National Assembly Cape Town:
28 March 2007
Chairperson,
The IFP welcomes the fact that the total Social Development budget
for 2007/08 amounts to R67 billion which is R4, 8 billion or 7% more
than 2006/07. Our system of social development and social assistance
to the poor is to a large extent dependent on available funding and
the fact that such a large percentage of our national resources is
spent on services to the poor is laudable.
In this respect, it is then no surprise that the Social Development
budget is dominated by spending on Comprehensive Social Security
which amounts to R66, 6 billion or almost 99% of the total budget.
Cash transfers for social assistance grants remain the largest item
of expenditure on the budget with more than 11 million South
Africans now receiving social assistance in the form of old age,
disability and child support grants. This figure is expected to grow
to about 12 million by the end of March 2007.
The IFP in particular welcomes the fact that, over the next three
financial years, the department's budget is expected to grow by
another R4, 9 billion to cater for the extension of the child
support grant to children of 14 years of age.
If we were to look at some of the Comprehensive Social Security
measures in more detail it becomes clear that the budget provides
for R22 billion for old age grants; R15 billion for disability
grants and R19 billion for child support grants. The latter grant
has grown from just R7 billion in 2003/04.
We certainly welcome government's commitment to increased social
welfare spending borne out by the fact that total social assistance
spending increased from 2, 9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 3,
3% of GDP in the last financial year. The main reason for this is
the increase in the number of beneficiaries, with the figure almost
doubling since 2003/04.
Of course, available funding is only part of the welfare equation
while delivery is paramount. The IFP therefore welcomes the fact
that some of the biggest budget allocation increases for 2007/08 can
be found in strengthening departmental capacity, overseeing and
supporting key institutions, implementation of the social assistance
management information management system by the South African Social
Security Agency (SASSA), creation of a departmental integrated
management information system and for social worker scholarships.
These are all fundamental aspects that we hope will further improve
delivery to poor South Africans.
Chairperson,
Allow me to now turn to some vital policy and implementation issues.
We certainly welcome increased funding for bursaries and increased
pay for social workers. We have consistently over the years raised
this issue, but by now we have to ask whether it is not too little,
too late?
The quality of Welfare Services provided depends absolutely on the
quality and availability of experienced professionals. While we
appreciate the additional R365 million allocation, we need to note
the Deputy Minister's concern which we share, that the
implementation of the Children's' Act alone will require an
additional 16000 Social Workers over the next three years.
According to recent reports, South African universities are only
producing 500 new social workers per year at the moment and the
target appears almost impossible.
The process of extending bursaries needs constant monitoring to
ensure suitability of candidates and possibly an undertaking to
serve a specific number of years in Government Service so that these
newly qualified people are not lured into more profitable
employment.
The IFP originally opposed the establishment of the Social Security
Agency, but since government ignored our concerns and went ahead
anyway, we now have to deal with the reality of its existence.
We would of course insist on the closest oversight from the
beginning of the full implementation of the SASSA service. We would
also question how many of the previous Service Providers are still
under contract to provide similar services than before?
Considering the numerous problems experienced with service providers
in the past under the old system, perhaps the Minister could
enlighten us on this matter during his reply to the debate?
The IFP will support the comprehensive social security scheme that
is on the cards. It is only reasonable that those who are employed
should look towards providing for their own futures and thereby
releasing funds for those who are truly destitute and need state
support.
However, there are still many millions of people that on a daily
basis fall between the cracks of the social assistance measures in
place. Those that are truly in need of State support, orphaned
children and child-headed families in particular, are still being
short changed and it is here that we really need to rethink
sustainable options to ensure that these children access schools,
medical care and nutritious meals.
Research on the numbers of especially children affected in this way
differs. For this reason the IFP feels that we need to launch
a dedicated programme to identify these households and the numbers
of orphans and deal with them as a separate issue requiring special
interventions. In this regard, church-based and other organs of
Civil Society could be of immense assistance to the government and
the community.
The IFP welcomes the strong action of the authorities against grant
fraud and that the Minister has initiated an ongoing process of
weeding out fraudulent claims. In this way, more than 200 000 grants
have either been cancelled or have lapsed because of non-collection.
It is encouraging to hear that already there are more than 10 000
cases for prosecuting and civil debt recovery. However, we need to
ensure that the civil recovery process has a strong punitive element
to discourage grant fraud.
The IFP welcomes the actions taken against public servants who were
involved in grant fraud and we understand that almost 6 000 have
started paying back the millions they derived from their criminal
actions.
At this point about 2 000 civil servants are to face disciplinary
action and we hope that the ongoing investigations into the others
will be concluded swiftly so that they too may be charged if the
facts support such action.
Chairperson,
In conclusion, the IFP wants to reiterate its support for the
increased funding allocated to Social Development this year, and we
will continue to support measures to properly deliver much needed
social services to millions of needy South Africans.
We will at the same time be vigilant and will continue to monitor
whether the Department is actually delivering on its promises.
Thank you
