Cape Town – A total of R113 billion of the Department of Social Development’s R120 billion budget will go towards the payment of social assistance grants, Minister Bathabile Dlamini told Parliament today.
Tabling her budget vote on Wednesday, Dlamini said more than 16 million South Africans received social assistance from the government.
“I must emphasize 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,” the minister said.
By putting money directly into the hands of the poor, particularly women, the government had improved the lives of South African children in matters such as nutrition, better education outcomes, health care and job-seeking behaviour.
“These solidarity-based policies ensured that the impact of the on-going global economic meltdown and financial crisis was less severe in South Africa,” said Dlamini, adding that more than 370 000 food parcels were being distributed to beneficiaries every month.
A total of 20.7 million people had participated in the national campaign to roll out a biometric-based payment social grant system. The new system has led to the cancellation of over 150 000 social grants, leading to an annual saving of R150 million.
Thanking all South Africans who participated, Dlamini said: “I would like to assure all South Africans that no qualifying beneficiaries will have their grants cancelled.”
She urged all beneficiaries who have not re-registered to urgently do so.
The minister committed her ministry to carrying out a pledge made by President Jacob Zuma, who said in 2009: “For as long as there are children who do not have the means or opportunity to receive a decent education, we shall not rest. And we dare not falter in our drive to eradicate poverty.”
It was with this goal in mind, as well as its fight against the root causes of poverty, that the department had identified the provision of Early Childhood Development (ECD) as pivotal in achieving its Vision 2030 goal.
Many of the commitments made in 2010 to expand the coverage of ECD have been met, said Dlamini.
“To date, over 900 000 children benefit from this programme and we are on course to deliver on our mandate to provide ECD services by 2014,” the minister said.
Dlamini committed her department to eradicating violence against women and girls, and pledged to protect the rights of all senior citizens. An Inter-Ministerial Committee has been formed to fight this scourge.
This year, Cabinet will be presented with a Programme of Action to eliminate violence against women and children. All sections of society will be mobilised to fight this social ill, Dlamini said.
By the end of this month, Cabinet will also receive the National Drug Master Plan from the Central Drug Authority for final approval.
According to Dlamini, there was a recognised link between alcohol and substance abuse and violence against women and children.
A Draft Control of Marketing of Alcoholic Beverages Bill, which aims to restrict the marketing of alcoholic beverages as well as reduce the hours during which alcohol can be sold, will also be laid before Cabinet this year, before public consultations.
“Each of these measures is a step towards reducing the heavy health, social and economic burden of alcohol and substance abuse in our country,” Dlamini said.
She said she would not rest until “we succeed in our mission to ensure that all people in South Africa are and feel safe, in particular, we must eradicate violence against women and girls in our country”.
On fighting fraud and corruption, Dlamini said that in the 2012/13 financial year, about 7 700 cases of fraud had been registered. More than 50 percent of these cases have been finalised and closed.
Dlamini appealed to all social grant beneficiaries not to give their SASSA cards and pin numbers to micro lenders. – SAnews.gov.za
