% when it comes to people with disabilities. It is a figure that is not pleasing, and it is the same with all provinces. What we have discovered in Mpumalanga is that departments are not ready to absorb these people. They have no plans. They only target those people who are in wheelchairs.
Those people who are blind are not recruited because they need a person to support them. They need resources such as Braille or voice-interactive computers. So, there is no plan or even a budget for these things. That is why these disabled people are not absorbed into the mainstream workforce of government.
We must all remember that no one is immune to disability. We need to take care of these people and think about them all the time. I will not rest if these issues are only debated for the sake of compliance with the constitutional requirements following the budgetary process by the Minister, and yet after this we fail to implement all that we say. Performance bonuses are paid annually to officials who disregard the political direction that we have provided, and yet Ministers and MECs are made to approve bonuses for this political defiance.
The boardroom silencing of women in the workplace has been noted as an issue that is gaining momentum. It is breeding another form of violence and abuse of women. Some organisations employ women to strategic positions to address equity. However, their views and contributions are neglected, which is equivalent to oppression. Women are used for window-dressing for the sake of compliance, which is tantamount to fronting in tendering, yet they are not treated as equal to men. The root impetus of this boardroom violence is located within the history of unemployment, inequality, exploitation, and men's inferiority that women should be equal partners in decision-making.
Another painful thing that we witness in our communities is the torture levelled against our children. The communities' families, schools, churches and social organisations have lost moral values. Children are sexually abused and harassed in them continually. In spite of the laws that we have passed, our schoolchildren are still subjected to corporal punishment.
Children are raped by their fathers, educators, priests and community leaders. Of late, this has become volatile. Children are exposed to domestic violence and uncontrolled exposure to offensive acts of pornography on cellphones, televisions and the Internet. The question is: What type of generation are we raising? What behaviour do we expect from these children when they are adults? That boggles my mind. When these children in future become serial rapists and serial killers, we will all be surprised. Yet, we are all contributing.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon member, your speaking time has expired. I will give you two minutes to wrap up.
Mrs J P NGUBENI-MALULEKA (Mpumalanga): In conclusion, there is a need to resuscitate moral regeneration, and to remember that we are all walking to the future through the feet of our children. They need to be taken care of. Therefore, as the Mpumalanga ANC, we support this budget. Thank you. [Applause.]
Mr A G MATILA /Mosa/ END OF TAKE
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Mrs J P NGUBENI-MALULEKA (Mpumalanga)
Mr A G MATILA: Chair, I think you were lucky: yesterday a stone would have been thrown at you. Some people came here demonstrating with stones that they were throwing in Johannesburg when they were marching to the Congress of SA Trade Union, Cosatu house.
Hon Chairperson, Minister, Deputy Minister, members, ladies and gentlemen, just a few weeks ago on 27 April as the people of this beautiful country we were celebrating 18 years of our hard-fought-for democracy. Since the demise of apartheid in 1994, we have witnessed our nation at work, dismantling apartheid social relations. We have seen the utmost determination of the ANC-led government working tirelessly to fight against poverty and inequalities. Our people have seen and experienced huge changes in their lives. We are truly a nation at work, united in our diversity and national quest to build a better life for all.
I am sure all of us in this House will agree that the masses of our people and our lives are better today, and we know for sure that tomorrow will be better than the dreaded years of apartheid social relations and discrimination.
We realise the immense challenges that we must still overcome. As the ANC government, we agree that a lot more still needs to be done and changed for the better. Our movement of people, the ANC, has for years been about changing the lives of our people for the better, and we dare not for a second lose our focus. Instead, let us continue to work hard and strengthen social development even more, particularly education and health.
This point was emphasised even more by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan during his third budget speech this year when he said:
Education, health and social assistance will remain the largest categories of expenditure, sustaining and expanding the social wage over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period ahead. Investment in people is at the centre of our growth and development strategy.
The Minister went on to say:
Social development is critical for sustaining the long-term viability not only of economic growth, but also of democracy itself. ... Social development does not simply involve quantitative advances but also incorporates critical normative elements.
On the one hand, it includes a focus on addressing problems of poverty, and expanding access to quality education, and health care and, on the other hand, it also involves addressing issues of social exclusion such as discrimination and lack of voice in social and economic processes.
What is at stake is quality of life with a sense of dignity ... 'the ultimate goal of social development is to improve and enhance the quality of life of all people'.
Today our focus is on women, children and people with disabilities. We are therefore called upon to take stock or evaluate whether, as a government, we have been able to deliver in terms of improving and enhancing the quality of life of these most disadvantaged groups of our people. In doing so, one does not have to be a rocket scientist to be able to arrive at a conclusion that says: Yes, our government has converted a lot of ground, but a lot still needs to be done as these groups still suffer the most inequalities and discrimination in our society. Perhaps, we need to remind ourselves about a critical issue, which is the creation of this Ministry.
If you read its background, it says:
The creation of the Ministry for Women, Children and People with Disabilities, announced on 9 May 2009, was a clear demonstration of government's commitment and political will to ensure that human rights, empowerment, equality and human dignity for women, children and people with disabilities are advanced, promoted, protected and developed.
But as we debate today, my biggest concerns are around, amongst other things, transport, education, health and access. On education, more empowerment programmes need to be developed. The process of skilling should also form part of programmes, because I believe that education and the skilling of our women, children and people with disabilities will definitely go a long way in ensuring that indeed their dignity is restored as they will no longer be totally dependent on other people for their survival.
Most importantly, the whole question of accessibility of basic services should be prioritised and speeded up. It is indeed part of the Ministry's core function to make sure that various departments prioritise issues of our vulnerable people in our society. We are demonstrating our commitment and determination to ensure that women, children and people with disabilities enjoy the fruits of our freedom. It is for this reason that we support the budget of the Ministry of Women, Children and People with Disabilities. We know that this Ministry is a living symbol of our commitment to ensuring that women, children and people with disabilities also enjoy our freedom.
Chair, I must come back to this particular point. This is because is unfortunately the Chair yesterday denied me the opportunity to do so. But I know that you will assist me in clarifying this particular issue. [Interjections.] [Laughter.] I said yesterday that some people want to build Europe in Africa. I say this precisely because when Europeans come to Africa – come to South Africa - they are called South Africans. When South Africans from the Eastern Cape go to the Western Cape, they are called refugees. [Interjections.] Now I want to remind them of the former leader of the "Deurmekaar Alliance", Tony Leon, who said there is no pure Jew in South Africa, and he went to Israel and married a Jew. That undermines our white people in this particular country. Thank you, Chair. [Applause.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Order! Could I urge members to stick to the debate please.
Mr O DE BEER
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Mr A G MATILA
Mr O DE BEER: Chairperson, Minister and members, on behalf of society, Cope acknowledges the work of Minister Ms Lulu Xingwana, the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disability. She stated, as a reminder to the government department in Pretoria on 15 May 2012, during a meeting of the National Disability Machinery, that we dare not fail. There are only 12 months remaining to meet Cabinet's, March 2013's target of 2% for employing people with disabilities.
Cope asks: What is it that the Minister knows that she and the department are not revealing? Are these early warning signals or an honourable attempt to ensure delivery?
Minister, last week on Thursday, the SA Broadcasting Corporation televised the story of a disabled woman who had a disabled child in Limpopo. Her name was Ms Makhwidikha Rasealoka. She lives in Lephephane, in the Mopane region. She is still waiting, after a promise was made to her four years ago, for intervention in her life. She walks on her knees. Therefore, I would want the Minister to fulfil that promise of that intervention in the life of that family.
Thabo Mbeki's declaration "I am an African" encourages the renaissance of ubuntu. This includes striving to heal family dysfunctionalities, accommodating state assistance, such as grants, and empowering the dysfunctional. This allows the spirit of Africanism to assist in economic and spiritual conditions, development and the renewal of society. The intent is to speculate on the drive of our knowledge base, understanding the prosperities and growth as the fundamentals of ubuntu.
However, the implementation of these policies, under the guidance of the ANC led-government, reflects the inconsistence between intent and implementation in the Apex priorities aspired to.
We need to teach communities how to be self-sufficient in creating an enabling environment. We urgently need policies that will encourage participation and a way forward to renew our own commitments and efforts.
We want to congratulate the government on the revolutionary policy stance taken in the Green Paper, and, when it comes to families, attempting to normalise the family as an ubuntu project - a proactive, moral value and a shared responsibility unit to equalise past inequalities, and giving fathers the joint responsibility of caring for their family.
The gender-sensitive policy position for public comment will bring an end to the exploitation of women and allow fathers greater responsibilities to fulfil their roles as partners in the uplifting of their children, establishing life the way it should be.
Mr Vavi, the general secretary of Cosatu, at its international policy conference in Kempton Park, observed rightfully on Wednesday, in a critique that the ruling party was to blame for the pending possible rebellion owing to controversial decisions, while corruption is covered because the ANC concentrates on palace politics rather than attempting to address issues of poverty. Thank you. Thank you, Chairperson. [Time expired.]
Mr L P M NZIMANDE
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Mr O DE BEER
Mr L P M NZIMANDE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, I am indeed grateful for the opportunity to participate in the debate on Budget Vote 8 of this department. I am not used to being the last speaker, but I am glad that today I have the opportunity. The only regret is I haven't given the part of my friends like Bloem, and Liz van Lingen - although she is quiet today – and others. [Laughter.] I think that demonstrates the attitude of the DA and their friend Cope has in relation to disability because what they offered here today was very immaterial.
Before 1994 the ANC assisted the disability rights movement of South Africa to have a voice at the United Nations, in which the UN standard rules on equalisation of opportunities needed to be supported. When the ANC demonstrated this from the ushering in of democracy in 1994 and continued to do so, it made it imperative and clear to everybody that the ANC was resolute in promoting and advancing the cause of those that are vulnerable in our society. The commitment has been demonstrated in various ways. The policy frameworks, the legislative environment and even the legislation itself reflect this. Hence, we are thankful to the department now that part of the work that they are committing themselves to do entails adding value in reviewing the effectiveness of these policies, and the effectiveness of implementing and designing programmes to enhance the cause of promoting equity and equality.
Indeed, we are thankful and resolute as the ANC that affirmative action has remained the core of government service delivery in order to close the gap between the poor and those that are better off. This is because for the majority, those that are poor are women, and children and people with disabilities.
Therefore, this clear demonstration talks to why we are supporting this budget today, as we all agree it is small but it is value-adding because it is going to assist and enhance government's work in various areas. I will highlight those areas because they are of concern to me as observations.
One of those areas that worry me, hon Minister - and I am glad because the Deputy Minister and you mentioned education – is that the material for the Annual National Assessments, Ana, for blind children is still not accessible. If we are serious about what we want to achieve with the Annual National Assessments, this is an urgent matter that requires an urgent intervention in that a mechanism must be created in government to develop accessible material for visually impaired children; let alone accessibility, or just material to learn. And the Annual National Assessments is one of those programmes that seek to ensure that we develop learners from a young age that will be good readers and good counters. Therefore, I really put the matter before this Ministry in that we need to pay urgent attention to this matter.
Government has worked tirelessly in ensuring that it positions itself better than it was before to respond to issues of children and people with disabilities. As the ANC, we have committed ourselves not only to South Africans, but we have committed ourselves to Africa and to the world. South Africa is indeed a leader, and the ANC has been leading in ensuring that government take part in the international arena and in the continental arena.
Hon Minister, we are aware that Africa is trying to find solutions in terms of responding to disabilities currently, starting with its platform of dialogue around the issue of the African Disability Protocol. We want to place before the Ministry that this work is important because it will get Africa working, talking and planning around its response to disability issues in Africa and, therefore, being able to create programmes and actions that respond positively to the citizens of Africa that are disabled.
Second to that we know the process of the continental plan - that is on progress - and we hope that the department will lead and release members in the disability sector and experts from South Africa that will assist the African Union to develop the continental plan of action for this decade of disabled persons that was declared for Africa.
The Europe-Africa partnership has a chapter on disability, and we are still to realise the benefits of the outcomes that are set out in this Euro-Africa partnership in relation to disabilities. I raise this as a pointer to what concerns civil-society organisations of persons with disabilities, which is the depletion of funding to them that hampers the work of empowering disabled persons and capacitating their organisations, and thus being able to generate the kind of leadership in society that would be made out of engagements of persons with disabilities themselves.
Therefore we place this as part of the work that requires attention, and that must be led by the Ministry and the department to ensure that the disability sector accesses funds. We know there are problems around the lottery. We are really thankful that we have heard here today that the Minister is engaging the disability sector.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon member, your speaking time has expired. You have one minute to wrap up.
Mr L P M NZIMANDE: Thank you, hon Chairperson. I would also, hon Minister, like to emphasise the need for community-based programmes, as they were highlighted here by members from Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. The work in the Eastern Cape on community-based rehabilitation and other provinces is behind, and we think that this work will assist disabled people to get involved in community works programmes, and in the Expanded Public Works Programme.
I was approached by disabled ex-miners that had been dumped in homes in rural areas. They couldn't access houses. They couldn't even go to the toilets owing to sanitation problems. They are now working with Teba Development and Lima in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality in trying to get involved. Therefore, Minister, I am highlighting that as a pointer to say that community work for people with disabilities becomes important because it enhances their capacity. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES / AZM MNGUNI / END OF TAKE
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Mr L P M NZIMANDE
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Chairperson, I understand that you have given me three extra minutes. I hope I will get it after this - towards the end.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: There is a screen, Minister, to see the time.
The MINISTER OF WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Oh, thank you, Chairperson. I want to thank hon members for their valuable contributions to our budget debate. Indeed, there was an outcry from the chairperson, the hon Mabe, on the 0,01% budget or slice that we are getting from the national Budget. We say: her cry is our cry also.
On the Saartjie Baartman Centre, the hon Worth should actually talk to his MEC who appeared on television - the public broadcaster – to make a commitment that he would see to it that the centre would not close. I think it is high time that the DA kept their promises. I also remember in 2010, just a month after I was appointed to this Ministry, we went with the honourable Zille to Khayelitsha during the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. One of the homes we visited was that of an 82-year-old woman who was blind and living in a shack where young people just came in and kicked down the door and stole all her food. She promised that she would prioritise housing for her, but to date this old women is still living there.
I also want to thank the hon Themba for her call on all members of society to fight the scourge of gender-based violence. We welcome the fact that hon members support the National Council Against Gender-Based Violence, and also request all members in their constituencies to support victims of violence and abuse.
The hon Ntwanambi has just sent me a note in which she says that Umhlobo Wenene FM announced two days ago that a five-year old, a seven-year old and a two-year-old girl were raped by their father in Queenstown, in the Eastern Cape, a father who is suffering from Aids. I think we must all make sure that that monster dies in jail – awelwe ngumgodi. I will make a commitment to contact the hon Majodina, who is very committed and working on these issues, so that we can give her all the necessary support.
I agree with the Deputy Minister that indeed some of us qualify in that we have already joined the disability sector. Some of us are now struggling to read because we forgot our glasses. The hon Deputy Minister also alluded to some of the programmes that we have prioritised and that hon members referred to, so I will not deal with them.
Hon Ngubeni-Maluleke, we thank you for your support and reference to the national disability machinery meeting, which was convened by the Deputy Minister. Indeed, we are still far away from accessible housing, inclusive education, meeting the 2% target and accessible public transport. Also, we have not budgeted for the tools that are required for people with disabilities in the workplace.
We also have to make sure that the performance assessments of the directors-general and heads of departments are linked to their performance in promoting the rights of women, children and people with disabilities. [Applause.] If this does not happen, we will never realise the 2% and the 50:50 targets that we have set for our government and for the private sector.
We want to see accessible housing, accessible transport, accessible schools, accessible courts including sign language in the courts – I note that sometimes we don't have sign language here in the House, hon Chair. Imagine if you are blind and you are supposed to go to court and are expected to identify the culprit, how can you be assisted by government? Or, if you are deaf and you are supposed to go and present your case and nobody understands sign language at the police station, at the courts, at the clinics, at the hospitals, how are you supposed to present your case?
So all of these issues are the challenges that as government we still have to face and address. I am sorry, hon Chair, but I could not understand what the hon member from Cope was saying. He was just reading newspapers. I think he is thoroughly confused. I don't know if he comes from the Cope which is under the tree or the Cope that was in the hall. [Laughter.] He was confused also about the former President of the ANC, President Thabo Mbeki. He never was confused; he never joined Cope. He is a member of the ANC. [Applause.] Just like President Nelson Mandela is a member of the ANC until the day he dies. So, all those people who are confused, please don't come and confuse us in the House.
I want to thank the hon Nzimande for his contribution. I want to assure him that our entire disability programme is structured around the universal accessibility campaign. We have integrated it into our road shows with the executive councils in provinces, with universities, with companies and also integrated it in our messages wherever we address communities or meetings. This campaign has been spearheaded by the Deputy Minister, which she launched during Disability Month in November 2011.
We will also work towards finalising the minimum norms and standards for universal access and accreditation for auditing and advocacy of financial models for financing the disability sector. We are also working on pilot sites, such as the Lepelle-Nkumpi Local Municipality, to assist municipalities understand universal access in the planning and design of their programmes.
I also want to agree with the hon Nzimande that South Africa is leading the whole of the African continent, and the world is looking at us for examples of best practice. We are the only country in the world that has a Ministry that is dedicated to people with disabilities. We are the only country that has a Deputy Minister with disabilities. We are the only country in the world that has 18 Members of Parliament with disabilities, and probably all of them are from the ANC. [Applause.]
Therefore we are working very closely with the African continent in this the Africa decade for people with disabilities. The secretariat is based here in South Africa, and we are working closely with them. I also want to say to hon members that we will work hard to revive and restrengthen the Europe-Africa disability partnership, because we need those partnerships. Of course, right now they have their own financial crisis, but we will make sure that we revive and remind them not to leave Africa outside.
I also want to assure the hon Nzimande that we are working on the Annual National Assessments, Ana. The first batch has been delivered, and we will ensure through the Deputy Minister's programmes that we prioritise Ana as we understand its importance.
Right now, hon members, we are reviewing our disability policy and we hope to table that and share that with Members of Parliament quite soon. The draft is already there, but we are still finalising consultations.
As we go to the United Nations in September, under the leadership of the Deputy Minister, I hope that MPs will have deliberated both on the disability policy and on the report that we will be tabling at the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, and that hon members will have made their inputs and looked at that report.
Also, Chairperson, I hope that one or two of your members will accompany the Deputy Minister as we go to the UN in New York to report on the progress that has been made with people with disabilities in South Africa.
Finally, I want to thank our officials, including our director-general, our deputy directors-general, who are here with us and who have walked the path with us. I want to inform hon members that last year in November we lost one of our Deputy Directors-General, Adv Nozipho Mabhena, but I am happy to say that we are welcoming a new Deputy Director-General today, Ms Thandiwe Mxenge, who has just been appointed by Cabinet. We are very happy to have her here amongst us. Phakama [Stand up.]. [Applause.]
I also want to thank the select committee that has really walked the path with us and which has kept us on our toes to ensure that we are accountable to Parliament in our work. I also thank the NGOs and our international development partners, such as Unicef, UN Women, the United Nations Population Fund, the UN Development Programme, and organisations and agencies such as the Industrial Development Corporation, Xstrata and many others that have supported this department. I therefore hope that we will continue to work together to face the challenges that still confront women, children and people with disabilities, especially the challenges of violence and abuse of our women and children. I thank you, hon Chairperson. [Applause.]
Debate concluded.
The Council adjourned at 11:49.
VM/END OF TAKE
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