Contrary to the ANC's propaganda reflected in some recent news stories, the IFP has always been in favour of child support grants. After all, our Constitution guarantees every individual's right to social security and appropriate social assistance.  

If anything, we in the IFP have consistently advocated a substantial increase in welfare benefits for all who qualify for them. We believe that appropriate social assistance means just that: social support grants need to be continually and more flexibly re-evaluated on the basis of need amid changing economic and personal circumstances. 

In our advocacy of social assistance, we have gone even further than others. While the ruling party wasted precious time denying the grim reality of the HIV/Aids crisis, the IFP recognised that the pandemic had created a whole new category of potential welfare recipients, such as Aids orphans and children who head households. These are the very individuals whom we have long encouraged to get registered with the Department of Social Welfare as welfare recipients.  

The only concern about social grants in general we ever voiced as a political party was that an unqualified approach to welfare could land us with an irreversible culture of dependency. Hence our cogent welfare policy that stipulates that social grants be not only targeted, means-tested and monitored but significantly increased where necessary. 

While our lifelong focus as a political organisation has been on self-help and self-reliance, we appreciate that there are tangible limits to these virtues. There are individuals - and children, various dependants and orphans in particular - whose capacity for self-help and self-reliance is very limited indeed.  

Our message to them, their relatives and guardians is clear. Social assistance, as we in the IFP see it, is their constitutional right as much as it is the duty of the government to provide it.

Dr Lionel Mtshali

Leader of the Official Opposition

Contact: Dr Lionel Mtshali, 083 256 4902