Hansard: NA: Mini-plenary 2

House: National Assembly

Date of Meeting: 19 May 2021

Summary

No summary available.

---

Minutes

UNREVISED HANSARD

MINI PLENARY - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WEDNESDAY, 19 MAY 2021

Watch video here: Vote No 20 – Women, Youth and People Living With Disabilities

 

PROCEEDINGS OF THE MINIPLENARY SESSION - NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CHAMBER

 

 

Members of the mini plenary session met on the virtual platform at 14:00.

 

 

The House Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation

 

 

The House Chairperson announced that the virtual mini plenary sitting constituted a meeting of the National Assembly.

 

 

VIRTUAL SITTING RULES

 

 

(Announcement)

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon members, before we proceed, I would like to remind you that the virtual mini plenary is deemed to be in the precinct of Parliament and

 

constitute a meeting of the National Assembly for debating purposes only. In addition to that Rule of virtual sittings, the Rules of the National Assembly including the Rules of debate shall apply. Members enjoy the same powers and privileges that apply in the sitting of the National Assembly. Members should equally note that anything said in the virtual platform is deemed to have been said to the House and may be ruled upon.

 

 

All members who have logged in shall be considered to be present and are requested to mute their microphones and only unmute it when recognized to speak. This is because these microphones are very sensitive and will pick up noise which might disturb the attention of other members. When recognised to speak, please unmute your microphone and connect your video. Members may make use of the icons on the bar at the bottom of their screens which has an option that allows a member to put his or her hand to raise a point of order. The Secretariat will assist in alerting the Chairperson to members requesting to speak.

 

 

When using the virtual system, members are urged to refrain or desist from unnecessary points of order or interjections. We

 

shall now proceed to the order which is debate on Vote 20 – Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. We will, at this juncture, welcome the Minister in The Presidency for Women Youth and Persons with Disabilities to lead the debate.

 

 

APPROPRIATION BILL

 

 

Debate on Vote No 20 – Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities:

 

 

The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR WOMEN, YOUTH AND PERSONS

 

WITH DISABILITIES: Thank you. House Chair, Mme Boroto, Deputy Minister of the department, Prof Hlengiwe Mkhize, chairperson of our portfolio committee and hon members, it is an honour to present this year’s Budget Vote speech of the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, in the year of Mme Charlotte Makgomo Mannya Maxeke. Mme Charlotte, Maxeke was one of the outstanding leaders of the liberation struggle, who traversed effortlessly from politics, religion, education, community development and women empowerment and also fighting patriarchy.

 

The first president of the ANC, Dr John Langalibalele Dube described her as mother of the African syndrome. She was indeed a pathfinder and a true trailblazer. As we celebrate her 150th birthday anniversary, let us honour her legacy by recommitting to equal society for women, youth, and persons with disabilities. COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on the lives and livelihoods of our people. We must mourn the many lives we have lost and salute our frontline workers, who with their bravery during this difficult time, especially in the rollout vaccine programmes.

 

 

While many lives were saved by measures introduced by our government, women, youth and persons with disabilities are hardest hit by the negative effect of the pandemic. Let us prioritize women, youth and persons with disabilities with ... in our effort of economic reconstruction and recovery. We must also continue to observe all COVID-19 protocols.

 

 

The department is central to our collective objectives of inclusive development in our country. We have an important role to lead and co-ordinate efforts towards realization of this constitutional vision and equality of women, youth and persons with disabilities. In pursuit of this national

 

development plans goals. We must continue to focus on the inter … [Inaudible.] ... because the three vulnerable sectors continue to face diverse challenges.

 

 

It is important to recognize the differential needs of concerns among the different sectors of our people as we plan and implement our ... [Inaudible.] ... The challenges and needs of our young people, particularly black, lesbian, women in wheelchairs in rural areas are very different from those in the different set of circumstances in other areas. I am pleased to report that since our last Budget Vote, we have appointed a permanent director-general on the department, Adv Nkateko Joyce Maluleke, who has been instrumental in stabilizing our operational matters and undertaking a revision of our strategic position. Our mandate of upholding the rights of women, youth, persons with disability is crucial. Through playing a regulatory role in promoting socioeconomic transformation.

 

 

During the state of the nation address on 11 February, His Excellency, President Ramaphosa underscored that ending gender-based violence is imperative if we lay claim to being the society rooted in the non ... [Inaudible.] ... gender-

 

based violence and femicide which is being declared the second pandemic, remains a dark stain on our country’s image. We must continue to speak out and report any instance of gender-based violence and femicide.

 

 

The department is committed to eradicating this pandemic, which requires the collective efforts from all the sectors of our society. Since the launch of the Gender-based Violence and Femicide National Strategic Plan, GBVF-NSP, in April, last year, the department is working tirelessly to co-ordinate and monitor their implementation of this plan. In this, a remarkable progress has been made and it needs implementation, including the following: firstly, monthly progress reports on the implementation of the NSP were submitted to the President; secondly, national departments have integrated the NSP priorities in their department’s annual plans, and reporting them against annual targets; thirdly, multisectoral departments supported by women are fully functional and meet regularly to support the implementation of the NSP; fourthly, the department works with provinces and districts to integrate the NSP into their provincial department plans, districts development plans and establishment of the district rapid response teams; fifthly, the interministerial committee on the

 

gender-based violence and femicide continues to oversee the implementation of the NSP, and play a key facilitation role; and lastly, we have developed a draft Bill to establish a National Council of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide that will co-ordinate the implementation of the NSP and to ensure that as a nation, we eradicate gender-based violence and femicide in this decade. We will be consulting on this Bill soon.

 

 

Hon members, through Chair, during the 2020 Budget Vote speech, we informed the august House that the department has initiated the implementation of the Cabinet’s approved gender responsive planning, budgeting, monitoring, evaluation and auditing framework. In this regard, the department has analyzed the 2020-21 strategic plans, and annual performance plans of selected departments, and found that there is a positive response by the departments on this matter. However, more work needs to be done to improve our implementation of this work. We also working with the National Treasury to ensure that youth and persons with disabilities’ responsive budgeting are also taken into consideration. In the coming year, we will convene workshops with provinces to capacitate

 

them in mainstream gender youth disability responsive budgeting.

 

 

Menstrual hygiene must be our priority for everyone given that in every day of our lives, 300 million women and girls experience this natural cycle. We must continue to work together to ensure women’s ownership of and full access of the production of sanitary dignity products and proper sanitation to women and girls. It cannot be that women do not benefit from production lines of sanitary dignity and products because the process rests solely in the hands of men at the moment.

 

 

The department has reviewed the previous Women Empowerment and Gender Equity Bill, and have updated it. It will be consulted on widely during this financial year and with different stakeholders. Economic empowerment in an integral component of efforts to improve the lives of women, youth and persons with disabilities, we call upon the private sector and other partners to do their part to realize this goal. The department has entered into numerous memorandum of understanding with other government departments such as Agriculture, to ensure that women, youth, and persons with disabilities benefit from land reform programmes. We also need more women to play a

 

leadership role to harness the economic opportunities that are emerging from the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.

 

 

Youth empowerment is at the core of the of our work, and through National Youth Development Agency, NYDA, we implement programmes that brings change in the lives of our youth. These include ensuring that the government, private sector and social partners continue to co-ordinate and integrate, plan and create millions of jobs for young people during the next decade. The SA Youth Development Bill is also under development. This is overarching legislation for the development of the country, which will further intensify the youth development agenda.

 

 

Cabinet has approved National Youth Policy, 2020 to 2030, which is an important blueprint to ensure that all sectors of our society implement inclusive youth interventions. Through the Presidential Youth Implementation Intervention, we will ensure that our government effectively transitions young people into labour market and significantly reduces the high rate of youth unemployment. The NYDA is building national

 

pathway management network for young work seekers to review and access available learning and work opportunities.

 

 

The department remains committed to advancing and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities. In this regard, I have recently presented to Cabinet important documents for rolling out services for persons with disabilities. This includes the national strategic framework for reasonable accommodation - It is one of the important things that we should look at - and the national strategic framework on the universal design access, amongst others. We will collaborate with the Department of Education to host Inclusive Education Summit for persons with disabilities, in line with government’s commitment to improve access to education for persons with disabilities.

 

 

Under the leadership of His Excellency, President Ramaphosa, South Africa continues to play a leadership role on the continent and globally. During South Africa’s chairmanship of the African Union, we championed the adoption of the African Union decade, 2030, and African Women’s Financial Inclusion and Economic Empowerment. We also signed and ratified the AU Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights

 

of Persons with Disabilities in Africa. We developed both continental and protocol on Violence against Women and Children, and continental strategy on Women’s Economic Empowerment globally. South Africa was elected to serve as a chair of the United Nations Status of Women in 2020 and 2023. We continue to participate in the generation equality from the Action Coalition on Economic Justice and Rights Action. In this regard, we attended the successful Generation Equality Forum in Mexico, where draft blueprints where presented and adopted. Our contribution to this efforts, clearly demonstrates the confidence the world has shown in South Africa’s regime has in various and in driving inclusive development.

 

 

The mandate of the department remains complex and vast. However, it is not commensurate with the current budgetary and human resources allocation. This has had a severe negative implication on the work that we can do and in promoting the empowerment and advancement of women, youth, and persons with disabilities in the country. We therefore, appeal to this august House to ensure that we are adequately capacitated and resourced. We must guard against culling empowerment programmes. The budget of the allocation of the department was

 

R763 550 million for the financial year 2020-21. The department’s budget was reduced by R133 200 million to support the government’s response to COVID-19.

 

 

The expenditure of the department is expected to slightly increase from R778 450 million in 2020-21 to R781 900 million in 2022-23/24. This amount includes R470 962 million and

R91 376 million earmarked for the transfer to the NYDA and Commission on Gender Equality, CGE, respectively. Therefore, the actual budget of this department for the year. 2021-22 is R763 539 million. I implore the members of this House to hold departments accountable on delivering on the seven priorities of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework. MTSF, in line with women, youth, and persons with disabilities. I remind and wish the department that they are required to incorporate gender, youth, and disability deliverables and targets in their strategic and annual performance plans.

 

 

As we move towards local government elections, we call upon political parties to ensure that the participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities and their representation at leadership level are included.

 

In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the chairperson and members of the portfolio committee for their continued support and co- operation. Let me thank hon Deputy Minister Mkhize, the director-general and the senior staff of the department for their continued work and executing their mandate. We continue our work to advance the plight of the interests of women, youth, and persons with disabilities. Let us continue to honour the legacy of Mme Charlotte Mannya Maxeke. ...

[Inaudible.] ... and remember her work of wisdom when she said:

 

 

This work is not for yourselves. Kill that spirit of self and do not leave above your people but live with them and if you can rise, bring someone with you.

 

 

Malibongwe.

 

 

Ms C N NDABA: Hon House Chair, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, director-generals and senior officials of the department...

 

 

IsiXhosa:

 

... nabahlali baseMzantsi Afrika, sithi molweni.

 

 

English:

 

House Chair, this year on the 07 April we celebrated 150th anniversary of the birth of a great leader of our struggle against colonialism, apartheid, exploitation and patriarchal oppression Mama Charlotte Makgomo Mannya Maxeke. It is significant that the governing party which is the undisputed leader of the forces of liberation and freedom has recognised a woman who rose against aggression to be celebrated century and a half after her birth. As a country and people our history and memory has been dominated by white men whose statues tower over us. Even in front of the gates of our Parliament stands a statue of General Louis Botha, a hero of the Boers in the Anglo-Boer War.

 

 

Our children who visit this institution should not be blamed for thinking that black men did not exist in the history that shaped the South Africa of today. It therefore behoves those of us and entrusted with the responsibility as law makers to do what Mama Maxeke did not do in her day to proclaim that the lives and history of all the people of South Africa, black and white, women, men, youth, people with disabilities, lesbians,

 

gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex, LGBTQI+ communities and children do matter.

 

 

As I introduce the report of the Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and People with Disabilities Budget Vote 20 we must take stock of where we are and where we are going. We need to question everything including the remnants of colonial political culture in our own Parliament. Are we truly transforming our society in a progressive direction when there are still embedded systems of oppression including patriarchy, violence and exploitation of women, Africans and the working class?

 

 

I wonder what Mama Maxeke and others who fought for our liberation would say. Would they be proud of us? I will answer this question later hon members. The context in which the APPs were considered by the committee, the report I am introducing cover the deliberations in the committee on the Annual Performance Plan, APPs of the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities 2021-22 of the financial year.

 

 

The National Youth Development Agency, NYDA and the Commission for Gender Equality, CDE, amended a five-year strategic plan

 

and APPs. When we consider the country’s population statistics, we noted that the female population statistics in South Africa is 29,7 million which is just more than 50% of the total population of the country. Youth constitute 37% of the population which amounts to 19,7 million individuals and 2,9 million or 7% of the total population from the Census 2011 reported having a disability. The next census may reveal even more startling numbers. Women, youth and persons with disabilities thus constitute a majority of the total population. These are the people of which the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and the entities are mandated to address.

 

 

These are certainly not homogenous groups but have varied challenges which can be impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the global and national economic crisis. Unemployment rate in South Africa had increased since 2013 and dropping only in the quarter 2 of 2020. It has been consistently higher amongst women than men reaching approximately 34% of the total labour force during the fourth quarter of 2020, according to the official unemployment statistics.

 

Youth unemployment is one of South Africa’s most intractable challenges made worse by Covid-19. It peaked up at 74% in the first quarter of 2020. It is estimated that the unemployment rate of persons with disabilities in South Africa is in excess of 90% approaching 100% in rural areas. These painful statistics illustrate the disproportionate number of women, youth and persons with disabilities currently unemployed in South Africa.

 

 

Gender-based violence also negatively affects women, youth and persons with disabilities in a similar manner. On the department’s strategic amendment plan of 2020-25, it indicates that its mandate has shifted from the department to one that regulates government’s programmes and monitors the empowerment and prioritisation of women, youth and persons with disabilities in these programmes.

 

 

In order to give effect to its mandate the estimates of national expenditure 2012 indicates that the department will focus on addressing gender-based violence and supporting empowerment, promoting gender responsive planning, budgeting and monitoring and evaluation across government’s departments, promoting the rights of the persons with disabilities and

 

promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and supporting empowerment of young people over the medium term.

 

 

In this regard, the department under Vote 20 received an annual Appropriation of R765 million, as the Minister has said. However, it must be noted that the department facilitates transfers payments to two entities, namely the NYDA and the CDE. After these transfers the department is actually left with an operative budget of approximately R201 million to undertake its programmes and meet its 37 targets for 2021-22 financial year.

 

 

Of the R201 million which is 55,2% of the department’s operative budget is allocated to compensation of employees and R85,5 million which is 46,2% is allocated to goods and services. The committee maintains that in order for the department to achieve its 37 targets it was imperative that these targets are smart. That more emphasis should be placed on the ensuring that the core problems have the requisite capacity and that the financing for the disability programme requires urgent attention as the current allocation does not do justice to addressing the rights of persons with disabilities in our country.

 

The department has been urged again to desist from the use of consultations given the fiscal constraints. The policies and Bills planned for the medium term were welcome by the department and the department urged to expedite processes in these regards. Furthermore, it is imperative given the continued scourge of gender-based violence and femicide in the country, the implementation of the GBV national strategic plan, NSP as well as monitoring and evaluation thereof, is given serious attention by the department.

 

 

Where government’s departments have committed an amount of R12 million to give effect to the NSP on GBV work, these must be tracked. The establishment of the National Council on gender- based violence and femicide should also be prioritised. For the financial year of 2021-2022 the CGE received a budget allocation of R91,376 million. We have noted that a total of

38 targets have been planned for 2021-22. The greatest portion of the budget which is 69% will be spent on compensation of employees whilst 31% of its budget is for services and goods.

 

 

On the NYDA, the committee has noted that over the Medium-Term Budget Framework, MTBF, the NYDA will focus on providing comprehensive interventions to support decent employment,

 

skills development for entrepreneurship for young people. This will include partnering with different sectors to provide training in technical and vocational skills through sector education and training authorities, providing grants development to young people for enterprise development and co- ordinating the National Youth Service Programmes.

 

 

Over the MTBF R762 million is allocated to enhance the participation of young people in the economy and R230 million is allocated to ensure that young people serve their communities to bring the spirit of patriotism, solidarity, social cohesion and unity in diversity. Young people have been allocated R207 million to help find employment through jobs programmes. The NYDA will also provide support services to enable young business people to give direct access to the markets and relevant entrepreneur skills and provide financial and nonfinancial support.

 

 

The NYDA is set to derive 89% which is R1 billion of its revenue over the MTBF period through transfers from the Department of Women. In addition, NYDA’s overall budget also includes interest income of R3 million and donor income of R33 million.

 

In conclusion, earlier I have asked whether the later stalwart martyrs of our struggle would be proud of what we have achieved in 27 years after the 1994 democratic breakthrough?

My answer is the resounding yes. The institutional framework we have built including the mainstreaming of the gender, youth and persons with disabilities in the development of our country is a major achievement towards transforming South Africa from apartheid to a national democratic state. Yes, we have not been able to transform all the pillars of white minority rule and the privileged in South Africa. The ANC supports the Budget Vote of the department, thank you.

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): I always switch off my video and when I switch it on it means that you have one minute unless you say I conclude when you have more minutes then I will also switch it on. For all members, once you see my face then you must know you have one minute that is left. Thank you.

 

 

Mr L MPHITHI: Thank you very much, hon House Chairperson. The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities 2021-

22 annual performance plan was tabled for consideration at the portfolio committee. The report was tabled alongside the

 

annual performance plans, APPs, of the National Youth Development Agency and the Commission of Gender Equality. First things first, I don’t believe this department is concerned with the struggles of young people, women or persons with disabilities. The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities remains exactly what it was created to be, a department for the elite within the ANC. This is precisely why more than half of its budget is used not for the development of young people in South Africa, but on administration and employment costs.

 

 

The ANC loves bloated bureaucracy as unnecessary departments as it gives them additional vehicles to do what the ANC holds as its ultimate mandate, distributing patronage. To do that you must make sure that cadres are deployed to be the opposite of patronage. That’s why there are such fears battles between ANC factions to get the grubby paws inside this department. It is not to rescue the lost generation or a care for the future of this country, it’s for the express purpose of buying allegiance with patronage. This is why in this speech I will outline why this budget is not a feasible one. This department was created to provide services for marginalised of society like women, youth and persons with disabilities.

 

What has become evident in the APPs is that this department is not even sure of its mandate. The misalignment in the lack of leadership in this department is clearly shown by Minister Nkoana-Mashabane in her forward of the current APPs which she states that the department will be shifting from being a facilitation department to one that regulates government programmes and monitors and empowerment and prioritisation of women, youth and persons with disabilities. The department is clearly distance itself from doing the meaningful work on the ground to being a lobby group. They have changed many of the targets from actual services to being a regulations department whilst many of us face high rates of unemployment amongst youth, increase gender-based violence cases across the country and a continued lack of access for person with disabilities.

What a shame.

 

 

The reduction in the budget for service delivery programmes, specifically in program 2, 3, 4 and 5 are demonstrative of the department’s move away from the people of South Africa and their move into conditioned offices. The total allocation of R12,3 million of program 5 which is stipulated to deal with youth development only constitutes 6% of the department’s operational budget. Program 5 has only five targets plan for

 

the current financial year. Much of this target relates to the production of reports which do little to fight against youth unemployment in this country. Furthermore, the department refers to additional activities intense to undertake during the current financial year, but these targets and goals are not reflected in the current APP, thus making it very hard for this portfolio committee to hold the department to account.

 

 

On legislation it was clear that the department did not have an overhaul strategy to reach key stakeholders on a variety of Bills. The National Youth Development Agency Amendment Bill, for example, had little to know targets around engagement with young people, particularly in rural areas. The department had not met any strides to improve its working relationship with the National Youth Development Agency for the benefit of young people. The DA noted in regard to the National Youth Development Agency, NYDA, that satellite offices in rural areas do not provide full services for youth in rural areas.

In addition, it was noted that certain branch offices of the NYDA had computers that were not operational. Thus bring into question how young people were able to access online information to be assisted for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, applications by the NYDA.

 

The department continues to struggle with the information technology, IT, infrastructure as there was online portal available on its website to assist young people, particularly when seeking information for grant applications during the coronavirus disease 2019, Covid-19, area that we find ourselves in. the DA will not support the use of consultants in the department due to the many high number of senior officials in the department earning over a million rand who are conveniently now unable to do the job that were appointed to do. The truth about this APPs is that there is less for our people and more to be consumed by the department itself. This is the ANC way, the way of countless bloated entities, unnecessary departments often overlapping mandates and functions all created so that the loyal cadre can get and distribute a piece of the pie.

 

 

It is now up to the voters to reject the ANC way and rather embrace the DA way. The DA way streamlines in the work of government in confronting the challenges facing our people. This would mean less money used on a form of patronage in the duplication of functions and offices ... young people to know that the DA ... thank you very much, House Chairperson. [Time expired.]

 

Mr W T LETSIE: The shame is supporting Zille.

 

 

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M G Boroto): Hon Letsie, you don’t do that on this platform. No one gave you the permission I think that I read the guide before we started. Please, don’t do that again. You do it again; you will be off this platform. May we proceed to the EFF and welcome hon Hlonyana.

 

 

Ms K N F HLONYANA: Thank you very much, hon House Chairperson. Hardly a day goes by without us hearing a painful stories of women abused of the merciless killing of women and their children of rape and domestic abuse. The Minister of Police recently reported that just between January and March this year, the total of 9 518 cases of rape were reported in South Africa. The actual number of rapes may be far more because we know that most women do not report these cases because of the stigma and the abuse they receive at police station. In addition to these number thousands of women get beaten up by their domestic partners every day. Thousands are abused in places of worship by evil men who hide behind the collar.

 

 

Minister, we have known this for some time that South Africa is very violent towards women that we do not have the

 

necessary institution to fight against the abuse of murder of women. The department is supposed to play a facilitating role among the institutions of the state to make sure that the interests of women are taking priority. However, you have done absolutely nothing. This department is nothing more than an employment agency for a few ANC comrades. It means and does absolutely nothing for women empowerment. You are nowhere to be seen in daily struggles for women emancipation. In actual fact you are in many ways a complicit in the abuse of women.

You’ve initiated no-legislation interventions, you’ve driven no visible and ... [Inaudible.] ... programmes. You have not done anything to align the work of the various government departments in the fight against the oppression and exploitation of women.

 

 

The department has no authority to call the police to account for shoddy investigation work they do when cases of rapes are reported which leads to extreme low conviction rates. You have no authority to make the National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, account for the few cases that do take to court which are thrown out of court because of poor prosecution. You have not taken the judiciary to task for their poor understanding of rape culture which leads to many magistrates and judges

 

letting go of abusive men. Your glaring failure do not end there, you have played no meaning role in the advancement of women social and economic interests.

 

 

We know for a fact that in South Africa women are still getting paid less than men for doing the same job. We know that most women stay in abusive relationship because they are economical suffocated. We know that girl children get chase away from schools and from churches when they get pregnant while the boys who made them pregnant are not touched at all. We know that Banyana Banyana players are getting paid far less than their male counterpart, and yet you’ve not raised the finger to help. You have not made it difficult for industries that abuse women to do so. You have not done anything to look at the conditions of female farm workers and understand the abuse they get subjected to in these farms. That you are called a Ministry responsible for women is itself an insult to women because you have done absolutely nothing for women in this country.

 

 

We reject this budget and we reject you. You must rather close down and continue pretending to be presenting the interest of

 

women when you are actually doing the opposite. I thank you, House Chair.

 

 

Ms M D HLENGWA: Hon Speaker, living in South Africa, we are reminded daily of the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide, GBVF, faced by children, women and members of the LGBTQI+ community. We are only in the second quarter of 2021 and far too many families have buried their loved ones due to GBVF. This department has been tasked with a monumental mission – to initiate and lead the socioeconomic transformation and implementation of the empowerment and participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities through mainstreaming, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation.

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

Akwenzeki lutho mntakwethu. Noma ungabika, noma ungenzani, size sinesikole nje thina okuthiwa uZamimpilo ngesabantu abakhubazekile kodwa uHulumeni waKwaZulu-Natal akasinakile leso sikole.

 

 

English:

 

It is an important and critical task, which demands all the support that government can offer, financial and otherwise.

 

The IFP is mindful of the economic climate and the immense strain that has been placed on the public purse, especially by the covid-19 pandemic. However, we need to ensure that every precaution is taken to limit waste and that accountability is enforced. Once again, the IFP wishes to note how this department mismanages its finances, even during a financial crisis, in a way that is detrimental to those it is tasked with supporting.

 

 

The department has been, on numerous occasions, urged by the portfolio committee to avoid, or completely stop using consultants, due to its limited budget. Consultants invariably cost more and stretch already limited finances. Yet, recommendations on how to remedy this problem seem to have fallen on deaf ears. The IFP wishes to reiterate the importance of fiscal prudence, especially when such an important mandate is at risk.

 

 

The IFP is concerned that the website of the department has not been working for months.

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

Kangakanani-ke emahlathini le koCeza.

 

English:

 

How can we expect members of the public, and possibly those desperate for information and help, to be assisted when the website is down? This a miscarriage of justice and another example of misplaced financial focus.

 

 

The IFP continues to support the work of this department and the agencies that execute its mandate. In this regard, the IFP supports the budget. I thank you.

 

 

Ms T BREEDT: Hon Chairperson, much has been said about this department’s programme, entities and the failure of critical initiatives, such as the drive against GBV and femicide. This department squanders money that could have been used to impact South Africans for the better. This department should actually not even be a department. If government in its totality had followed its mandate, accomplished targets and set out to actually achieve true equality for women, youth and people with disabilities, it would be unnecessary.

 

 

In this debate, I wish to focus on a specific aspect – the

 

youth, the department and its entities’ lack to properly

 

support them. The NYDA has been in the news quite often, but never for the right reasons, only for what it does wrong.

 

 

During the age of covid-19, the rise in the unemployment rate in South Africa, taken into account that South Africa had the highest youth unemployment rate in the world, even before the pandemic started, it is truly horrific. The youth unemployment rate in South Africa is expected to 62% by the end of this quarter. According to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts’ expectations, looking forward, it is estimated that youth unemployment in South Africa will further increase to stand at 63 % in 12 months’ time.

 

 

I have no words to describe the utter frustration that not only I but the youth of South Africa have due to this situation. I have also said this before, our youth unemployment rate is higher than countries tormented by civil wars. Yet, we have not only a Ministry that is supposedly looking out for us, but we have a National Youth Development Agency that is specifically tasked with youth, the youth’s participation in the economy and the advancement of youth within the South African context.

 

Let us briefly look at some numbers. Over the medium term, this government will allocate R762 million to enhance the participation of young people in the economy, R230 million is allocated to ensure that young people serve their communities to build a spirit of patriotism, solidarity, social cohesion and unity and diversity, and R207 million is allocated to help young people find employment through job programmes.

 

 

The NYDA will apparently also provides support services to enable them to gain direct access to markets and relevant entrepreneurial skills and provide financial and nonfinancial support. The NYDA is also set to spend over 40% of its allocated budget on compensation of employees, but since its inception, what has the NYDA actually done for the youth of South Africa and for youth development as a whole? What has it accomplished besides throwing parties for children of wealthy parents and their foreign friends and wasting money? And lest us forget that Parliament, after spending millions on selecting a new board, has to do it all over again, because of party bias towards candidates.

 

 

The NYDA is nothing else than another extension of the ANC, even more aptly put, it is an ANC Youth League branch. It is

 

just another forum for the ANC to loot and mismanage. It is just another talk shop that they can fil with their cadres’ kids. The NYDA is currently not a place where young leaders are created and youth development occurs.

 

 

In fact, the NYDA has since its inception in 2009, not been that. The NYDA has been another state entity mismanaged and looted by ANC cadres. Remember the youth festival organised by the NYDA in 2010? That costs the taxpayers R100 million, whilst the majority of youth do not have access to higher education.

 

 

The NYDA only succeeds in creating abusers, criminals and delinquents like Andile Lungisa, a former NYDA chairperson and now also a former Member of the Mayoral Committee, MMC, in Nelson Mandela Bay, as he was found guilty of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm and had since also been suspended as a member of the ANC. If even the ANC has no other alternative than to suspend a person, then you know it is bad.

 

 

It was the very Lungisa who was also responsible for R100 million festival in ...

 

Afrikaans:

 

Die enigste oplossing vir die ggrootskaalse korrupsie, bedrog, wanbestuur en ANC-kaders, wat die jeugontwikkelingsagentskap is, is om van dit ontslae te raak.

 

 

IsiZulu:

 

Phansi, NYDA! Phansi!

 

 

The DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR WOMEN, YOUTH AND

 

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES: Chairperson, allow me to acknowledge the chairperson of the portfolio committee, Nonhlanhla Ncube-Ndabs, the Whip of the portfolio committee, hon Fikile Masiko, and our hon Minister of the Department in the Presidency, hon Nkwane Maite-Mashabane, hon members, also the Director-General of our department, ladies and gentlemen, let echo the voices of the other hon members by reiterating that, we are presenting our Budget Vote under extremely global conditions, as the world is battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

As public representatives, we have to continue to make a clarion call for our people to observe the non-pharmaceutical protocols, social distancing, hand washing, sanitising and the wearing of mask. As the department, we will continue to

 

support government drive to register and accelerate all South Africans so as to ensure that no one is left behind, especially those who have no access to technology. On 27 March the Cabinet approved a framework on gender responsive planning and budgeting.

 

 

 

We will continue to monitor and report on the implementation of this instrument, so as to ensure that youth and persons with disabilities are equally empowered through a public purse. On gender-based violence, GBV, and femicide, the department continues to be vigilant and to create awareness about systematic programmes which are perennial at the level of service delivery such as shortage of test kits, forensic laboratories, shelters, investigation capabilities and slow proceedings.

 

 

It is still common and unacceptable to get messages like, “I took my daughter to Thuthuzela Centre, the report from the doctor is there, swabs were taken but two weeks later, no arrest has been made, and the perpetrator continues normally with his life. We call on all hon members, to prioritise and support a feasible legal framework towards the establishment of the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Council, which will

 

assist us to co-ordinate our fight against GBV, strengthen prevention programmes through the District Development Model, DDM, and to cement partnerships.

 

 

On the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR, the department is taking advantage of the 4IR, and is partnering with amongst other giants, the ... [Inaudible.] ... Private Sector ICT Company. This partnership is an innovative solution to prepare the youth for digital economy. On youth active citizens’ re- consciousness, the department in partnership with GIZ, is delighted to be part of the youth resilience initiative. This initiative is aimed at enhancing youth as agents of change and leadership, by enabling young ambassadors to amplify a truly South African youth agenda, in the context of education for sustainable development.

 

 

On repositioning the economy, the financial inclusion, and economic empowerment of women, youth and persons with disabilities is sacrosanct. As the department, we will continue to track the employment tax incentive, ease of access to the labour market by removing criteria of experience for entry level jobs. We will also track the youth employment service, which aims to place 50 000 people in work places to

 

gain paid work experience. Government has also set aside 40% of public procurement for youth participating in economic areas with high absorption rates such as manufacturing, infrastructure build, green economy and the blue economy.

 

 

Forty percent of public procurement has been set aside for women-owned businesses. We are currently engaging the National

Treasury to ensure that, all spheres of government and entities, including the private sector, comply. The NDP has

got disability equity targets set at 10% to be achieved by

 

2030, if we were to redress past marginalisation and ensure equitable participation and beneficiation by persons with disabilities. As of today, the African Union has established the Africa continental free trade agreement.

 

 

The agreement connects with 55 countries and 1,3 billion

 

people with a combined GDP of economy’s values at US dollars,

 

$3,4 trillion. On the right of persons with disabilities, the principle of universal design, is the core commitment, in both the National Development Plan and the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development. We have seen the benefits of adhering to the principle of universal design as spearheaded by the Department of Transport. Our resolve is that we accommodate

 

vulnerable groups like persons with disabilities at a design stage, and not bring them as an afterthought.

 

 

The White Paper on the rights of persons with disabilities compels us to adhere to a universal design principle. The department developed a National Strategic Framework on universal access and design supported by strategic framework or reasonable accommodation in collaboration with disability organisation and access activists. On international obligations, early this year, Cabinet mandated the department to submit the protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, on the rights of persons with disabilities in Africa to Parliament for ratification. We therefore, call on this House to expedite the process.

 

 

I am happy to share with this House that the process of domesticating the UN Convention which should also take on board the policy directives on the White paper on the rights of persons with disabilities progressive work. The department in this regard, provides a technical support role to the SA Law Reform Commission, which is leading the investigations. I would like to use this opportunity to thank the disability sector for their active participation in the consultative

 

process. The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, issued its concluding observations to the country’s baseline report to the UN Convention in 2018, and directed that South Africa submit its led periodic report in June 2022.

 

 

The department will be compiling the report in collaboration with government departments and municipalities over the coming months, and we encourage the House to conduct public hearings, calling on sector departments and provinces to account, in consultation with relevant portfolios and select committees on articles in the Convention, which aligns with our seven national priorities, as found in the 2019-24 Medium-Term Strategy. On SA Sign Language, the Pan South African Language Board, PanSALB, launched the SA language Charter in September 2020. I was honoured to sign the Charter on behalf of the executive, coming government, to ensure that we implement our commitments contained in the Charter.

 

 

The Charter calls on this Parliament to accelerate the finalisation of SA Sign Language as the 12th official language

... [Inaudible.] ... The department is working with PanSALB, the Department of Sports, as well as organisations of dark

 

people to ensure implementation of the Charter and the amendment of the Constitution. In conclusion, ... [Inaudible.]

... economic recoverage characterised by the aggressive, inclusive agenda to make women, youth and persons with disabilities an integral part of our economic recovery and not an afterthought.

 

 

Our grand mission should be not only to ... [Inaudible.] ... better, but to bring forward differently. I dedicate this Budget Vote to all heroines on which shoulders we are standing, Winnie Mandela, Helen Joseph, Albertina Sisulu, Mme Sophie De Bruin, Mme Charlotte Makgomo Mannya-Maxeke, acknowledging that, 2021 has been declared a year to celebrate a legacy, in what could have been 105-year birthday. I thank you.

 

 

Ms M E SUKERS: Hon Chairperson, the ACDP rises to acknowledge the contribution of Mme Charlotte Maxeke, who can only be described as a Christian Democrat, whose legacy is worth emulating for us as women leaders in this country. She is an excellent example of Christian leadership to a new generation of women leaders. In considering the budget of the department today, we have to ask the question: Are we making progress in

 

changing the realities that women, youth and people living with disabilities face in our country?

 

 

The department spends a considerable amount of money on goods and services, that includes consultants in each sub-program, but the translation of these supposed plans is not complete, and therefore, will remain intangible on the ground. An example of this lack of effectiveness is the R17,4 million spend in Programme 4, one of the smallest allocations of the smallest allocation for the whole budget, less than the over R18 million allocated for goods and services. The department spends more on furniture than on the actual program for people living with disabilities.

 

 

We are not providing holistic care and integrating government services in order to address social care services to women, and without such vital intervention, you will not bridge the gap to get women out of dependency on the state, or predators. This department cannot afford a paper focus, or regulatory focus only, it needs a practical focus. Women are faced with difficult choices, as an example, during an unplanned pregnancy, but government has made abortion the only option.

 

If government was really concerned about women, it would ensure that women are really empowered by receiving a basket of social welfare assistance that ensures that both her and her children are safe. An area that needs an urgent and priority focus, and which this department needs to ensure that all government departments are involved in, is tackling the plight of women on the Cape Flats. In our communities, women and their children are traumatised by gangsterism.

 

 

If the department can succeed on the Cape Flats, it will have a model that can be rolled out across the whole of South Africa. It is my contention, Chair, that what we do in government to address the needs of women, does not translate in the real world of Manenberg, Bonteheuwel, Gugulethu and Nomzamo. This department is in its third year of this administration, and it resembles a locomotive that does not leave the station.

 

 

How do we really become activists, not only with loud hailers, but with willing hands to change the trajectory of the most vulnerable lives in our communities? This ministry must become an intersection for both regulation, advocacy and activism

 

that leads to real change that is felt on the ground. I thank you.

 

 

The ACTING HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Thank you, hon member. Now I recognise a member from the UDM. Hon members, we shall proceed ... [Interjections.] ... Okay, over to you, sir. Are you a member from the UDM?

 

 

Mr I S SEITLHOLO: Chairperson, it’s hon Seitlholo from the DA.

 

 

The ACTING HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): No, I was

 

calling a member from the UDM, I thought you are from the UDM.

 

 

Mr I S SEITLHOLO: No, I am standing on a point of order, Chair.

 

 

The ACTING HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Okay, let me listen to the point of order.

 

 

Mr I S SEITLHOLO: May I request, from my observation, that your mic be muted when the speaker is on the floor because, you unmuted and it causes a disturbance. Tha’s my submission, Chair.

 

The ACTING HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms R M M Lesoma): Okay. Let’s

 

proceed, hon members. Anyone from the UDM? Hon members, we will proceed to hon Sharif from the DA.

 

 

Ms N K SHARIF: Hon House Chairperson, when you hear or think of the Department of Woman, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, ask yourself some of these questions: Does this department directly assist and alleviate struggles women, youth and persons with disabilities face on a daily basis; does this department ensure that it contributes to the eradication of gender-based violence and femicide; are there any service delivery systems to ensure that there are real and tangible opportunities for woman, youth and persons with disabilities to enter the economy; and does the Department truly care about promoting the rights of women, youth and persons with disabilities? Well, Since the realignment of this department in 2019, it has failed miserably and the resounding answer to these questions is a hard, no.

 

 

The scourge of the gender-based violence and femicide, GBVF, has not decreased. We have not seen any evidence that there is any fight against this pandemic and that more lives are being saved. In fact, I would argue that most of the interventions

 

that government fails to implement since 2019 is literally killing people. This is a direct result of poor planning, poor leadership and a complete lack of any accountability on the part of the department and other key implementing departments across government. A clear and damning example of this is the department not meeting any of its targets in the implementation of the Emergency Response Action Plan. The department and its leadership should hang their heads in shame.

 

 

Minister Nkoana-Mashabane, you have now had two opportunities to turn this department around. The way you speak about GBVF in the House is absolutely perfunctory. You lead an entire department of over 100 officials and a budget of

R201,1 million to make an actual change in the lives of woman, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, LGBT+, community, youth and persons with disabilities, but you simply don’t.

 

 

Programme 2 that is meant to assist in the fight against GBVF as outlined by your department in the annual performance plan, APP, and strategic plan is underfunded and the targets are not specific, measureable, attainable, relevant and time-bound, Smart, they are not aligned with the needs of those you are

 

meant to serve. None of the targets directly make any difference to the lives of those affected by the daily violence of GBVF, instead, they are centered around one or two reports that may or may not have any impact, webinars, minuscule efforts for public participation and there is absolutely no mention of the national GBVF council that is yet to be finalised.

 

 

Minister Nkoana-Mashabane, if you are serious about contributing to the eradication of GBVF then it is your job to hold key departments like Police, Justice, Social Development and more to account. Weekly reports to the President just does not cut it anymore. Paying so many high-ranking officials who get paid more than R1,3 million per annum and still hiring consultants to the value of R16,4 million is just not acceptable.

 

 

The department needs to rethink its mandate and use the budget more efficiently in order to meet the needs of woman, youth and persons with disabilities and members of the LGBT community. I thank you, Chairperson.

 

Ms T MGWEBA: House Chair, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members and fellow South Africans, as my comrade alluded earlier this year marks the year of Mme Charlotte Maxeke - struggle icon, a trailblazer in championing the rights of women in her time. She has passed on the torch to us women of today to continue the fought for women’s rights, equality and access to opportunities. As the ANC, part of our objectives has always been to promote economic development form of all sectors, to support and advance women emancipation and to promote the rights of persons with disabilities.

 

 

Hon members, we acknowledge the struggles that such access the women continue to face over the years. Women continue such access to equal opportunities. Discrimination based on their gender, poverty and inequality and the most manifestation of partriarch such as gender-based violence and femicide which is riding our society mother, sisters and doctors.

 

 

Hon members, as the ANC we have always taken a firm stance against gender-based violence and femicide through thre implementation of legislation that assist in fighting the second pandemic of gender-based violence by not being linient

 

to the perpetrators of violence and abuse that prey on women And innocent children.

 

 

Noting the increasing rise in gender-based violence yearly, the ANC government sought the implementation of the national strategic plan framework on gender-based violence and femicide and to mainly address the causes of gender=based violence as we believe that understanding the root of gender-based violence in our society which is deeply embedded in patriarchal behaviour norm, will enable us to effectively fight against it. As government we have scaled up the network of the Thuthuzela care centres and other victims of empowerment for better effective response incidents of violence and sexual assaults and to reduce second hand victimisation.

 

 

In the 2020 state of the nation address, the hon President said:

 

 

We must continue to fight for equal and nosexist society to completely eradicate gender-based violence and femicide.

 

Therefore, as the ANC we recognise women that empowerment plays a crucial role in the fight to eradicate gender-based violence in our country. That is why we have created empowerment opportunities for women to gain access to the economy by offering 40% of all public procurement to be awarded to women-owned businesses. The fight has also included the private sector-led gender-based response fight.

 

 

On budget allocation, the owners of monitoring the process of implementing the national strategic plan on women, gender- based violence and femicide rest upon the Department of Women, Children and Person with Disabilities. The departmental programme of social transformation and economic empowerment specifically the subprogramme, governance transformation, justice and security, is earmarked to fight gender-based violence and femicide through target identified. The purpose of the programme is to manage and policies and programmes that mainstream the social transformation and economic empowerment of women in South Africa. An allocation of R33 million has been allocated to Programme 2 and the subprogramme of governance transformation, justice and security has been allocated R30 million, which is the largest portion of the

 

budget. This is all in the persuade of the national strategic plan.

 

 

Gender Commission for Gender Equality plays a significant role in advocating for the rights of women and the mainstreaming of youth and persons with disabilities. They provide great assistance through their support services such as the legal clinic and monitoring legislation ensuring that the rights of the vulnerable are not ignored.

 

 

The budget allocation to the commission will strengthen the constitutional democracy with a focus on the attainment of gender equality. Although there have been efforts in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide much more still need to be done. We note that there still a need to continuously monitor the implementation of the national strategic plan on gender-based violence and femicide to assess the impact of the objectives that it seeks to achieve. There is also a need to conclude the implementation of the national council on gender-based violence to fas-track the problem of the gender-based violence, GBV, and femicide, that is plunging our women and children.

 

In conclusion, as the ANC we are also committed in fighting for the rights of persons with disabilities and ensure that their voices will not be silenced. We are committed in mainstreaming gender equality and the needs of persons with disabilities into planning, budgeting, monitoring and accounting in government programmes. Persons with disabilities will no longer be marginalised. We cannot attain equality without persons with disabilities gaining access to equal opportunities. We wish to encourage the culture of tolerance in our nation understanding that we are a nation of diversity. Let us all be tolerant to one another as it is unacceptable that a person is discriminated against and be killed based on their sexual orientation.

 

 

Members of the LGBTQ+ community also deserve their right to free from discrimination and prejudice based on their sexual orientation. We cannot claim to be a nosexist society when some are not free to pursue their life free from discrimination, abuse and inequality.

 

 

Human trafficking is another social problem that we face as a country where young women and children are sold off to become sex slaves and to be exploited for cheap labour. We need more

 

channels to report such acts and in partnership with the police and civil organisations to stop these barbaric acts strpping people right to freedom and life. Hon Chair, the ANC supports Budget Vote 20: Women, Youth and Persons

with Disabilities. I thank you.

 

 

Mr W M MADISHA: Chairperson, the vote put before us today is extremely important because as the majority of South Africans do agree that the South African women, youth and persons with disabled persons face daily momentous challenges of poverty, joblessness, absence of free quality education. And above all, non-implementation of acts passed by Parliament.

 

 

Almost and not totally enough is being implemented in the public services when it comes to gender equality in respect of employment and salaries. Beyond the public service milieu, the worst is taking place. People who are given jobs in the informal sector are women and the majority of whom are non- South Africans. They are employed in restaurants and garages, as domestic workers and gardeners, as people who execute extremely important jobs in clothing and manufacturing, but exploited as they are not given a living wage. They are not allowed to join unions. They therefore, unfortunately accept

 

exploitation given that should they not, they will be forced to lie in the street and sell their bodies to feed their children.

 

 

The youth face an extremely painful life because yes, although there are policies for the youth and children to access free quality public education, those policies are not implemented. As it has been scientifically proven, only 30 out 100 pupils who began schooling together write their Grade 12 exams, but even those 30 pupils can’t all access post-school education.

 

 

Refer to what is happening today in universities where they are not given National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS. The old and the disabled as well are forever promised a good lives, but the opposite is unfortunate.

 

 

Go to the street corners of South Africa, you will find disabled people with walking sticks, small teenagers begging for a few cents to buy bread. The question is, given the fact that Parliament has and continues to do so, pass Acts, to take care of those poor people, why is the opposite rising daily?

The answer is an open secret, too little is, if at all may be implemented. What must be done is the limiting of quotations

 

which have without doubt become a useless song and government must ... [Time Expired.]

 

 

Mr A M SHAIK-EMAM: Chairperson, I feel a bit vindicated today because a few years ago in this very same House I highlighted the challenges that women were facing and how men were abusing them and having two wives and three wives. And I said in terms of equality the day will come when women too will want to enjoy the same benefit.

 

 

I see many of my brothers are today running for cover when the women are asking for what the men have been abusing for a long period of time. But at the same time, allow me to condemn with the contempt it deserve some of the statements that have been made against women particularly when someone says “If you got three husbands and they all want you on the same night.” Are women sex objects for people to talk like that? I want to condemn that statement and I think we should give them the respect that they rightfully deserve. Another member was talking about women and said “whose child is it going to be if they do a DNA? I think we must condemn some of the statements that are being made by some of the leaders.

 

Let me also say that the high unemployment rate among the youth in the country - even though this has little to do with this particular department, it is a ticking time bomb and these youths are very vulnerable. As a result of that you find that they get into criminal activities.

 

 

On the issue of the persons with disability I think I want to say what I said before, how many political parties in this NA that have got members that have physical disability. I think action must be louder than words and that we don’t seem to find.

 

 

The other issue I want to highlight is the challenges women continue to face particularly in terms of gender-based violence in the courts themselves and in terms of maintenance particularly those men that are self-employed. But I want to reiterate that it is not only the money that is going to make and create a better quality of life and protect these women and children. The men need not to be absent fathers, these children need love and attention. So, we need to go to the root cause of what is creating these dysfunctional families. Why are we having such a high levels of gender-based violence.

 

What went wrong in this family life? When did it go wrong? How did it go wrong? Who must take responsibility for them?

 

 

In fact, I want to reiterate that this department should call for no state department to employ any men who refuses or neglects to pay his maintenance, and that should be your starting point before you even go to the private sector. That is the least we can do to protect them.

 

 

The other problem I want to call for is, I think there must be more legal assistance to those who are suffering gender-based violence and calling for maintenance because the courts are not giving them adequate support. I know my time is up, the NFP supports the budget vote tabled here today. Thank you very much.

 

 

Mr M G E HENDRICKS: Hon Chairperson, Aljamah supports this budget vote and congratulate the Minister on the announcement that we now have the first woman ever as the member of the military command. This opens the doors for women to form part of the standby force for the united states of Africa. The country is now in safer hands with a woman as a member of the Military command.

 

This department has however done little for Muslim women and children and women of other faiths by way of recognition of their religious marriages. We heard the Minister of Home Affairs has refused an interim arrangement and Muslim wives must now wait until 2024 before the National Elections for recognition in spite of the Supreme Court of Appeal’s judgement that the recognition of the nikah must be in place by November 2002. I would like to know if the department is doing proper oversight to protect the dignity of Muslim women.

 

 

I would like to ask the Minister and the department, - have you done oversight on DNA kits and sexual assault kits at police stations and state labs? Do you know which police stations are on a waiting list for DNA test results and are you monitoring that list? Are you doing oversight at schools to check if girls have sanitary pads? Are you checking statements taken at police station so you can tell Parliament that it has prosecutorial muster? Did you check at police stations that J88 forms are completed? Are you happy that trauma counselling and court preparation concerns of victims are in place? Because of these very important responsibilities that your department has Minister, Aljamah supports the budget. Thank you very much.

 

Mr S NCGOBO: Hon Chairperson, the department of youth, women and persons with disabilities has failed dismally.        This department should be playing a key role in protecting the most vulnerable groups in our society and improving their lives.

Yet, it has failed at every turn. This department has consistently failed to prioritise issues affecting persons with disabilities in this country. It has allocated only  R17,4 million for Programme 4, which deals with the rights of persons with disabilities. This is one of the smallest budget allocations in the department and accounts for just over 8% of the department’s overall budget.

 

 

In fact, the department currently spends more money on office accommodation than it does on the entire programme that is dedicated to person with disabilities. This goes to show that the department has left persons with disabilities behind.

Today, in South Africa we still see the exclusion and neglect of persons with disabilities. The question is, what is the Department of Youth, Women and Persons with Disabilities doing to turn this situation around.

 

 

The department has also failed to show how its new regulatory role is going to be incorporated in Programme 4. It is not

 

clear how the department will regulate the implementation of programmes relating to the rights of persons with disabilities. The portfolio committee has consistently asked the department to fast-track the development of the Disability Rights Bill. What is concerning is that in this financial year there is no target on the department’s Annual Performance Plan that tracks the department of such a Bill.

 

 

Hon Chairperson, the department has also failed to come up with effective monitoring framework to monitor the work that is being done by the Department of Social Development in terms of the services rendered to protect and empower person with disabilities. The DA in the Portfolio Committee of Women Youth and Persons with Disabilities recently conducted oversight visits across the country. Visiting nongovernmental organisations, NGOs, in the disability sector. What we have discovered is that the NGOs in this sector are on their knees financially and are no longer able to properly serve the needs of persons with disabilities. One of these NGOs is the Jean Weber House which is a boarding facility for persons with disabilities run by the Free State Association for Persons with Disabilities.

 

The facility currently provides a shelter and essential services for 33 residents and only receives R100 000 from the Department of Social Development. This money is not enough to cover the basic necessities like electricity, water, medical supplies and salaries for workers. The facility currently has a shortfall of R65 000 and will soon close down if does not get enough funding from government. Without proper funding for NGOs like this one, vulnerable South Africans with disabilities are at risk of homelessness and losing access to dignified care and education.

 

 

Now is the time for Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and her department to ensure that there is proper monitoring and regulation of the services that are being offered to persons with disabilities by government. Now is the time for the Minister and her department to rise to the occasion and start listening to the needs of the youth, women and persons with disabilities. Thank you so much, Chairperson.

 

 

Ms F A MASIKO: Hon Chairperson, the ANC rises to support and applaud Budget Vote 20 of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities which caters for the holistic development, protection and protection of the rights of women, youth and

 

persons with disabilities. We applaud the ANC-led government in bestowing a befitting honour to the women of South Africa by dedicating the year 2021 as the year of Mama Charlotte Maxeke. In doing so, we pay tribute to the heroines who sacrificed their lives for our own freedom.

 

 

We celebrate the enormous contribution of the different generations of women who played a role in the realisation of the freedom South Africa now enjoys. The great daughter of the soil, Mama Charlotte Maxeke, spearheaded the course, not only for women but for youth in general, and left us a strong legacy to carry forward the struggle towards the realisation of a better living environment for all vulnerable groups.

 

 

Hon Chairperson, as we debate this year’s budget, we remain resolute that the fighting spirit of Mama Charlotte Maxeke remains alive. The question of the emancipation of the vulnerable must never cease as it is through her work that she cared for all. She served her country and the people with dedication, commitment, sacrifice, loyalty, respect, selflessness and patriotism. We must therefore uphold these values as we continue with the daily struggle towards creating a better future for the people of South Africa.

 

Hon members, the 2021 budget is presented under the state of the nation address priorities with the main focus on defeating Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the most vulnerable groups; accelerating economic recovery; implementing economic reforms to create sustainable jobs and driving inclusive growth; and lastly fighting corruption and strengthening the state.

 

 

This budget therefore responded to the changing dynamics of our society including responding to the main challenges facing our women, youth and persons with disabilities including working together towards alleviating the burdens of the poor. To unequivocally denounce or reject this budget and the development it seeks to usher under this government is to be like the ... [Inaudible.] ... who paraded naked because he was ashamed to express what was.

 

 

Hon members, the ANC invites all hon members to become an integral part of a productive process and a discussion which yields benefits to every woman, young person and persons with disabilities. We remain confident that hon members have the ability and capability to approach this budget with maturity and reason with the goal of empowering and providing for

 

vulnerable groups, a commitment to better their lives and improve the standard of living and not a heavy power of just opposing and hacking away at the benefits and relief offered by this budget. To approach this debate with that mind-set clouded with political partisanship, personal issues and hidden agendas is tantamount to impeding growth and starving the nation, rejecting its women, neglecting the youth and abandoning persons with disabilities.

 

 

Hon Chairperson, the ANC has always promoted and recognised the importance of youth in every generation including acknowledging their struggles at all particular times. The voices of young people could never be ignored nor silenced just as the voices of young people of June 1976. We still hear the echoes of their struggles through the voices of young people of today. We can however assure young South Africans that their cries have never fallen on deaf ears. As the ANC- led government we recognise young people as future leaders of our country that will lead the future generations of tomorrow just as the youth of yesterday.

 

 

The youth continue to experience the devastating challenges of high levels of unemployment, substance abuse, mental health

 

issues, gender-based violence, inequality and poverty which have now been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The high unemployment rate and inequality is mainly due to the structure of the labour markets locking out new entries into the economy — increasing lack of access to opportunities.

However, these challenges are not swept under the carpet and ignored. As the ANC-led government, we recognise the struggles facing the youth of today and have been and will continue to be responsive to the cries and the needs of young people.

 

 

The public service has eliminated barriers of entry in the public service in entry-level positions. These barriers include the scrapping out of experience in entry-level positions. We are adamant of mainstreaming young people into all sectors of the economy and we promise to provide an employment stimulus to create jobs and support livelihoods that have been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. These initiatives will also target young people with the understanding that they are one of the most vulnerable in our society. Government has partnered with the private sector in creating jobs and a large portion of these jobs will be from the private sector.

 

In our manifesto we promised to create employment opportunities for young people through the Presidential Employment Stimulus Package and thus far, over 430 000 employment opportunities have been created by the stimulus package and a further 180 000 employment opportunities are underway. This, hon members, is proof that the ANC-led government is a government that is responsive to the challenges of young people and is prepared to make government and the economy accessible and work for young people. We are proud to say that we have created these opportunities in the education sector, agriculture, arts and culture, global business and early childhood development.

 

 

Hon Chairperson, we cannot mention youth empowerment without mentioning the role of the National Youth Development Agency, NYDA. The NYDA plays a significant role in the development and empowering of young people, including prioritising the role of young people. The budget allocation for the NYDA has increased compared to the previous budget of 2020-21 financial year and majority of their budget has been directed to the programme of youth development in which the bulk of their work is vested in this programme. The programme is responsible for the economic development of young people through youth entrepreneurship,

 

jobs programmes and national youth service. Its main purpose is to enhance the participation of young people in the economy through targeted and integrated national youth services and facilitate and co-ordinate the effective and efficient implementation of the national youth service programme across all sectors of society.

 

 

The NYDA plays an important role in assisting young entrepreneurs through grant funding and business support. The agency played a huge role as well in assisting youth-owned businesses that were impacted by the pandemic to stay afloat by providing the business support and grant relief. In partnership with the Department of Small Business Development in response to the huge challenge of unemployment, the NYDA provided business support through grant funding to 1000 youth owned enterprise entrepreneurs in 100 days. Some of the achievements of the NYDA include the support of 20 000 youth with nonfinancial business development interventions, 5 000 jobs created and sustained through supporting entrepreneurs and enterprises participating on the national pathway management network to facilitate youth jobs placement opportunities. Fifty thousand young people were capacitated with skills to enter the job market. Forty organisations and

 

departments lobbied to implement the NYS programme as well as produce an annual report and 10 000 young people participated in NYS expended volunteer project.

 

 

Hon Chairperson and hon members, we are a government that intends to listen to the voices of our youth including paying greater attention to mental health issues that are affecting young people. We also need to encourage a culture of expression and utilise channels that already exist to support people going through depression and mental health related issues. This is to avoid young people venturing into the comfort of substance abuse and committing suicide.

 

 

We need more young people to be involved in the fight against gender-based violence and be vocal against bullying in schools. It is unacceptable that we have young people taking their lives at such an early age because they are afraid to go to school because of being bullied.

 

 

The ANC will always be in support of the most vulnerable and is a believer that women, young people and persons with disabilities are game changers in the economy and can also participate in alleviating unemployment through innovation.

 

That is why as the ANC we move in support of the Vote 20 Budget of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. I thank you, Chairperson.

 

 

The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY FOR WOMEN, YOUTH AND PERSONS

 

WITH DISABILITIES: Hon House Chair, thank you hon members for the time we spend together from all our respective parties. I really cannot thank you enough hon member Masuku. We all have to focus on issues of mental health as its beginning to affect our people at all ages – adults and youth and in particular with the heightened cases of COVID-19. This is a time when South Africans should be looking for solutions together. As for women, we learnt from Mme Makgomo Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke that if we did not have women, our societies would have suffered more. Here we had a woman who was a daughter, a mother, a wife, a scientist, a teacher, a woman who fought patriarchy every day and urged us to join in and do exactly that.

 

 

The youth of this country are very fortunate. Yes, the youth have many challenges but they are not alone, they have adults in the ANC and other card-carrying parties who would want to fight this battle with them and also, if I am say – for them,

 

because the future of every country belongs to those who are still young and who would not have to go through what their elders had to go through. So, I agree with the hon Madisha. There are hon members that I am seeing for the first time in the House, and I heard from them that we are wasting money on accommodation. Actually, where I am sitting, COVID-19 or no COVID-19, I don’t know if 30 people can be fed. On top of that there is an expired lease, but we keep going.

 

 

With regard to disabled children, men and women, they need no scorn or look the other way. They don’t need to think of race but they are looking forward to our support. When we met with them and the President for the first time, they said to us that they are not asking for handouts, but they are asking for support. As for painful issues of gender-based violence and femicide, all over the world nations respect South Africa’s policies even with the Beijing ... [Inaudible.] ... in New York, the clarion call was South Africa was doing very well.

 

 

Remember that everywhere else countries are talking about gender-based violence. It is us who added femicide. The reason why is because our President saw this he said because of the high rate of femicide, even women who go to this ...

 

[Inaudible.] ... say that South Africa is maybe the only country where women are slaughtered more than in any war situation. The President made a call therefore that we should deal with the issues of COVID-19 like we would deal with issues of gender-based violence and femicide. He even established a committee, which I chair – the interministerial committee, IMC, which has the Police, Justice, Social Development and so on.

 

 

One day at 12 in the night, the Minister of Police called me and asked if they are now requested to place a policeman on the doorstep of every adult couple because people who are supposed to love and protect women are the ones who are slaughtering them in a peaceful South Africa. So, that is why we have gone beyond that – yes we have the National Strategic Plan, NSP. We have looked at all other mechanisms. We will be moving a Bill soon which will bring about a council.

 

 

All this are about protecting women whose enemies is patriarchy and inferior men who see women as just weaklings that they can play upon. We will fight patriarchy with the same zeal as Mme Makgomo Charlotte Maxeke has done. We are ready. Beyond that we are calling on South Africans who do not

 

suffer from mental health – men and women. We have started groups of men, young people and so on, coming together to support us.

 

There is no way we can defeat gender-based violence by just telling us in every meeting, for example, that you stay next to a police station and you saw this and that. Come and join to save women of South Africa – hard working women. Mma Maxeke says come with us, and stop being by yourself and join those who want to help. Don’t just look at people, work with them.

If you can, take some with you so that we can all live in the South Africa that we all dreamt and wanted. The South Africa where all women, heroines and other heros have fought and died for like Mme Makgomo Mannya-Maxeke. I thank you, House Chair.

 

 

Debate concluded.

 

 

The mini-plenary at 16:00

 

 

 

---