Hansard: NCOP: Oral Questions, Reports of Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Development and Budget Vote No 19
House: National Council of Provinces
Date of Meeting: 05 Jun 2013
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
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WEDNESDAY, 5 JUNE 2013
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
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The Council met at 14:05.
The Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
MOTION ON THE ORDER PAPER
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START OF DAY
SITTING OF COUNCIL TO BE DEDICATED FOR ORAL QUESTIONS, REPORTS OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON SECURITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND BUDGET VOTE NO 19
(Draft Resolution)
The ACTING CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL: Chair, on behalf of the Chief Whip of the Council I move that, notwithstanding Rule 247(1), which provides that a sitting of the Council will be dedicated for oral questions, the Council considers reports of the Select Committee on Security and Constitutional Development and Budget Vote No 19.
Question put: That the motion be agreed to.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Before we proceed, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the Deputy President as well as the Minister of Transport to the House. [Applause.] We will now proceed with the questions as printed on the Question Paper.
QUESTIONS - DEPUTY PRESIDENT
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The ACTING CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL:
MOTION ON THE ORDER PAPER
QUESTIONS FOR ORAL REPLY
Question 6:
THE
DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Hon Chairperson and hon members, the state of security in any country is never static. Our country is no exception. The relevant state security agencies on an ongoing basis conduct assessments of the security environment and take appropriate steps within the law to mitigate any potential threat.
Regular updates are reported to the Cabinet through the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster and the President is also kept well informed of the state of security of our country. The government is therefore satisfied that the security agencies are well equipped to deal with any matter that concerns the security of our country including border security, illicit trade, cyber security and terrorism threats.
An integral part to the management and maintenance of any security system is the need to ensure that those charged with upholding such security protocols are individuals with the highest integrity. In this regard, the training of security managers continues to be intensified in various government departments and state-owned entities. I thank you for your attention.
Mr K A SINCLAIR
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The DEPUTY PRESIDENT
Mr K A SINCLAIR: Hon Chairperson, according to the latest statistics there are about 195 000 people in the employ of the South African Police Service. There are 411 000 in the employ of private security companies in South Africa. In total, that is about 606 000 people who are formally and informally involved in the security situation in South Africa. For every 80 citizens there is someone looking after some or other aspect of their safety and security, or, according to the Business Day, we can say that there is 1 250 security officials per 100 000 citizens in South Africa.
The current police to population ratio is approximately 1:308. This ranks South Africa as the ninth best in terms of that ratio. However, Hon Deputy President, despite all this, South Africa remains one of the societies with the highest prevalence of ... [Interjections.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: What is your question, Mr Sinclair? Your time is running out. Your time is running out. Just ask the question.
Mr K A SINCLAIR: I'm coming to that, hon Chairperson. South Africa remains one of the societies with the highest prevalence of crime, rape and murder. What does the hon Deputy President believe is the reason for this?
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I would not know the reason for it because those who commit crimes do not ask for permission from government precisely because they are committing an offense. [Applause.] However, I believe that most of the crimes of rape and so on happen in the residential areas. Therefore, our task and challenge is finding the most efficient ways of securing residential areas as well as the public spaces. Thank you.
Mr D D GAMEDE
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The DEPUTY PRESIDENT
Mr D D GAMEDE: Chair, thanks mkhuluwa [big brother] for that response with regards to security satisfaction. Now, in relation to that question, are you satisfied with the ongoing transformation in the security cluster of the country?
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I'm neither in the position to express satisfaction with regards to transformation of the security cluster nor to give the thumbs down, because it is a question that is unrelated to the original question posed to me. I did not seek the accurate information from the security cluster ministers with regard to the question of transformation since that is a very broad question that deals with gender issues, demographics as well as various skills ranging from forensics and the information technology, IT, areas. Therefore, I didn't prepare any answer for that. My apologies, thank you.
Mr A LEES
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THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT
Mr A LEES: Hon Chair, through you to the hon Deputy President, thank you very much for the reassuring words regarding security. Having given those reassuring words, how would you classify the breach of national security with the authorised landing of a Gupta jet at the Waterkloof Air Force Base? Will that be considered as being a satisfactory security position?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Mr Lees, that question is actually coming. It is part of Question 8 which is coming.
Mr D V BLOEM
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The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP
Mr D V BLOEM: Chairperson and Deputy President, the unemployment level in the country is growing day by day. Every day we see a lot of people losing their jobs. Deputy President, don't you think that the biggest security threat to this country is unemployment? We know that a hungry stomach does not know any boundary. Don't you think that unemployment is the biggest threat to our security?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Mr Bloem, don't you think that that supplementary question is not related to this question? I think it is not related to the security question.
Mr D V BLOEM: No, Chair.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: I can allow you to put a new question to that and it's fine, because that is jobs security that you are talking about. We are talking about security and safety in this case. Therefore, the supplementary question is absolutely not related to the question before us.
Mr D V BLOEM: Chairperson, let me read the question for you.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: No, I got it and I will read it for you:
Whether he has found the state of security in the country to be satisfactory; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details?
This has got nothing to do with job security, but it has got to do with security and safety. That is my understanding of that question. You can put that on the Order Paper as a new question. You are allowed. Thank you very much.
QUESTION 7
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QUESTION 6
Question 7:
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Hon Groenewald, as I have explained at length, in this very House, the War on Poverty programme is meant to facilitate access to services that are available, but for one reason or the other, it is inaccessible to poor households. This programme is aimed at ensuring that those in the identified poor households do not fall through the cracks and are assisted to access such services from various government departments. Thus, the issue of labour relations and its impact on foreign investment and increasing unemployment does not fall within the scope of the work of the War on Poverty programme. Thank you.
Mr H B GROENEWALD
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THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT
Mr H B GROENEWALD: Chairperson, hon Deputy President, has government not contemplated allowing multimembership representation, for example, in the mining industry?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Could you repeat your question? I'm not sure whether I heard you correctly.
Mr H B GROENEWALD: Has government not contemplated allowing multimembership representation, for example, in the mining industry?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Does that have to do with the unions? Is it what you are saying?
Mr H B GROENEWALD: Yes, that is right.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: But, how does government get involved in there? In terms of the Constitution, unions have got the right to association and form their own association. The supplementary question is not relevant to the question.
QUESTION 8
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QUESTION 7
Question 8:
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Hon Chairperson, whilst hacking cannot be eliminated completely, government continuously implements measures to ensure that hacking incidents are responded to through early warning systems. The aim is to ensure that all government's critical systems are regularly tested for any vulnerability. Systems owners are forewarned about those vulnerabilities and are able to take steps to correct them.
The State Security Agency has already initiated measures to ensure that those who are tasked with these responsibilities are thoroughly trained and vetted. I thank you for your attention.
Mr A LEES: Hon Chairperson, I wonder whether at this juncture the hon Deputy President could answer the follow-up question I asked.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Could you repeat your follow-up question?
Mr A LEES: The follow-up question was, whether the Deputy President would agree with me that the unauthorised landing of a private jet at the Waterkloof Air Force Base constituted a breach of national security and what measures have been put in place to prevent such an occurrence from happening in future?
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: This question has already been answered in public. The plane in question was authorised to land at the Waterkloof Air Force Base; however, the authorisation was given by people who do not have such authority. Thank you.
QUESTION 9
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QUESTION 8
Question 9:
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Chairperson, hon members, the National Skills Development Strategy III recognises that all South Africans, including youth, must be given access to skills development. This policy directs and guides the programmes of sector education and training authorities, Setas, to ensure that young people have access to education and training.
The recently introduced improved grant regulations will ensure that Setas allocate funding towards structured workplace learning and experience as part of the partnership programmes between education and training institutions, accredited training providers and employers. These regulations aim to incentivise employers to enrol young graduates for experiential learning.
Setas are establishing offices in public further education and training, FET, colleges, especially in rural areas where young people have the greatest need for skills.
In terms of the service level agreements with the Department of Higher Education and Training, Setas are obligated to deliver on various learning programmes, which include: the provision of bursaries; learnerships; internships; and the placement of university of technology students; as well as FET colleges' graduates requiring work place experience.
Setas have committed to place university of technology students as well as 25 000 FET graduates in various workplaces across the country. I thank you for your attention.
Mr W F FABER
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The DEPUTY PRESIDENT
Mr W F FABER: Chair, through you to the Deputy President, I would like to know on this specific question as well if the government is thinking of also implementing a youth wage subsidy as was done in the Western Cape?
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: No, because the National Economic Development and Labour Council, Nedlac, agreed on the Youth Accord that is being implemented. All youth formations in the country as well as employers are bound by that accord. Thank you.
QUESTION 10
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QUESTION 9
Question 10
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Chairperson, in May 2012, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development released a discussion document entitled: A Framework for the Transformation of the State Legal Service. This framework seeks to transform the way in which the state litigates and is litigated against.
Thus, this initiative is a response to government's concern about the high costs of litigation against the state. The discussion document identifies the following objectives: the consolidation, co-ordination and integration of state legal services across the government spectrum to ensure institutional efficiency; the creation of processes and infrastructure to provide for the strategic management of litigation; and the creation of a mechanism and structure to co-ordinate the effective delivery of legal services.
As part of this framework, the consolidation and co-ordination of litigation involving the state will be led by the Solicitor-General. I am advised that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development expects this process to be completed soon.
Further details of the framework may be obtained from the Minister and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. Thank you.
Mr D V BLOEM
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The DEPUTY PRESIDENT
Mr D V BLOEM: Chair, let me try again. [Laughter.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Don't try the wrong way. [Laughter.]
Mr D V BLOEM: Chairperson, this is a common problem, Deputy President, in almost all the government departments and entities. Don't you think that this has to do with ill discipline and a lack of proper leadership from the top? Thanks.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Well, litigation is normally initiated by an aggrieved party and such grief may be occasioned by delays in settling a matter and/or a sense of having been treated unfairly. Of course, delays are part of a manifestation of inefficiency. In a sense, I am saying to hon member Bloem that litigation is occasioned by and/or caused by a whole range of different reasons, but normally it is initiated by an aggrieved party who may feel that the manner in which their matter was handled is unfair or unjust and then they seek compensation through litigation. Thank you.
Mr A LEES
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The DEPUTY PRESIDENT
Mr A LEES: Hon Chair, through you to the Deputy President - Deputy President, I am in full agreement in terms of your analysis of why litigation is instituted. Is it then not more essential, possibly than sorting out the legal process, to sort out the efficiency process? In other words, to deal with the litigation one needs to go to the source of the litigation; is that not really the key here?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Although your question is not far from the one he was asked, it is a more detailed question that actually the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development should get into as a department. However, I would not deny the Deputy President to respond if he has got a response to your question, Deputy President.
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: No, I would agree fully with hon Lees that dealing with the litigation has to also entail improvement of efficiency and the Minister for the Public Service and Administration is attending precisely to this issue in the public service by introducing better co-ordination and more training. Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy, Palama, would now be used to ensure that all public servants have the requisite skills and can process matters within the shortest possible time. Thank you.
QUESTION 11
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QUESTION 10
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Question 11 has been asked by hon Mokgobi and hon Mokgobi is not in the House. Has he delegated someone else to stand in for him? No. Deputy President you are not compelled to answer the question in terms of the Rules. [Interjections.] Oh! Have you been delegated, Mr Makunyane?
MrT L MAKUNYANE: Yes.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Oh! Okay. [Laughter.] Members, please wake up during the session.
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The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP
Question 11:
The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Chairperson, as an entity of government the National Youth Development Agency, NYDA, monitors and evaluates youth development with an interdepartmental committee on youth. The NYDA also works with municipalities to mainstream youth development at a local level. It is through these structures that the NYDA is able to track the progress on the development and implementation of appropriate strategies and programmes that target youth employment. Each province will use the proposed comprehensive national monitoring and evaluation framework as a guide to compile a province-specific youth development index.
Implementation of the Youth Employment Accord will be enhanced through the development of an implementation plan that is currently being crafted by a multistakeholder team lead by the Department of Economic Development.
Provinces and municipalities have already submitted their input into the plan. As part of the Youth Month activities the NYDA and the SA Youth Council will popularise the Youth Development Accord in all provinces. Thank you.
FIRST ORDER
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QUESTIONS – DEPUTY PRESIDENT
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON SECURITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT – SUSPENSION OF MAGISTRATE C M DUMANI, DATED 21 MAY 2013
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON SECURITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT – WITHHOLDING OF THE REMUNERATION OF MAGISTRATE N E NDAMASE, DATED 21 MAY 2013
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT OF SELECT COMMITTEE ON SECURITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT – PROVISIONAL SUSPENSION FROM OFFICE OF MAGISTRATE F K S NTULI, DATED 21 MAY 2013
Mr T M H MOFOKENG: Chairperson, the select committee, having considered the matters of magistrates Ndamase, Dumani and Ntuli, reports as follows. Firstly, the evidence was heard from the representatives of the Magistrates' Commission concerning the matter of the provisional suspension of magistrate C M Dumani. It resolved to provisionally suspend him from office pending the outcome of the investigation into his fitness to hold office as a magistrate. The select committee considered the commission's report on the suspension from office of Mr C M Dumani at the Minister's request and recommends to the Council to confirm his suspension from office.
Secondly, I refer to the case concerning magistrate N E Ndamase who was charged with 42 counts of misconduct and found guilty on 11 of those charges, eight in respect of her refusal to execute lawful orders. Ms Ndamase was invited to show cause why the commission should not determine to withhold her remuneration in terms of section 13(3)(a)(i) of the Magistrates Act. The commission determined that there was no reason why a magistrate, who was found not fit to hold office and was recommended for removal from office for that reason, should be paid for the period for which she was suspended prior to her removal from office. Having considered the commission's report on the withholding of the magistrate's remuneration, the committee recommends that the Council confirms that her remuneration be withheld.
Thirdly, I refer to the case concerning magistrate F K S Ntuli who was charged with drunken driving. Mr Ntuli was previously convicted of the same offence and was subsequently charged with misconduct and found guilty. He was strongly reprimanded by the presiding officer to refrain from any similar misconduct in the future. The commission is of the view that the existing evidence against Mr Ntuli is of such a serious nature as to make it inappropriate for him to perform the functions of a magistrate whilst the allegations are still being investigated. Having considered the report on the provisional suspension from the office of Mr K F S Ntuli at the Minister's request, the committee recommends to the Council that it confirms the provisional suspension of Mr Ntuli. Thank you.
Debate concluded.
Question put in respect of First Order: That the report be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
Question put in respect of Second Order: That the report be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
Question put in respect of Third Order: That the report be adopted.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Report accordingly adopted in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Boroto?
Ms M G BOROTO: Hon Chairperson, we apologise. The Minister is around. She is delayed, but she is on her way. We request that you suspend the Council for 10 minutes to allow her to make her way to the Chamber.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: There is a request that we suspend the Council for 10 minutes and then we come back. Hon Bloem?
Mr D V BLOEM: Chairperson, I will agree on one condition – that they serve tea and so on. Thank you very much. [Laughter.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: It does not seem like there is any objection. We will adjourn for 10 minutes and come back. We will ring the bells.
Business suspended at 14:50.
FOURTH ORDER
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THIRD ORDER
APPROPRIATION BILL
(Policy debate)
Vote not 19 – Social Development
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Chairperson, hon Deputy Minister, Mama Bongi Maria Ntuli, the Chairperson of the portfolio committee, Ms Nomonde Rasmeni, hon members of the NCOP, Eastern Cape MEC of Social Development, Ms Majodina, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.
It is an honour for me to present Budget Vote 19 of the Department of Social Development, which outlines the policies and programmes of our government in this financial year and beyond. This month, we commemorate two milestones that should inspire all of us to continue marching together and confront the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality. Fifty-eight years ago, brave men and women of this country convened in Kliptown, Soweto and adopted the Freedom Charter. This document was and still is a collective expression of aspirations and a vision for an united, nonracial, nonsexist and a democratic South Africa.
On this note, let me applaud Ms Nomthandazo Scholastic Magoso - she is up there in the gallery, who participated in the Comrades Marathon 2013, despite her disability. Ms Magoso finished the marathon in position 65 in her category. [Applause.] Her achievement, tenacity and resilience bear testimony to our commitment towards building an inclusive society as articulated in the Freedom Charter. This achievement reinforces our commitment to accelerate the programmes we are currently implementing to address challenges of people with disabilities.
In June 1976, the youth of this country took up the challenge to demand a better education. Many of those who took part in that historic struggle did not live to see the country of their dreams, as many of them were killed by the brutal apartheid forces and others were jailed for fighting for a free and a democratic South Africa. To this day, their blood continues to water our freedom, as Solomon Mahlangu said, "My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom."
The journey towards a better South Africa envisioned in the Freedom Charter continues. The challenge facing our generation is to ensure that the next generation has the ability to complete that journey. As a response to that challenge, the Masupatsela youth pioneer programme seeks to prepare young people to be active and responsible citizens. Consistent with the theme of this year's Youth Month, Working Together for Youth Development and a Drug Free South Africa, we will be hosting our second national youth camp scheduled to take place from 22 to 30 June in the KwaZulu-Natal province.
The inaugural national youth camp, which we organised jointly with the Department of Defence and Military Veterans in 2012 in the Free State province, attracted 500 young people and was a resounding success. This year we are targeting to reach out to 1 000 young people from all nine provinces. We are convinced that this initiative will inspire our young people, foster a sense of nation-building and galvanise the youth into becoming agents of change in their communities.
Unlike the youth of 1976, who struggled against the highly repressive apartheid regime, the challenges facing our youth today are very different. In the recent orphans, vulnerable children and youth conference, children and young people identified the key issues affecting their lives negatively. These issues include poor parenting, bullying, alcohol and substance abuse, sexual abuse by those they trust, teenage pregnancy, and so forth.
The scourge of alcohol and substance abuse that is ravaging our communities demands our collective and urgent action.
Last month, I had the opportunity to accompany President Jacob Zuma to Eldorado Park in Johannesburg to witness first hand the devastating impact of alcohol and substance abuse on the lives of young people, their families and communities. Together with the provincial government, under the leadership of Premier Nomvula Mokonyane and other structures, we are implementing an integrated plan focusing on prevention, early intervention, treatment, aftercare and reintegration. With the assistance of law enforcement agencies, more than 20 drug dens, including lolly lounges, have been closed down.
Drug addicts are being assisted by government, in partnership with the NGOs, to go to places of safety and to access treatment. The arrest of drug lords in Johannesburg should serve as a warning to others. We will not tolerate the wanton destruction of our children and youth. I urge all South Africans, in all communities, to work with the police and community organisations to make our townships, villages, suburbs and cities safe from those who peddle drugs and other harmful substances to our children and young people.
As government in partnership with civil society, we need to improve our capacity to provide treatment to victims of substance abuse and to effectively reintegrate them into society. Currently, we have seven government facilities, which are clearly insufficient. We should take our cue from the leadership that President Jacob Zuma is providing in the campaign to fight the scourge of alcohol and substance abuse.
Ladies and gentlemen, there is no better investment that we can make as a society other than in the development of our children at a very young age. Therefore, as part of our commitment to implement the National Development Plan we will forge ahead with the expansion and universalisation of the integrated Early Childhood Development, ECD, services. This includes making early childhood development services a public good.
In my budget vote speech in the National Assembly, we pledged to continue with the delivery of social development services that protect and optimise development outcomes for our children. During the Child Protection Week, we hosted a national conference on orphans, vulnerable children and the youth. The conference identified many constructive proposals, including models of care and support. We are committed to implement them to better the lives of our children, particularly at the community level.
We have committed ourselves to recruiting and training 10 000 child and youth care workers over the next five years to implement the Isibindi Model at 260 sites. To date, we have recruited the cohort of 3 850 child and youth care workers. Last Friday I had the pleasure to participate in the graduation ceremony of child and youth care workers in KwaZulu-Natal province.
As part of our efforts to bolster the workforce in the sector, we will continue with the recruitment and retention strategy for social workers. To this end, we have allocated R250 million to the social work scholarship, which has been awarded to 2 037 students in the current financial year. The provinces have committed to absorb all graduates of our social work scholarship programme by the end of June.
Care and protection of senior citizens continue to receive our uppermost attention. During this year, we will finalise all processes to ensure the establishment of older persons desks in the offices of premiers in all provinces as endorsed by the President's co-ordinating council. We are also working closely with the National Treasury over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, period to implement the universalisation of the old age grant by 2016.
In addition, we have begun with the development of an electronic older persons register, which will be finalised by the end of this financial year. We have also trained provincial co-ordinators on the protocol for the management of elder abuse and funded the national elder abuse line. Equally, the lack of dedicated personnel at provincial level is receiving my attention. I propose to amend the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006 and consultations are already under way.
The issue of violence against women and children must remain high on our agenda if we are to ensure that they are and feel safe. The magnitude of the ongoing violence against women and children in our country is rife and well known. In this regard, we will work through the inter-ministerial committee on the elimination of violence against women and children to bring a programme of action to Cabinet. Key to this is community mobilisation to challenge social norms and values that legitimise the use of violence against women and children, including traditional practices. Ladies and gentlemen, to liberate women fully, we must emulate the Women's March of 1913 led by Charlotte Maxeke, through mobilising women in all corners of South Africa to fight oppression.
As part of this mobilisation, tomorrow I will be hosting an interfaith dialogue in Khayelitsha, with various organisations from the Western Cape Province to discuss their role in the fight against violence and other social ills that confront our society. In terms of practical support during this financial year, we will be setting up a call centre that will support women who are subjected to violence and abuse.
During the 2012-13 financial year, the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, embarked on a massive reregistration campaign for the new social grants payment system. By the end of May this year, we had successfully reregistered on the new system 93% of our total grant beneficiaries. Tackling fraud is an integral part of our goal to put Sassa on a stable footing and to ensure that the taxpayer's hard-earned money is used for a good cause. To this end, we have set aside over R224 million over the MTEF period for the acceleration of our groundbreaking fraud management strategy. Over the MTEF period, we will continue with our efforts to enhance the integrity of our social grants system with particular focus on data cleansing and modernisation of operations.
As part of our effort to improve the quality of service to our social grant beneficiaries, we have, since March 2011, upgraded 321 local offices, and a further 119 will be upgraded in the 2013-14 financial year. Research findings indicate that there are about two million children who are eligible for child support grants, but are excluded from our system. In our effort to address this error, we have embarked on the implementation of the integrated community registration outreach programme, in 2 050 of the poorest wards in the country.
As part of Sassa taking control of all aspects of its operations, the Ministerial Advisory Committee commences its work this year to advise the Minister on future payment options for social security. Protection of poor and vulnerable grant beneficiaries from unscrupulous microlenders and funeral insurers remains a challenge. During my recent visits to pay points, I was approached by some gogos who showed me receipts, which indicate deductions of more than 40% of their grant. As a result, I have instructed Sassa to inform the microlending industry that no loan deductions will be processed on the Sassa grant card from June 2013. [Applause.]
In addition, all the regulatory bodies together with Sassa are investigating all the companies involved in funeral and microlending including Cash Paymaster Services. In order to improve social development services in the country, particularly the welfare services I will be appointing a ministerial advisory committee that will review the White Paper on Social Welfare, which was developed in 1997.
The department received a budget of R120 billion for the 2013-14 financial year. An amount of R113 billion is allocated for social assistance grants. We have also allocated R120 million over the MTEF period to expand the household nutrition and food security intervention. This budget reflects the ANC's commitment to the most vulnerable, with particular emphasis on our children, youth, older persons and people with disabilities.
During the current financial period, we will embark on a nationwide frontline service delivery improvement initiative, focusing on the poorest wards in the country. This will be a face-to-face engagement with people in municipalities so that we can jointly determine the nature and quality of the services we render.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Minister, your time has expired but I am adding two minutes for you to finish up.
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Chairperson, I acknowledge the support of the Deputy Minister, Mama Bongi Maria Ntuli, and my colleagues from provinces as well as the department.
IsiZulu:
Ngithi mabaqine, bangadinwa nangomuso.
English:
I would also like to express my gratitude to the new director-general, Mr Coceko Pakade, the special advisors, the CEO of Sassa, Ms Virginia Petersen and the CEO of the National Development Agency, NDA, Ms Vuyelwa Nhlapo, and every member of the Department of Social Development family, without them our department would be nowhere. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Mrs R M RASMENI
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Wednesday, 5 June 2013 Take: 271
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Mrs R M RASMENI: Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister, MECs and members, the past regime denied us an opportunity to express and unleash our potential through education in the past. We now have the prospects of instilling confidence and productivity in our children for them to become outstanding citizens in the future. It is in this context that this department provides the early childhood development service.
President Jacob Zuma in his state of the nation address acknowledged the importance of early childhood development. The Minister in her budget speech made an important point, when she said, "To date, over 900 000 children benefit from this programme and we are on course to deliver on our mandate to provide a universal early childhood development, ECD, service by 2014".
Chairperson, it is important for this Council to note that one of this department's strategic goals is to improve the quality of early childhood development and partial care services and increase their accessibility. This therefore, calls upon us when we exercise our oversight role to ensure that, when we deal with early childhood development, we monitor whether this strategic objective is being implemented. The principles of the Children's Act include respecting, protecting, promoting and fulfilling the child's rights as well as recognising the child's need for development and to engage in play and other recreational activities appropriate to the child's age.
This government has been given a mandate by the majority of our people to deliver on the promise of a better life for all. We therefore have the constitutional mandate to do oversight in ensuring that this government is on course in delivering on its mandate for a better life. There are areas worth noting, such as the need for the department to ensure all people who work with children are checked against previous convictions for cases relating to child abuse for the purposes of child protection. There is also a need to ensure that all service providers in the sector are capacitated to deliver in line with the set standards and expectations.
Chairperson, the subprogramme of Programme 4 makes reference to strengthening child protection services through the implementation of child care and protection measures. It is therefore important to commend the department in this area on programmes such as increasing the number of children adopted by 10% each year, the increase by 20% of the screening of people working with children against part B of the Child Protection Register from 28 178 people screened by March this year to 33 840 by March 2014, and the monitoring of the implementation plan to transform child and youth care centres in nine provinces by 2015 to 2016.
I further welcome the implementation of the Isibindi model in all provinces. This model was designed by the National Association of Child Care Workers and is implemented in over 55 sites in eight provinces, by over 40 partner organisations. This model responds holistically to the needs of children, youth and families who are vulnerable and at risk. The beneficiaries of all the Isibindi projects are ultimately the desperate children and families who would not otherwise have had access to formal care and assistance. It is worth noting that this model is the winner of the Impumelelo Platinum Award.
The ANC's 2009 manifesto called for the expansion of the provision of the child support grant to children aged 15 to 18. The Minister of Social Development in her budget speech said:
The social assistance programme now reaches over 16 million beneficiaries. I must emphasise that 11 million of these beneficiaries are children, having started from a very low base of about 30 000 in 1998 when the child support grant was introduced.
This therefore represents progress in the mandate that is placed on this department. The child support, old age, and disability grants make up the bulk of the programme's expenditure over the medium term and reflect the ANC government's commitment to supporting the most vulnerable in society, namely children, the elderly and the disabled by providing income support. Elderly people, particularly grandmothers, have become daily targets of torture, rape and brutal murders by our own community members who are supposed to be protecting them from the evils that are perpetrated on them on a daily basis. Therefore, this House must support this department's commitment to eradicate violence against elderly people, women and children in our country, and working together we must ensure that all people in South Africa are and feel safe.
In February this year, the Minister of Finance announced the plans by the ANC government to phase out the means test for the old age grant by 2016. This is a step that needs to be welcomed. The South Gauteng High Court ruling which clarifies that grandparents who care for their grandchildren are eligible for foster care grants will go a long way to providing them with much needed financial support to undertake their care giving role. In turn, this will facilitate educational access and achievements for orphans and vulnerable children, as well as improve health outcomes for children under the care of older persons.
I think it is appropriate, at this point, to welcome the drafting – by our department's Minister – of legislation dealing with services to people with disabilities by March 2014 and the training of 360 officials to mainstream disability issues in this financial year.
The 53rd national conference of the ANC resolved that we must move with speed to implement the household nutritional and food security strategy this year. In its 2009 election manifesto, the ANC says that it is committed to creating an environment in which there is adequate food available to all, that we grow our own food and protect the poor communities from the rising prices of food, and eradicate hunger. One of this department's strategic goals is to increase household food security. This is evident by the allocation of R120 million to implement the food for all programmes which provide food through large scale food distributors.
This department's partnership with FoodBank South Africa further demonstrates that commitment. This partnership to date have distributed food supplies to over 370 000 beneficiaries per month and have set up 33 community nutrition and development centres in all nine provinces. This includes centres that were previously closed down by the DA government in the Western Cape.
In May last year, the plan to roll out the new biometric-based payment solutions for social grants was outlined as part of the transition to the new system. This department embarked on a national campaign to reregister all grant beneficiaries. The fact that to date a total of 20,7 million people have been successfully registered into the new system is a welcome development, as is the fact that this system has led to savings of R150 million per annum.
The SA Social Security Agency Act, Act 9 of 2004 provides for the establishment of the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, the objectives of which are to ensure the effective and efficient administration, management and payment of social assistance. Included in its budget under goods and services are allocations for projects aimed at improving the manner in which services are provided to social grants beneficiaries. These include improvements to the condition of the infrastructure at pay points aiming to ensure that grant beneficiaries are provided services under humane conditions. This is mostly welcomed particularly in the rural community where there are no facilities at all. Minister, I also note Sassa's target to improve 310 pay points and 72 local offices each year.
The ANC, through this Select Committee on Social Services, urges Sassa to speed up this programme so that our people feel safe and don't fall victim to unscrupulous individuals. The ANC supports the budget allocated to the Department of Social Development. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Ms P MAJODINA
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 5 June 2013 Take: 272
Mrs R M RASMENI
IsiXhosa:
Nks P MAJODINA (UMphathiswa wephondo-uPhuhliso loLuntu neeNkqubo eziKhethekileyo- Mpuma Kapa): Sekela Sihlalo weBhunga lamaPhondo leSizwe, usiHlalo engekho, ndithi kuwe Aaah ngqanga neentsiba zayo, ndiyakhahlela, uMphathiswa umama uBathabile Dlamini, umaNtuli uSekela Mphathiswa uB M Ntuli, amalungu abekekileyo la ale Ndlu ndiwathandayo, amele iimfuno zabahlali, manene nani manenekazi, zinkonde neenkondkazi zelizwe lakowethu, zidwangube zakowethu ndivumeleni ngelihle igama lePhondo leMpuma Kapa ndinibulise.
Nakwesi sihlandlo ndinebhongo neqhayiya lokuma apha ndibeyinxalenye yale ngxoxo-mpikiswano yokukhathalela isizwe nokuqinisa izibhambathiso zethu esazenzayo zokukhathalela abo basweleyo, ukukhathalela abo bantliziyo zicekeceke nokuphuhlisa isizwe sakuthi. Mandikhahlele kuMqondisi Jikelele nabo ahamba nabo. Ndima kule ndawo ngentliziyo evuza igazi ngenxa yempatho gadalala yokubulawa nokudlengulwa koomama, abantwana, abantu abadala kunye namaxhego nawo ayadlwengulwa. Yonke le nto yenziwa ngumntu olutshaba, xa exhaphaza iintsana.
Kwiveki ephelileyo usana oluneentsuku ezintathu ezelwe, ubethekiswe edongeni ngumntu oncuma nonina. Usana oluneenyanga ezisixhenxe udlwengulwe nguyise, umntwna oneminyaka esibhozo udlwengulwe ngubhuti wakhe. Ndinamaxhegwazana amathathu aza kungcwatywa kule mpelaveki aneminyaka engapha kwamashumi asixhenxe, adlwenguliwe aze abulawa. Yonke loo nto yimisebenzi yomntu ozibiza ngotata, kanti yimikhuba yoongqondo-gqwirha ababuyisela umva inkululeko yethu esiyilwele ngendlela enzima kangaka. Yimisebenzi yomtyholi onomsila oligqajolo othatha abantu ngelingathi ufuna ukubonwabisa kanti ubatsalela ekubonzakaliseni.
Ndivumele Sekela Sihlalo mama wam, ndiza kuhlala ndingumbhobho nomlweli wabo bangenamandla, kwaye andicengi solala phi. Nokuba umntu ubizwa ukuba ungubani na, xa ethe waphatha gadalala oomama, abantwana kunye nabantu abadala, amasi abekwe elangeni, umphokoqo unexhala. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Ndiyayamkela into yeenkundla zamatyala aphathelele kwezesondo [Sexual Offence's Court] ndisithi mazikhawuleziswe ezi nkundla khon'ukuze sithumele isifundo esithe gqolo kwabo basa zimisele ukuba iibhulukhwe zabo zingaqini, iziphu zingavaleki.
Kanti ke xa kuqala inyanga yamanina, siza kuphehlelela ela bhunga lijongene nokulwa nobundlobongela obuphathelene nokuxhatshazwa ngokwesini ukuze siqinisekise ukuba wonke umntu othi uthanda ilizwe lakhe, uthanda inkululeko uza kuma gomololo enyanisweni, futhi angaphindi abanjwe yidyokhwe yobuxoki nokulahlekisa isizwe.
Sekela Sihlalo ndithe xa bendinikezela le ntetha ebhaliweyo ineeribhoni ezine, kubalulekile ukuba ndibanike abeMfundo esiSiseko yabaDala noQeqesho, Abet mahala. Iribhoni yokuqala, eluhlaza, icacisa ukuba umntwana unelungelo lokukhula nelokukhathalelwa. Eyesibini iribhoni, emhlophe ithi iintsuku ezingama-365 zokulwa nobundlobongela obuphathelene nokuxhatshazwa ngokwesini koomama nabantwana. Iribhoni yesithathu, ebomvu ithi wonke umntu ophilayo, ochaphazelekayo nosulelwe sisifo seNtsholongwane kaGawulayo noGawulayo makaxhaswe. Eyesine, ipinki, inika inkxaso kwabo baphila nomhlaza, ingakumbi owesibeleko.
Sekela Sihlalo, kubalulekile ukuba ndiyithi thakanca into yokuba ingaba imali esiyinikiweyo kwela phondo ukuba ithini na. Sizinikiwe izi-R2,1 billion kulo nyaka-mali. Xa sijonge uphuhliso loluntu ingakumbi ukukhathalelwa kwabo bafuna ukukhathalelwa, iinkonzo eZongezelelweyo zeNkqubo zemiMisebenzi yoLuntu, iEPWP, ziza kuqhubeka kuba siyinikiwe imali engange-R6,8 million apho siza kwenza amathuba emisebenzi angama-5 484 khon'ukuze abantu baxhamle. Loo mathuba kufuneka abanike izakhono. Kanti oonontlalonje aba kuthethwa ngabo, sincedisana noZwelonke siye sinabo abaphumelele izidanga ezinga-468 kodwa ngenxa yokushokoxeka ngepesi, asikwazanga ukuba sibaqeshe bonke. Esikwazileyo ukubaqesha ba-120 kwaye sisathethisana neSebe lezeMpilo, iSebe lezoBulungisa, iSebe lezeMfundo, into yokuba xa sibaqeqeshile mababaqashe kuba kaloku nabo ngoba bayabafuna kakhulu.
Abantwana bethu bayaphela, bayatshabalala ziziyobisi notywala, yiloo nto siza kongeza iiTada groups [Teenagers Against Drug Abuse.] ezingama-200 khon'ukuze sikulwe ngokungenalusini ukusetyenziswa kotywala. Abantu abadala, iinkonde neenkondekazi, kuba bona ngoomakhomb'indlela, zizisele zenyathi, siye saqinisekisa ukuba ayingabo bonke, ingakumbi ama-Afrika, abathanda ukuhlala kwiindawo zokuhlala abantu abadala. Yiloo nto amaziko enkonzo ethu siye sawanyusa aya kuma-233 khon'ukuze apha emini abantu abadala bakwazi ukuhlala kunye, benzele abantwana iintsomi. Siyabakhupha pha kula maziko enkonzo, sibasondeze kumaziko okuphuhlisa abantwana abancinane ukwenzela ukuba kuvaleke isithuba esikhoyo phakathi kwezizukulwana bakwazi ukuchazela abantwana ngeendlela zokukhula nezokuphila.
Kumaziko ophuhliso lwabantwana abancinane[ECDs] kulo nyaka ophelileyo ndandime apha kule ndawo futhi ndime ngokungafihlisiyo ndisithi sine-1247 ala maziko. Andoyiki nangoku ukuthi ongeziwe sine-1283 ngoku yala maziko. Qhwabani eNdlwini, kuhle ukuqhwaba xa kuthethwa inyaniso. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Asiphelelanga nje apho iintsuku zabantwana sizongezile ukusuka kwi-165, zokuya kwabo esikolweni, zaya kuma kuma-220. LiPhondo leMpuma Kapa eli lenza le nto. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Sisebenzisana kunye ne-Arhente yeeNkonzo zoLuntu yaseMzantsi Afrika, Sassa, kubantu aba-6,4 million baseMpuma Kapa, izi-3,2 million ngabantu abafumana isibonelelo senkxaso, social grants. Kweli nani lifumana isibonelelo, i-1,9 million ngabantwana abafumana isibonelelo senkxaso yobuntwana, child support grant.
Sekela Sihlalo la maziko ophuhliso abantwana onke anonomyayi abanomoya wokuthetha okwixabiso lekhulu leranti kuba sisebenzisene noMTN wasinika ifowuni safaka umoya wokuthetha khon'ukuze xa kubonwa ingxaki emntwaneni kukhawuleziswe kuxelwe. Ayinanto nokwenza norhulumente yintsebenziswano. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
I-Arhente yoPhuhliso yoLutsha yeSizwe, NYDA,isebenzisana nathi ukuze sichonge amanye ala maziko ophuhliso abantwana abe ngamaziko abalaseleyo, centres of excellency, kwaye sisebenzisana kakhulu sisithi, "one ECD one food garden" "kwiziko ngalinye lophuhliso labantwana, igadi enye yokutya". Umama, umzali, utata nobhuti womntwana ngamnye makathathe inxaxheba alime igadi khon'ukuze umntwana wakhe lowa akwazi ukuba abenento etyiwayo abantu bangalindi ukutya okuvuthiweyo okusuka kurhulumente.
Sifuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba abantu bayaphuhla ngokuzondla. Ingqwalasela ebanzi Sekela Sihlalo namalungu ahloniphekileyo ijoliswe kwizikolo zabantwana abanezidingo zabucala, [learners with special needs schools.] apho sifumanise ukuba abantu abaphaya kweza zikolo abanazo izakhono ezifanelekileyo. Kuthi xa kuvalwa izikolo, kusisiwa ootishala kwizikolo abadingeka kuzo, kufike umntu ongenalo nofifi lokuba umntu okhubazekileyo ufanele ukuba aphathwe njani na.
Kangangokuba ngomso kukho isikolo esisengxakini, ndakube ndisothile, wena wakhe wabona umntu othe imbawula ebusika. Ndiza kube ndihleli phaya iintsuku ezimbini eVukuhambe Special School, abantwana bashiywe bodwa, ootishala bagwayimbile. Sithi mawuqine uMthetho apha ePalamente othi izikolo zabucala mazilawulwe njengeenkonzo ezibalulekileyo [essential services] bangashiywa bodwa abantwana bengenabani.
Lo rhulumente kaKhongolose uyazana nendlala. Lo rhulumente kaKhongolose uyazana nentlupheko kwaye asiyibaliselwa, asilwenzi uphando ngentlupheko, yiloo nto kulo nyaka-mali abantwana abangama-20 000 siza kubanika iyunifom ngoba siyayazi ukuba imisebenzi ayikho. [Kwaqhwatywa.] Sisebenza kunye ne-Arhente yeeNkonzo zoLuntu yaseMzantsi Afrika, siza kubonelela amakhaya angama-14 000 ngeepasele zokutya [food parcels.] kwaye ndifuna ukulumkisa abantu abaneplastiki eziblowu. Akuzukufakwa zipasele zokutya ngamasela kwiiplastiki eziblowu ezinombala omhlophe. Kokwethu oku kutya, kokwalo rhulumente ukhokeleyo, ndakubamba umntu mna! [Kwaqhwatywa.]
Into yokunika abantu ukutya ayinanto yokwenza nevoti. Ndiza kubanika nokuba sebeme emgceni wokuvota xa belambile ndingurhulumente wesizwe nje. Abanye abantu mababuye umva abanganikwanga xanduva. [Wele-wele.] Ukuba akugayi voti wena uyakuba uyathanda, sithi abaphetheyo apha! Ndongeza amaziko ethemba abonwa ngocango olumhlophe [white door centres of hope] amaziko ethemba ...
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): Hon member your time is over. Ndiza kupha nje.
English:
Mr K A SINCLAIR: ... she talks too much. [Laughter.]
IsiXhosa:
Nks P MAJODINA (UMphathiswa wephondo-uPhuhliso loLuntu neeNkqubo eziKhethekileyo- Mpuma Kapa): Ndiza kukuphoxa wena.
English:
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): Hon Sinclair, hon Sinclair, do me a favour, stand up and apologise. Please!
Mr K A SINCLAIR: I don't know what to apologise for.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): For your utterance.
Mr K A SINCLAIR: What did I say to her?
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): Please repeat what you said, just now.
Mr K A SINCLAIR: No I can't, I said she must stop. That is what I said.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): Stop what?
Mr K A SINCLAIR: Stop talking.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): I am not deaf. I am not deaf.
Mr K A SINCLAIR: I suggest that you look at Hansard then make a decision.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): No I will not even go that way. You either apologise now, or you leave the Chamber. That is all, it is simple.
Mr K A SINCLAIR: I can't apologise for something that is not recorded.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): Do me a favour, hon Sinclair; I am not going to debate this with you. Could you please leave ...
Mr K A SINCLAIR: I apologise Chairperson. [Applause.]
IsiXhosa:
Nks P MAJODINA (UMphathiswa wephondo-uPhuhliso loLuntu neeNkqubo eziKhethekileyo- Mpuma Kapa): Ukukhathalela abo bathe bangamaxhoba ...
USEKELA SIHLALO WEBHUNGA LAMAPHONDO ESIZWE (Nks T C Memela): Mamela ke sisi, mamela ntomb'am, ndiza kupha nje imizuzu emibini nje, ndiyakongeza kwixesha lakho, gqiba ke ngoku.
Nks P MAJODIMA (UMphathiswa wephondo-uPhuhliso loLntu neeNkqubo eziKhethekileyo- Mpuma Kapa): Enkosi kakhulu mama. Ndigqibela ngelithi ke amaziko ethemba, apho abantu abasezilalini nabasezilokishini bebalekela khona xa bathe baxhatshazwa, siza kongeza ama-70 kulama-30 bendithethe ngawo kulo nyaka ophelileyo. Nazo sizinika ifowuni, abantwana abangama-200 baza kuqeqeshwa kwiNational Youth Service, NYS, kanti kwiintshukumo zoomama siyibekele bucala imali eyi-R14 million kuba sifuna ukuqinisekisa ukuba indlala iyaliwa. Sinayo i-Anti Poverty Strategy ejongene nokuncedisa ncakasana. Ndigqibela ngokuthi ke mama wam, sineentsebenziswano ezi-14 apho siqinisekisa ukuba sincedisana kakhulu. Ndiyabulela kakhulu kwaye eli sebe liza kuhlala lingu-10111, lelokuqala ukungena kwintlekele, ibe lelokugqibela ukuhamba emva kwentlekele. Sithi ke ikhwelo lityala mawethu, ndibamba ngazo zozibini, unendlebe nje unetyala. Ndiyabulela.
Ms B V MNCUBE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 5 June 2013 Take: 273
Nks P MAJODINA
IsiZulu:
Nks B V MNCUBE: IPhini likaSihlalo, Ngqongqoshe Dlamini, iPhini likaNgqongqoshe, Mam' Ntuli, malungu ahloniphekile ...
English:
... we convene to consider the budget policy of the Department of Social Development just over a week after our nation commemorated Child Protection Week, which was launched by the President, Jacob Zuma, in Galeshewe in Kimberly under the theme: Working Together to Protect Children.
Allow me, hon Deputy Chairperson, to extend our profound support for this important week, which is one of the flagships of our national efforts to build a new society that gives true meaning to the profound words of our former President, Nelson Rholihlahla Mandela, when he said, "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."
We want to assure you, hon Minister Dlamini, that as the NCOP we support the Child Protection Week and thus we have identified the protection of children in our communities from all forms of abuse and neglect as one of the priority focus areas of our oversight programmes and interventions.
The ANC's chief aim in developing and implementing the reconstruction and development programme was to address the immense socioeconomic problems that were caused by the long years of apartheid and neglect of our people. We set this aim because, as we were preparing to take over the reigns of power, we undertook one of the most comprehensive analyses of the ravaging impact of apartheid in our society.
In one of first policy frameworks for our movement, which is titled Ready to Govern: ANC policy guidelines for a democratic South Africa, we acknowledged the immense impact of apartheid in our society.
Indeed, by the end of apartheid, our society was left fractured by its legacy which permeated almost every aspect of our nation. South Africa's economy was facing a variety of structural problems that left our people in some of the most disconcerting social conditions of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, poor health and dysfunctional social support systems.
After the demise of apartheid in 1994, the ANC government proceeded with greater urgency and resilience to develop one of the most comprehensive social transformation agendas that was geared towards changing the material and social conditions of our people. Armed with a new Constitution, which was inspired by the vision of the Freedom Charter, we proceeded to work with the utmost resilience and determination to weave the threats that will see us celebrating a nonracial, nonsexist and democratic nation; a nation that is dedicated to pushing back the frontiers of poverty.
In addressing poverty and inequality, the ANC government committed itself to providing basic rights such as shelter, food, health, employment, education, health care, water and sanitation, and all aspects that promote the physical, social and emotional wellbeing of all people in our society.
As a result of our knowledge of the lived experiences our people, and the brutal conditions that we faced under apartheid, we proceeded with fierce urgency to providing a social safety net to the most vulnerable sectors of our society, which included women, children, youth, families in need of care and older persons.
As observed in the 51th National Conference of the ANC, which was held in Stellenbosch in 2002, the ANC has made immense progress in waging a concerted fight against apartheid social conditions in our society. We have the most progressive policy interventions that are informed by the living conditions and experiences of our people.
In 1996, only three million people had access to social grants. Today, we boast of 16 214 399 people who receive social grants. Today, the ANC-led government provides a range of social grants. These include the child support grant, disability grant, care dependency grant, foster care grant, war veterans' grant, old age grant and grant-in-aid care.
We are aware that there are those amongst us in this House who are quick to say we are building a society that is dependent on social grants. We want to say, without any fear of contradiction, that the provision of social grants remains one of the most effective strategic interventions of our government in addressing the plight of the poor in the short term, and serves as a firm foundation for broader social protection to allow our people to seek other means of sustaining themselves and their families.
Hon Deputy Chairperson, we want to make an appeal to the Minister to improve the conditions of places where senior citizens receive their grants. We are aware that with the coming rainy season, many of our old people will be subjected to some of the most harsh and unbearable conditions.
We want to request your department, Minister, to ensure that pay points are adequately sheltered and that everything is done to ensure that old people do not queue for long hours in the cold and rain, and that they are, at least, given soup. We are also aware that many of our senior citizens are diabetic and in many instances they must take their medication. So, since they arrive at the pay points at six o'clock in the morning and are in the queue until nine, they might faint due to their medical conditions, but if they, at least, get some soup, this can be avoided.
We want to congratulate the Department of Social Development and the SA Security Agency, Sassa, for their concerted efforts to wage war against corruption. We also want to congratulate you for continuing to wage war against any person who harbours any intention to steal social grants meant for our people.
We will support any effort to remove public servants who dip their hands in the public coffers, especially in the monies that are meant for the poor and vulnerable. We are encouraged that the turnaround strategy of Sassa continues to bear results. We want to congratulate the CEO of Sassa, Ms Virginia Petersen, for her visionary leadership, especially for changing the management culture of Sassa and ensuring that operation systems are not only effective, but are also not time consuming and laborious for our people.
As the ANC we have said that the strengthening of families should remain a cardinal feature of our national efforts to transform South Africa. In advancing this perspective, we have said we need to move with the utmost speed to build a caring society that treats its most vulnerable with the utmost respect and dignity. It is for this reason that we committed ourselves to wage a concerted fight against the abuse of children, women and elderly people in our society.
As the ANC we welcome the audit of early childhood development centres across the country. This will provide the basis of universalising access for early childhood development centre performance monitoring and evaluation.
IsiZulu:
Ngqongqoshe, njengoba ushilo, le ndaba yokuthi uma ogogo beyohola baxhunyaniswe no-Pick 'n Pay no-Checkers kufanele ibhekisiswe. Lezi zitolo zifuna ukuthi ogogo bathenge ngenani elithize ngaphambi kokuba bathole izimali zabo. Uma bengathengi ngenani elinqunyiwe, kufanele bakhokhe ama-R40 noma ama-R30. Sesiside isikhathi sicela ukuthi ningenelele kulolu daba ukuze abantu bangalokhu bekhokhiswa izimali ngoba lezi zimali zingaphezulu kwalezo abebethi babalekela ukuzihlawula emabhange.
English:
In closing, I would like to invite the department to visit the Freedom Park community in my constituency in Gauteng where, on a daily basis, women and girls are brutally raped and killed.
IsiZulu:
Ngesikhathi samaholide ephasika kunentombazane eneminyaka eyi-15 eyadlwengulwa, yabulawa futhi yakhishwa amathumbu. Kuthe emva kwenyanga beyibulele le ntombazane babuya bazodlwengula udadewabo. Lo mkhuba wenzeka cishe nyangazonke noma masonto onke. Ngakho-ke, umphakathi wase-Freedom Park uyacela ukuthi ke niwuvakashele ngoba uhlukumezeke kakhulu.
Siyacela ukuthi ke uvakashele laphaya e-Freedom Park nomnyango wakho, niyokhuluma nalo mphakathi, niphinde niwuhlelele abeluleki. Okunye futhi, khona laphaya kwiziko labavoti engiphuma kulo e-Freedom Park nase-Naturena, ukuthi ogogo uma beyohola bafika ngehora lesi-5 noma lesi-6, bese uma kushaya ihora lesi-9 abasebenzi bakwa-Sassa banqamule umugqa, babaxoshe bese bebayalela ukuthi baye e-South Gate ukuze bezofika bathenge kwa-Pick 'n Pay noma bahole khona.
Okubi ukuthi ngenyanga edlule la 'bantu abazange bahole ngoba kuthe uma kushaya ihora lesi-9 baxoshwa ngabasebenzi basemahhovisi akwa-Sassa, kanti ngeshwa ihhovisi elikwa-Pick 'n Pay nalo livaliwe. Siyacela-ke ukuthi niye kobabheka laba basebenzi ukuthi basebenza ngendlela efanele yini na.
English:
The ANC supports the budget vote of the Department of Social Development
I thank you. [Applause.]
Mr M J R DE VILLIERS
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 5 June 2013 Take: 274
Ms B V MNCUBE
Mr M J R DE VILLIERS: Deputy Chairperson, Ministers, delegates and guests, the population of our country stands at 51,7 million people. Statistics show that 4,7% of children are double orphaned, 11,1% of children are paternal orphaned, 3,3% of children are maternal orphaned, 34,4% of children live with neither of their parents, and 8,1% of children live in skipped-generation households. Female-headed households are 37,5%, whilst 53,9% of them are poor, and 31,7% of male-headed households are also poor.
Another statistic is that the unemployment rate stands at 29,8%. That is approximately 15,4 million people with no work. Out of these unemployed people, 7,981 million are women. This is not a good picture, rather dull and of huge concern. The Department of Social Development's budget for 2013-14 is R120,741 million. Compared to the 2012-13 budget, this is an increase of R8,598 million.
Afrikaans:
Teen die agtergrond van die statistiek genoem, is dit te verstane dat die grootste gedeelte van die begroting ten opsigte van maatskaplike toelaes moet gaan. Die DA ondersteun die feit dat 'n ondersteuningsnet vir armes en werkloses deur die staat geskep moet word en sal ook nooit hierdie maatskaaplike toelaes wegneem soos veral in die verkiesings deur ANC-ondersteuners en leiers aan die mense vertel word nie.
English:
Chairperson, because of the fact that the incumbent government depends on a tax base, this responsibility of government is not sustainable against the growth of these beneficiaries. Therefore, the DA argues that we should have zero tolerance on inefficiency, corruption, maladministration, and incompetence. The court case in connection with the tender to Cash Paymaster Services, CPS, is unnecessary and a waste of time and money. The compensation of employees amounts to R340,672 million in 2013-14 and will increase to R383,730 million in 2015-16.
The question to ask is the following: If most of the money goes to the allocation of grants, are the employees correctly placed or not? The allocation to consultants, contractors, and special services was R82,591 million in 2012-13 and is now R92,433 million in 2013-14. It seems that the work is done by these people outside the department. In the programme administration, the amount to consultants is R16,457 million, and it increased over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF. The number of beneficiaries to social assistance grants will increase over the MTEF. Between 2013-14 and 2014-15, old age grants will increase from R2,93 million to R3,012 million. Child support grants will increase from R11,698 million to R11,937 million, and so with care dependency. This clearly shows that the pressure on the fiscus continues to grow and grow every year.
To tackle the problem that the government might run out of money, we must concentrate on innovative plans to grow the economy and increase the value of the rand to create jobs.
Afrikaans:
Ons kan dit nie bekostig om in 'n posisie te beland waar die regering uit stoom hardloop om maatskaplike toelaes te betaal nie. Dit sal 'n totale chaos beteken. Kinders wat toelaes ontvang, moet in die skool wees.
English:
The regulations relating to the application for the payment of social assistance is not in place. Therefore, no information that children are in school exists. This must be speedily developed and implemented.
The department said it would take decades to train 66 000 social workers. The social worker scholarships allocation decreased from the 2012-13 allocation of R256 million to R250 million in 2013-14.
Afrikaans:
Dit bevestig die feit dat dit eeue sal neem om die tekort aan maatskaplike werkers aan te spreek. Ons moet hierna kyk, Minister.
English:
The assistance to older persons also decreased from R15,016 million in 2012-13 to R10,058 million in 2013-14. The allocation to substance abuse decreased from R13,993 million in 2012-13 to R11,44 million in 2013-14. This decrease will put the institutions operating in this field in a very difficult position.
If we want to cut fat, hon Minister, cut expenses to the National Development Agency, NDA. An amount of R43,871 million goes to goods and services, which includes a 600% increase to the board. You must actually look at it and investigate the whole allocation. Then you will pick this up. The allocation to consultants must also be cut, not funds to those who are actually dependent on support from government.
Afrikaans:
Die leen van geld by geregistreerde mikroleners is eintlik nie die probleem nie, maar die geldskieters. Dit is 'n multimiljoenêr-bedryf, want die persentasie rente wat hulle hef, wissel tussen 50% en 100%. Hulle verarm die mense. Dit is ongenaakbaar, en ons moet dit aanspreek. Ek dank u. [Tyd verstreke.] [Applous.]
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 5 June 2013 Take: 275
Mr M J R DE VILLIERS
IsiZulu:
IPHINI LIKANGQONGQOSHE WEZOKUTHUTHUKISWA KOMPHAKATHI: Sanibonani.
AMALUNGU OMKHANDLU: Yebo!
English:
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Deputy Chairperson, Minister of Social Development, chairperson of the select committee, MECs present here, Mama Majodina and Mrs Mukomele, hon members, I rise to motivate Budget Vote 19 of the Department of Social Development. I do so knowing that we can and will change the lives of those most in need of our help. This was even validated by speakers from the United Nations Children's Fund, Unicef, academia and the nonprofit organisations, NPOs, sector at the SA National Conference on Orphans, Children and Youth made vulnerable by HIV and Aids which was held in Durban from 27 to 30 May this year.
Since our last budget vote, we have continued reaching out to communities especially those in the rural areas. The programme of taking the Department of Social Development to communities intensified during October last year, with our Minister leading the campaign with vigour and passion. We went to deep rural areas where people think they have been forgotten.
The main focus was on child-headed households, a complex challenge that our department has made its priority to address. One of the areas we visited was Ngobi in the North West. This was a follow-up visit following the previous visit by the President of the country. During the Department of Social Development October visit, we found good news. On World Poverty Eradication day, we were in the North West - a province that has been identified as having high levels of malnutrition. The National Development Agency, NDA, handed over the Bana ba Gwale co-operative to the communities. This co-operative has a contract with Pick 'n Pay and it also supports the provincial Department of Education's school nutrition programme.
After our visit to Letsema Le Thata ka Beng vegetable project in Monnakato Village in North West, the members' hard work was acknowledged by the assistance of the provincial Department of Social Development and the NDA who funded a tractor and a truck in order for the co-operatives to increase production and have access to markets.
IsiZulu:
Sakha namathuba emisebenzi lapho sihamba khona.
English:
It is said that we will be judged on what we have done for the most vulnerable members of our society. In the coming month, two grandmothers who take care of their orphaned grandchildren in the Thembisile Hani Municipality in Mpumalanga will each receive a newly built home through the generosity and grace of the Al-imdaad Foundation.
IsiZulu:
Siyabonga kwabakwa-Al-imdaad Foundation. [Ihlombe.]
English:
During this financial year, we will endeavour to visit communities identified as having the most severe challenges in terms of food security and of course we will need the hon members, seated here, to guide us. The issue of household food security is linked to many other challenges facing communities. Under the leadership of Minister Dlamini we have embarked on the Food for All Campaign partnering with the FoodBank, as well as accelerating our programme of sustainable livelihoods.
As it has been said, there is much room for improvement in our dealings with nonprofit organisations. The same problem confronts us year after year. There is a serious lack of capacity in the NPO sector. This was evident when, earlier this year, thousands of NPOs were deregistered. With this in mind, the NDA will intensify its efforts in training people in this sector. During the current financial year, the department will, through the NDA, capacitate national and provincial NPOs. This was one of the resolutions of the national NPO summit held late last year.
The HIV and Aids epidemic remains one of the key challenges facing our country, the recent conference has shown us this. Early this year, we finalised the revised Policy Framework for Home and Community-Based Care, HCBC, programmes and guidelines on how to establish and implement an HCBC programme. Through the HCBC programme, we reached out to over 300 000 households and over 400 000 orphans and vulnerable children. We also reached over 24 000 youth-headed households who are recipients of psychosocial support services.
During this financial year we escalated youth empowerment by training 532 young people through LoveLife. The department allocated an amount of R48 million to the LoveLife programme. We call upon stakeholders to work with us to eradicate poverty, especially in the rural areas. The struggle still continues. I thank you very much. [Applause.]
Mr S H PLAATJIE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 5 June 2013 Take: 276
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Mr S H PLAATJIE: Deputy Chair, around the developing world the activist and interventionist states are progressively emerging.
Unless we are either pragmatic in rectifying the fault lines across society, we will definitely not keep up with the emerging developmental states of the world. And unless there is political will by the government to balance the economic growth and social development where the state mobilises resources to address the needs of the people and the social issues such as health care, housing and education, we will not be able to keep up with the world.
President Jacob Zuma, in his state of the nation address, said:
Since we are building a developmental and not a welfare state, the social grants will be linked to economic activity and community development, to enable short-term beneficiaries to become self-supporting in the long run.
Cope concurs with this statement. Minister, by its name and nature, grants should be a short-term measure. The focus of developing South Africa is in its ability to combat unemployment and poverty by pursuing the short-term achievable goals.
Cope believes that it is high time that the department focused on strategic issues per time, in each province, in short five-year plans. A focused exercise of boosting opportunity by area is a good way to an immediate start. Improving living conditions per thousand can begin to create a systematic access to basic services, health care, education and training.
The poor are always an imaginary and elusive number that cannot be quantified, and yet they are on our doorsteps and driveways everyday. Cope believes in targeting different types of short-term and achievable projects with identifiable groups at this critical time by engaging people who are suitably educated and qualified in the planning and development of policy and infrastructure.
Cope understands perfectly that dependency on the state welfare is not good. Often, government encourages this kind of dependency in order to easily manipulate the people during election time. [Interjections.] Cope has observed that the number of people who depend on social grants increased from 12 million to 15 million in 2012. This dramatic rise in social grants, interestingly, coincides with the disturbing deterioration in the quality of education and rising unemployment. There is excessive duplication in government departments without a cohesive policy cutting across all Ministries.
It is disturbing to see that the department is informed by the White Paper for Social Welfare of 1997 which set out the principles, guidelines, policies and programmes for developing social welfare in South Africa.
Finally, Chair, can the Minister explain herself regarding the plight of senior citizens like Vincent Hoffman who lives at the Yvonne Parfitt Place, a Cape Peninsula Organisation for the Aged, in Westridge in Cape Town. This man is now being forced to move out of the old age home in this biting cold and wet weather because the rent for the one-bedroom cottage he lives in has increased by 5% ... [Time expired.]
Prince M M M ZULU
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 5 June 2013 Take: 276
Mr S H PLAATJIE
Umntwana M M M ZULU: Phini likaSihlalo wale Ndlu, mhlonishwa Ngqongqoshe nePhini lakhe ... [Ubuwelewele.]
English:
Mr K A SINCLAIR: Deputy Chairperson, on a point of order: I just want to rise on a procedural matter. You gave the previous speakers two extra minutes, but you stopped the hon Plaatjie when he ran out of time.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Sinclair, that is not your call to make. Please sit down!
Mr K A SINCLAIR: Hon Deputy Chair, you must be consistent!
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Sinclair, sit down! Please, continue, hon Prince Zulu.
IsiZulu:
Umntwana M M M ZULU: Ngibonga uNgqongqoshe waseMpumalanga Koloni ngokukhuluma olunye lwezilimi zamaNguni ukuze abantu bakithi bamuzwe kahle ukuthi ukhuluma ngani; ubengekho eYurophu.
UMnyango wezokuThuthukiswa koMphakathi ungumnyango ohlala njalo wenza izinhlelo zokubumba isizwe saseNingizimu Afrika. Lo mnyango uwusizo kubantu abangacoshi ndawo, abangenalutho, abangenabazali, nabangakwazi ukuzenzela. Iqembu leNkatha yeNkululeko liyaliseka iVoti leSabelomali salo mnyango.
Ngqongqoshe, kufanele sibhekisise uhlelo lwakho lokubhaliswa kabusha kwempesheni. Lolu wuhlelo oluhle kakhulu ngoba lwenza ukuthi ukwazi ukubona ukuthi kulo mnyango zingaki izigelekeqe ezikhona nezidla imali ngendlela engekho emthethweni. Kodwa, lolu hlelo, ezindaweni ezisemakhaya njengalaphaya eMashona eMahlabathini, kusenabantu abayizi-36 000 abangakakutholi ukusizakala njengoba lolu hlelo seluvalwa nje. Laphaya kwaNongoma kunabantu abayizi-38 000 abangakasizakali.
Lolu hlelo belusahamba kahle ngoba umnyango noma isithunywa sakwa-Sassa siyakwazi ukuya kubantu bese kushoda khona ukuthi uMnyango wezaseKhaya ube khona nawo ukuze ukwazi ukuqinisekisa ukuthi izitifiketi ezikhishwayo akuzona yini izitifiketimbumbulu. Uma uMnyango wezaseKhaya uya kubantu awuhambisani nomnyango wakho, kanti njengeminyango yahulumeni kufanele ngabe iyahambisana ukuya ebantwini.
Mayelana nosonhlalakahle ngingaphawula ngithi nje; osonhlalakahle bayahlupha. Isibonelo, laphaya kwaNongoma kuvamile ukuthi uma kufika umuntu ezofuna usizo bangamphathi kahle. Sesakhuluma sancama ngalolu daba kanti kuye kube sengathi siyabahlukumeza uma sesibafaka endleleni. Empeleni abanalo ilungelo lokuthethisa abantu abasuke bezocela usizo emahhovisi ahulumeni ngoba naleyo nkece ayiphumi kubona. Le nkece eyomphakathi; inkece ephuma kithina njengabakhokhi bentela baleli lizwe.
Ngakho-ke, lolu hlelo kumele wena nabaphathi basemahhovisi akho, kanye nePhini likaNgqongqoshe, nibheke ukuthi ezweni lilonke, ikakhulukazi ezindaweni zasemakhaya, lukwazile yini ukusiza bonke abantu. Ngqongqoshe, nalabo okubonakalayo ukuthi bayizigebengu kuloya mnyango, ababhalisela lezi zimali, abangakaphumeli obala bazoziveza ukuthi bebedla izimali zikahulumeni mahhala, siyafisa ukuthi uma bengatholakala manje ubavulele iminyango yamajele baboshwe, ngoba ekuqaleni wawubavulele intuba yokuthi uma bephumela obala uzobaxolela. Kepha, uma bengakaqhamuki kuze kube manje, bafake phakathi emajele baboshwe ngoba abalisebenzisanga ithuba owabanika likashwele. Siyazi basekhona, abakapheli. [Ihlombe.]
Mr T L MAKUNYANE
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 5 June 2013 Take: 277
Prince M M M ZULU
Mr T L MAKUNYANE: Hon Deputy Chairperson, the Minister of Social Development, Ms B O Dlamini, Deputy Minister of Social Development, Ms B M Ntuli, MECs, colleagues and distinguished guests, firstly, I should start by responding to some of the utterances of some of our members here. I wish to advise hon De Villiers that statistics are cold, impersonal and faceless, and they must be quoted with some sensitivity because they are usually quoted as abstractions to bring attention to some aspects of reality, not as a substitution for reality.
As hon Majodina had pointed out, as the ANC we know hunger, we know suffering, and thus we are able to talk about the lived experience of our people and not abstract speculation. As to hon Plaatjie, my advice to you is, please don't breathe hot and cold.
You were talking about the department's dependence on the 1997 White Paper. You were just sticking to a prepared script, because the issue that you are querying was already addressed much earlier. So I don't believe that we need to discuss it further.
Hon Chair, over the past years the Department of Social Development has transformed itself in line with the constitutional mandate to transform our society into an united nonracial, nonsexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa. In this context the new mission is to respond to the immediate needs of the poor and vulnerable members of society, while creating an enabling environment for sustainable development.
The department has to carry out this mission within the context of international multilateral obligations of the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, and other treaties and agreements upholding the rights of children, women and people with disabilities.
In line with our fundamental policy guide, the Reconstruction and Development Programme, the department puts people, especially the poor and the most vulnerable at the centre of development. Its programmes are therefore, people-centred, people-driven and gender-sensitive.
It sees development not as massive high profile projects and things, but as meeting the basic needs of the people and as a continuous and progressive empowerment of people through education, skills development, improved access to health care, social and economic infrastructure and opportunities.
The budget that is before us is anchored on three interrelated programmes based on this approach. Firstly, the developmental welfare services aimed at providing care and protection for the poor and vulnerable people; secondly, community development aimed at empowering people to mobilise their resources and develop capacity to participate meaningfully in transforming their own circumstances; and thirdly, comprehensive social security to provide income support for the poor and the vulnerable to ensure better health and schooling outcomes.
These interventions are tailor-made for our unique material conditions in South Africa. They are intended to meet the three major challenges facing our country, which are poverty, unemployment and inequality. These are fundamentally the result of the global crisis of capitalism as reflected in unemployment figures in many mature capitalist countries. In our country this has been grotesquery distorted by the legacy of apartheid which affects mainly black youths, women, people living in rural areas and people with disabilities.
We cannot rely on the invisible hand of the markets to address these challenges. We cannot rely on the rising tide to lift all vessels. The situation demands direct and purposeful intervention by the state to direct resources and not only to enable sustainable development, but also to empower people to pursue sustainable livelihoods.
To this end the department has done some remarkable work. It has supported over 220 small or medium income generating projects between 2009 and 2012 to the tune of R756 420 580,17. [Laughter.]
The aim of this support was to strengthen the livelihood assets of communities in order to foster a spirit of self-reliance and self-empowerment.
This approach which has been embraced in our manifesto is also endorsed by many international development organisations, including the UN Development Programme, Oxfam, Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education, Care, the Department for International Development, DFID, South East England Development Agency, Seeda, and so on. It is aimed at encouraging and empowering poor people not to wait for jobs or handouts, but to mobilise their own resources and to channel them towards sustainable livelihood strategies.
The livelihood assets that we are talking about that to be mobilised are: Firstly, natural capitals which are rivers, the soil, air and forest that can assist communities in coming up with new livelihood strategies; secondly, the economic and financial assets, which is cash, credit, entitlements and other productive equipments and technologies that are available to them; thirdly, human capital, that is the skills, indigenous knowledge systems, good health and the ability to work which are all capabilities that can be harnessed towards new livelihood strategies; fourthly, physical capital, which is transport systems, piped potable water systems, energy, telecommunications, and so on; and fifthly, social capital which includes social networks and relations, affiliations and associations like mutual support groups, burial societies and stokvels that people can draw upon to support their livelihood strategies.
To co-ordinate all these and to channel them into mutually supportive and sustainable livelihood strategies require pro-poor policies, procedures and institutions from both private and public sector formations, whose activities affect the daily lives of our people. In this respect, the department in partnership with other stakeholders is helping to empower the poor to assert themselves in their interactions with these formations.
To achieve these objectives, the department needs new sets of skills and capabilities, new mindsets and other resources. The ANC supports this budget. We wish the Minister and the director-general all the best. Thank you. [Applause.]
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (Ms B O Dlamini)
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 5 June 2013 Take: 278
Mr T L MAKUNYANE
isiZulu:
UNGQONGQOSHE WEZOKUTHUTHUKISWA KOMPHAKATHI: Phini likaSihlalo, ngicela ukubingelela uMama u-Mosetsanagape ngoba angizange ngimbone ngesikhathi siqala.
Ngizoba mfushane kakhulu, kepha okubaluleke kakhulu ukuthi amalungu aKhongolose naweNkatha yeNkululeko alesekile leli Voti leSabelomali, futhi bakhulumela abantu. Sizozama singu-Sassa, i-NDA, kanye noMnyango wezokuThuthukiswa koMphakathi ukuthi sihlangabezane nezimfuno zabo.
Okunye futhi, siyazi ukuthi asikakafinyeleli kuzo zonke izindawo ukulungisa lapho kuholelwa khona impeshini, kepha sisaqhubeka nalolu hlelo. Njengamanje sinezigidi eziyi-R16 zokuthuthukisa izindawo zokuholela impesheni. Bakhona-ke abantu lapha, kule Ndlu, abahlezi bekhuluma bethi bavikela amalungelo abantu, bathi balandela uMthethosisekelo, futhi bakhuluma yonke into ephatheleni noMthethosisekelo. Kepha kuyasimangaza ukuthi uma sekukhulunywa ngezokuphepha komphakathi bakubona kungelona ilungelo labantu.
Enye into esiphatha kabi ukuthi kudala, lapha, eNingizimu Afrika, imali yesibonelelo yayiholwa abantu abambalwa, futhi ngesikhathi kwenziwa lokhu kwakubukeka njengento elungile. Umbuzo esinawo uthi: yini eyenza ukuthi kube yinto embi manje?
Okunye futhi, izindleko zezokuThuthukiswa koMphakathi zihlangene nezokuthuthukiswa kwezwe. Ukuphepha komphakathi kuyingxenye yezokuthuthukiswa kwezwe futhi yilapho izwe linquma ukweseka abampofu, lingenelele ekuthatheni izinqumo zokungenelela. Ngakho-ke, asilahlekile ngokwenza lokhu ngoba nezinye izizwe ezindala ekubuseni ngentando yabantu, njengo-Norway no-Sweden, ziyakwenza lokhu.
Angifuni ukukhuluma ngemibiko ye-Unicef kanye nocwaningo esilwenzile lomthelela wezibonelelo emphakathini, SIA, okukhombisa ukuthi imali yesibonelelo, ngesikhathi somnotho ontengayo awubashaya kangako nalabo abalahlekelwe imisebenzi yabo. Ngakho akubona kuphela abantu abampofu abasizakala kepha namanye amalungu emindeni asizakele emalini yesibonelelo yezingane kanye nezinye izibonelelo.
Enye into ebalulekile okufanele siyazi ukuthi ngiyabona nje kulokhu kukhulunywa ngohulumeni onikeza abantu imali yesibonelelo kepha abanye engabaniki lutho, kunomhlola engiwubonile ngonyaka odlule, ngenyanga kaMfumfu, ngesikhathi sivakashe kulesi sifundazwe lapho sithole ukuthi amakhaya abantu abadala alaphaya e-Gugulethu nase-Goodwood awafani. ElaseGugulethu liyigoqo lezingulube ekubeni elase-Goodwood liyizulu elincane, lifana nenxuluma enazo zonke izinsiza.
Imali yezikhungo ezibonelela ngokudla okunomsoco yathathwa ngaphansi kwenkohliso yokuthi kwenziwa uphenyo; kuze kube yinamuhla imiphumela yalolo phenyo ayikaze iphume. [Ubuwelewele.]
Okunye okwenzekayo ukuthi kuthathwe imali yokulwa nokusetshenziswa kotshwala nezidakamizwa kubantu abahluphekayo yayiswa ezindaweni zabantu abadla izambane likapondo – futhi labo bantu bakhuluma sengathi kuhle konke okwenzekayo. Ngicabanga ukuthi izinto zokuThuthukiswa koMphakathi azifuni ukuthathwa ngamawala kepha zifuna ukuzinikela ekuthuthukiseni abantu bakithi.
Sengiphetha, ngicela nihambe niyobheka ukuthi ngobani abasekwayo endaweni yase-Eldorado Park. Kepha uMongameli wethu uyile laphaya, wangena phakathi, ehamba nezithunywa eziphezulu.
English:
We have been working very hard and it is important that all of us should try and work together so that we ensure that we improve the quality of the lives of our people. We welcome all the good and progressive recommendations. I thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela)
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
Wednesday, 5 June 2013 Take: 278
The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms T C Memela): At this juncture I would like to say, thank you to all our visitors in the gallery.
IsiXhosa:
Ningadinwa nangomso. Yizani nizozimamelela ngokwenu ukuba kusetyenzwa kanjani apha. Enkosi. [Kwaqhwatywa.]
The Council adjourned at 16:23.
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