SUTH AFRICA EAR 20115€¦ · SUTH AFRICA EAR 20115 353 The strategic goals for the Department of Social Development (DSD) are to: • review and reform social welfare services and

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The strategic goals for the Department of Social Development (DSD) are to:• reviewandreformsocialwelfareservicesandfinancing

•improve and expand early childhooddevelopmentprovision

•deepen social assistance and extend thescope of the contributory social securitysystem

•enhance the capabilities of communities toachievesustainablelivelihoodsandhouseholdfoodsecurity

•strengthencoordination,integration,planning,monitoringandevaluationof services.SouthAfrica has made good progress in buildingsocial cohesion and promoting a new singlenational identity. The biggest barrier toincreasing social cohesion is the remaining inequality in society, which needs to beattendedto.

Morethanhalfofallhouseholds inSouthAfricabenefit from government’s social assistanceprogramme.Comprehensivesocialsecurityalleviatesand

reduces poverty, vulnerability, social exclusionand inequality througha comprehensive socialprotectionsystem.Empoweringyoungandoldpeople,thosewith

disabilitiesaswellaswomeninparticular,helpsrebuildfamiliesandcommunities.Welfare services create and provide social

protection to the most vulnerable of societythrough the delivery of social welfare servicesviaprovincialgovernmentandnon-profitorgani-sation(NPO)structures.

BudgetA total of R113 billion (93%) of the DSD R120 billion budget went towards the payment ofsocialgrants.The social assistance budget has increased

byanaverageof11%ayearsince2008/09,inpart due to the extension of the child supportgranttotheageof18.

Legislation and frameworksThe department derives its mandate from thefollowinglegislation:• Advisory Board on Social Development Act,

2001 (Act 3 of 2001) • Children’sAct,2005(Act38of2005)• Children’s Amendment Act, 2007 (Act 41 of2007)

• Fund-RaisingAct,1978(Act107of1978)• MentalHealthcareAct,2002(Act17of2002)• NationalWelfareAct,1978(Act100of1978)• NationalDevelopmentAgency(NDA)Act,1998(Act108of1998)

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Arts and CultureSocial Development

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• NPOAct,1997(Act71of1997)• OlderPersonsAct,2006(Act13of2006)• PreventionandTreatmentofDrugDependencyAct,1992(Act20of1992)

• PreventionofandTreatmentforSubstanceAbuseAct,2008(Act70of2008)

• ProbationServicesAct,1991(Act116of1991)• SouthAfricanSocialSecurityAgency(Sassa)Act,2004(Act9of2004)

• SocialAssistanceAmendmentAct,2008(Act6of2008)

• SocialServiceProfessionsAct,1978(Act110of 1978). The Act also provides for theappointment of the Independent Tribunal ina way to be prescribed by regulation, andcontainsanumber of technical amendmentsandcorrections.• In terms of the Social Assistance

Amendment Act, 2010 (Act 5 of 2010),beneficiaries and other applicants maynow ask Sassa to reconsider the relevantdecision before appealing to the tribunal.Allapplications for appeal must now show thatthey have gone through the reconsiderationprocessatSassa.

In March 2014, the Women Empowerment andGenderEqualityBillwas passed in theNationalAssembly. The Bill calls for the progressiverealisation of at least 50% representation of womenindecision-makingstructures.Italsoaimsat improving access to education, training andskillsdevelopment.TheBillpromotesandprotectswomen’s reproductive health, and eliminatesdiscrimination and harmful practices, includinggender-basedviolence..

National Family PolicyTheDSDistaskedwithimplementingtheNationalFamily Policy and provides training in family-preservation services, marriage preparation andenrichment, parenting/primary care-giving andfamiliesincrisistoserviceprovidersintheareaoffamilyservices.

The Green Paper on Families emphasises the needforall tobuildstrongfamilies thatprotectthemostvulnerablemembersofsociety.ThepurposeoftheGreenPaperistoprovide

aplatformforallSouthAfricanstoengageandexchangeviewsonhowtobuildstablefamilies.It also addresses some of the challenges

faced by individuals in families, including theabuseofwomenandchildren,theelderlyaswellaspeoplewithdisabilities.

Child care legislationTheChildren’s Act of 2005 sets out principlesrelating to the care and protection of children; defines parental responsibilities and rights;

and provides for matters such as children’scourts,adoption,childabductionandsurrogatemotherhood.

The Act also: • gives effect to certain rights of children ascontainedintheConstitution

• providesfortheissuingofcontributionorders• providesforintercountryadoption• gives effect to the Hague Convention on IntercountryAdoption

• prohibits child abduction and gives effect totheHagueConventionon InternationalChildAbduction

• recognisesnewoffencesrelatingtochildren• providesformattersrelatingto thetraffickingof children and the implementation of therelevantprotocol.

The Children’s Act of 2005 provides for theestablishment of the National Child ProtectionRegisterthatrecordsallpeoplefoundunsuitabletoworkwithchildren.In terms of this law, child-care facilities,

including welfare organisations offering fostercareandadoption,areabletocheckprospect-ive employees, foster parents and adoptiveparentsagainsttheregister.Theregister isnotopento thepublicandall

requestsforinformationmustbedirectedtotheDSD.The Children’s Amendment Act of 2007

providesfor:• thepartialcareofchildren• earlychildhooddevelopment(ECD)• protectionofchildren• preventionandearly-interventionservices• childreninalternativecare• foster care• child and youth care centres, shelters anddrop-incentres

• newoffencesrelatingtochildren• theplightofchild-headedhouseholds• respectforparentalrightsbyprovidingthatnopersonmaytakeorsendaSouthAfricanchildoutof thecountrywithout theconsentof theparentsorguardian

• thedisciplineofchildren.The national guidelines to protect and care forchildren includetheConstitution, theChildCareAct, 1983 (Act 74 of 1983), as amended, theWhite Paper for Social Welfare (1997) and theChildren’sActof2005,asamended.Section 137 of the Children’s Act of 2005,

proposes new protection measures for child-headedhouseholds.This section defines children from child-

headedhouseholds,providesforappointinganadult to supervise a child-headed householdandallowschildreninchild-headedhouseholds


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to access social grants and other materialassistance.

Role playersMinistry of WomenThe Ministry of Women is situated in ThePresidency. Its mandate is to lead, coordinateand oversee the transformation agenda onwomen’s socio-economic empowerment, rightsandequality.

National Development Agency TheNDAisapublicentity,listedunderSchedule3A of the Public Finance Management Act,(PFMA)1999(Act1of1999).Itsmandatesareto:• contribute towards theeradicationofpovertyand its causes by granting funds to civil-societyorganisations(CSOs)

• implement development projects in poorcommunities

• strengthen the institutional capacityofCSOsthatprovideservicestopoorcommunities

• promoteconsultation,dialogueandsharingofdevelopmentexperiencebetweenCSOsandrelevant organs of State

• debatedevelopmentpolicy• undertake researchandpublicationaimedatprovidingthebasisfordevelopmentpolicy.

TheNDAsupports theworkofcivilsociety inkeyareasofconcern.Itisanimportantpartnerinthedepartment’s

efforts topromoteECDbyusing itsgrants tostrengthenthecapacitiesofECDcommunity-service organisations, which support thedepartment’seffortstoreduceviolenceagainstwomenandchildrenbyprovidingkeysupporttothegender-basedviolencesector.NDA programmes include grant funding,

capacity-buildingand research,policydialogueandimpactassessment.Capacity-building interventions are geared

towardsensuringthatrecipientsofgrantfundingarenotonlygivenmoneytostartandruntheirprojects,but that theyareempoweredwith thenecessaryskillstoensuresustainability.The NDA has established the Programme

Management Unit, which is responsible forofferingprojectmanagementservicestoprivateandpublic-sectorstakeholderswhowishtofundpoverty-eradicationprojects.Particular emphasis is placed on those in

theNDA’sprimaryareasof focus,namelyfoodsecurity, ECD, enterprise development andincomegenerationprogrammes.

South African Social Security AgencySassa’s core business is to administer,

financeandpaysocialsecuritytransfers.Theagencyisrequiredto:• develop and implement policies, pro-grammes, standard operating proceduresand systems for an efficient and effectivesocial assistance benefits administrationsystem

• deliver innovative and cost-effective ser-vices to beneficiaries and potential benefi-ciaries through multiple access channels

• paytherightgranttotherightpersonattherighttimeandplace.

Sassa ensures the provision of comprehen-sive social security services against vulner-ability and poverty within the constitutionalandlegislativeframework.The agency’s key functions include the

effective management, administration andpaymentofsocialassistance,aswellas:• the processing of applications for social assistance,suchassocialgrants,grant-in-aidandsocialreliefofdistress

• theverificationandtimelyapprovalofgrantapplications

• themanagementandreconciliationofgrantpayments to eligible beneficiaries by con-tractors

• themarketingofsocialassistance• quality service assurance by ensuringcompliancewithnormsandstandards,andfraudpreventionanddetection.

From January 2014, social grant beneficiar-ies,whousePINcodestoaccesstheirsocialgrantsatATMsortillpointshadtoverifyeachmonththattheywerestillalivethroughrecord-ing their voices as part of a voice activation system and then phone in once amonth sothattheirvoicescanbeverified,therebyprov-ingtheyarestillalive.The voice activation process was done in

twophases.Thefirstphasetargeted378815beneficiar-

ies in Mpumalanga who were each sent anSMSinJanuary2014.Phase2startedinMarch2014,andinvolved

all other beneficiarieswhowere not sent anSMSinJanuary,butareusingaPINtoaccesstheirgrants.Efforts by Sassa to clamp down on social

grant fraudare yieldingpositive results,withtheagencysavingR150millionayear.Since the implementation of the project to

re-registerlistedbeneficiaries,Sassareceivedrequestsforvoluntarycancellationofover150000socialgrants,whichhadincreasedto299837byFebruary2014.Atotalof18,9millionpeopleweresuccess-

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theendofMarch2014andhad increasedto20,7million.There-registrationresultedinlifecertification of all beneficiaries, children andprocurators.Through the Integrated Community Regis-

trationOutreachProgramme(ICROP),61110beneficiariesin430povertywardshadaccesstosocialassistanceduring2014.TheICROPwas established to improve access to andequityinservicestobeneficiariesinruralandsemi-ruralareas.In 2014/15, Sassa paid 16 million social

grant benefits monthly to about 9,5 millionrecipients.

Advisory Board on Social DevelopmentTheAdvisoryBoardonSocialDevelopment’skeyfunctionsinclude:• advising theMinisteronallmatters relatedtosocialdevelopment

• identifying,promoting,monitoringandevaluatingpolicy, legislationand programmes regardingsocialdevelopment

• facilitating dialogue with and the partici-pationofcivilsociety.

South African Council of Social Service Professionals (SACSSP)TheSACSSPisastatutorybodywiththeprimaryfocusofdevelopingandprotectingthe integrityofthesocialserviceprofessionsandtheinterestofthepublicatlarge.TheSACSSP isestablished in termsofsec-

tion 2 of the Social Service Professions Act,1978(Act110of1978).TheCouncilguidesandregulatessocialwork-

ersandsocialauxiliaryworkersandotherprofes-sionalsforwhoaProfessionalBoardhasbeenestablishedinaspectspertainingtoregistration,educationandtraining,professionalconductandethical behaviour, ensuring continuing profes-sional development, and fostering compliancewithhealthcarestandards.Thecouncilhastwoprofessionalboardsunder

its auspices: •TheProfessionalBoardforSocialWorkers.• The Professional Board for Child and Youth

Care

National Action Committee for Children Affected by HIV and AIDS TheNationalCommitteeforChildrenAffectedbyHIVandAIDS is amultisectoral structuremadeupofgovernmentdepartments,CSOs,development agencies and donor organi-sations.Itisaformalstructureusedforcollaborative

planning and decision-making concerningissues pertaining to orphans and otherchildrenmadevulnerablebyHIVandAIDS.It has a steering committee initiated

through consultations between governmentdepartments, civil society and non-govern-mentalorganisations(NGOs),andiscurrentlycomposed of representatives of governmentandcivilsociety.Thecommittee ischairedby theDSD,and

co-chairedbyanominatedmemberfromcivilsociety.

Relief boardsFourrelieffundboardswereestablishedintermsofSection16oftheFund-RaisingActof1978.• Board of the Disaster Relief Fund: The keyfunctions of the board are to assist people,organisationsandbodies thatsufferdamageorlossasaresultofadisaster.

• Board of the Refugee Relief Fund: The keyfunctionsaretoassistrefugeesastheboardmaydeemfairandreasonable.

• Board of the State President’s Fund: Thisboard’s functionsare toassistvictimsofanyact of terrorism in respect of their medicaltreatment and rehabilitation, and assist suchvictims and their dependants during anyfinancialhardshiporfinancialdistresscauseddirectlyorindirectlybyanyactofterrorism.

• Board of the Social Relief Fund: The keyfunctions of the board are to make fundsavailable to organisations capable of assisting people with psychosocial challenges, andrenderingsuchsocialdistressrelieftovictimsofviolence.

Non-profit organisations TheNPODirectorateoftheDSDadministerstheRegisterofNPOsinSouthAfrica.It is a voluntary registration facility that

enhances the credibility of the registeredNPOasitreportstoapublicoffice.Registration promotes effective, efficient and

accountablemanagementwithinthesector.To strengthen the capacity of NPOs, the

departmentwill continue tobuild their capacityandmonitortheircompliancetolegislation.Oneof the functions of the department is to

monitor all registered NPOs in terms of theircompliancewiththeNPOActof1997.Thecomplianceratehasimprovedby26%.Training was provided to 1 200 NPOs and

community-basedorganisations(CBOs).Planstostrengthenthesectorinclude:

• increasingthenumberofstaffinthedepartmentwhodealwithregistrations

• increasing the number of road shows to


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provide information and listen to challengesfacedbythesector.

Programmes and projects 16 Days of Activism of No Violence Against Women and ChildrenThe16DaysofActivismofNoViolenceAgainstWomen and Children is an annual awarenesscampaignobservedglobally.Itaddressespolicyandlegalissuesandcalls

fortheeliminationofall formsofgender-basedviolence.In 2014, government launched the 16 Days

ofActivismforNoViolenceagainstWomenandChildrencampaigninReigerPark,Gauteng.The 2014 campaign coincided with the

commemoration of 60 years since the signingof the Women’s Charter on 17 April 1954 inJohannesburg, the 20 years of freedom anddemocracy inSouthAfricaand16yearsof the16DaysofActivismCampaign.The2014campaignwasheldunderthetheme

“Count Me In. Together moving a non-violentSouthAfricaforward.”Thecampaignrunsfrom25November,which

was officially recognised by the UN in 1999as the International Day for the Elimination ofViolenceagainstWomen.South Africa has added children to the

campaign,asthereisgrowingconcernabouttheincreasingviolenceagainstchildren.The campaign ends on 10 December –

InternationalHumanRightsDay.Otherimportantdayscommemoratedannually

during this 16-day period include World AIDSDayon1Decemberand the InternationalDayforPersonswithDisabilitieson3December.

Project MikondzoProjectMikondzo (whichmeans “footprint” inXitsonga)compelsoffice-boundofficials fromthedepartment,theNDAandtheSassatojoinfrontlineofficialsto interactwithcommunitiesin a bid to tackle social problems such aspoverty,malnutrition,violenceagainstwomenandchild-headedhouseholds.The 1 300 wards form part of 23 district

municipalities from seven provinces, whichCabinethasprioritisedforadditionalsupport.TheprojectincludesanauditofECDcentres

andthesettingupofacommandcentrewithatoll-freehotlineopen24hoursaday,sevendaysaweek.Italsoincludesasubstanceabuseawareness

campaign targeting sports and music events,thetargetingofgender-basedviolenceandthestrengtheningofNPOs.The project helps government reach the

abouttwomillionchildrenwhoqualifyforCSGsbut who have not registered with Sassa toreceivegrants.TheprojectisfundedbySassaandtheDSD.The audit of ECD centres, which covered

19 971 registered and unregistered centres,establishes the kind of services these centresoffer and the quality of infrastructure andresourcesavailabletothem.About 1 000 unemployed youths had been

recruitedandtrainedtocarryouttheaudit.Thedepartmentbegan trainingcaregivers to

improve assistance to child and youth-headedhouseholds.Thedepartmentaudited92000child-headed

households that are in the Statistics SouthAfrica database to ensure compliance withtheChildren’sActof2005definitionofachild-headedhousehold.Anti-Substance Abuse Programme of Action Alcohol advertising is regulated by the LiquorAct, 2003 (Act 59 of 2003) which outlinesthe guidelines for liquor advertising. Thealcohol industry is self-regulated by the Codeof Commercial Communication of Alcohol Beverages,somethingtowhichmostcompaniesandadvertisersadhere.InAugust2014,duetostrongdisagreements

ontheadverseeconomicimpactoftheControlof Marketing ofAlcohol Beverages Bill, it wasdecidedthat,beforeitwaspublishedinthelocaljournal for public comment, an IndependentRegulatory ImpactAssessmentwasconductedtoinvestigatetheeconomicandsocietalimpactoftheBill.TheCentralDrugAuthorityBoarddeveloped

regulationsforthePreventionofandTreatmentforSubstanceAbuseActof2008.

The Act complements both the National Drug Master Plan (2013 – 2017) and theAnti-SubstanceAbuseProgramme.TheActprovidesforacomprehensivenational

response for combating substance abuse in South Africa through:• mechanismsaimedat reducingdemandand

harm in relation to substance abuse through prevention, early intervention, treatment andre-integrationprogrammes

• registration and establishment of treatmentcentresandhalfwayhouses

• thecommittalofpersonstoandfromtreatmentcentresandfortheirtreatment.

Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) TheEPWP is a nationwide programmeunderthe auspices of government and state-ownedenterprises.


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The programme provides an importantavenue for labour absorption and incometransfers to poor households in the short tomedium term. It is also a deliberate attemptbypublicsectorbodies touseexpenditureongoodsandservicestocreatejobopportunitiesfortheunemployed.EPWP projects employ workers on

a temporary or ongoing basis either bygovernment,bycontractors,orbyNGOsunderthe Ministerial Conditions of Employment for the EPWP or learnership employment conditions.

Early Childhood DevelopmentGovernmenthas identifiedECDasakey focusarea in its effort to improve the quality of basiceducationandcareforchildren.The department recognises that one of the

waysofbreaking thecycleof inter-generationalpoverty is investment in children to aid theirdevelopment,especiallyfromtheagesof0–4.

There are plans in place to ensure that all ECD centresareregisteredandearlychildhoodpracti-tioners appropriately trained. Programmes forparentaltrainingarealsointhepipeline.

War on Poverty CampaignThe Cooperative Shop Project is aimed atcombatingpovertybylinkingsocialgrantbenefi-ciaries (particularly the caregivers of childrenreceivingCSGsandothervulnerablegroupstomeaningful socio-economic opportunities. Thedepartmentand itsentitieswill identify cooper-atives that need support, with the intention ofdevelopingtheskillsofthecooperativemembersto ensure they are able to produce goods ofquality.Theproject is in linewith thedevelopmental

agenda of government and could be seen asanadditiontothegrantsthatareprovided.Theprimaryintentionisnottotakepeopleoutofthegrantsystembuttoprovideopportunitiesforgrantbeneficiariestosupplementtheirincome.Child poverty in South Africa has declined

butmorestill needs tobedone,according toareport released by the South African HumanRightsCommission(SAHRC)InJune2014.TheSAHRCand theUNChildren’sFundSAbasedthe report, “Poverty traps and social exclusionamong children in SouthAfrica”, on a study. Itsaidaccordingto three incomeandexpendituresurveys, the estimated poverty rate decreasedfrom65%in2000tojustbelow40%in2010.Thechildpoverty ratedropped from76%in2000 tojustbelow50%in2010.Education, health, assets, social networks,

family,andgeographyarehighlightedasareasthat

requireinterventiontoescapepoverty.Accordingtothereport,poverty-strickenhouseholdsareatgreaterriskofcontractingdisease.Often,healthproblemslowerproductivity.Illhealthcaninduceperpetualpovertyfromnutritiondeficienciesandundernourishment can affect behaviour. Childhungeraffectedtheabilityto learnandfunction.Policy interventions that improve children’shealthcandramaticallyincreasetheirchancesofescapingpoverty.

Food for All ProgrammeThe department is tasked with facilitating andmonitoringtheimplementationoftheFoodforAllProgramme.Tothisend,distressedhouseholdswerebeing

providedwithfoodthroughthedepartmentandFoodBankSouthAfricaprogramme.While social relief of distress provides short-

term relief for poor households, governmentrecognisesthatlonger-termsolutionsareneeded.Government is committed to improving its

efforts at ensuring food security for all in thecountry,startingwithvulnerablehouseholdsandcommunities.Tothisend,householdshavebeenassistedin

establishingfoodgardenstoproducetheirownfood,thusparticipatingintheirowndevelopment.

Social security and assistanceFromApril2014,theoldageanddisabilitygrantsincreased from R1 270 to R1 350; the fostercare grant to R830; while child support grantsincreasedtoR310amonthinAprilandR320inOctober.Thenumberofpeopleeligible forgrantswas

expectedtoincreaseto16,5millioninthenextthreeyears.SouthAfrica’ssocialassistancesystemisone

ofthelargestinAfricaandisgovernment’smostdirect means of combatting poverty. Spendingon the social grant systemaccounts for 3%ofthegrossdomesticproductand isprojected torisefromR118billionin2013/14toR145billionby2016.Thechildsupportandoldagegrantsare the

two largest grant programmes, constitutingabout75%oftotalgrantspending.Over the past decade, the number of social

grantbeneficiarieshasdoubledfrom7,9millionin2003to15,8millionin2014largelyduetoanexpansionofthechildsupportgrant.Otherinitiativesincludemakingitcompulsory

for retirement funds to identify appropriatepreservation funds for exiting members whenchangingjobs.Retirement funds are required to guide their

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savings into a regular income after retirement and to choose annuity products that meetappropriateprinciplesandstandards.Thetaxtreatmentsofpension,providentand

retirement annuity fundswill also be simplifiedandharmonised.Governancereformsofretirementfundswere

implemented and measures put in place toensure that trustees of retirement funds weretrainedoncetheyhavebeenappointed.Tax deductions of pension and retirement

annuity funds, as well as contributions toprovident funds and employer contributionsthat constitute fringe benefits, were increasedto 27,5%of remuneration or taxable income–whicheverthegreatermaybe.This simplifies the way deductions for

retirement annuities, fringe benefits andpensionfundsarecalculated.AnannualcapondeductiblecontributionsofR350000isapplied.

Job creation and alleviating poverty National Youth Development Agency (NYDA)InNovember2014,theDSDpublishedthe2014StateoftheWorldPopulationReport,revealingthatcountriesmustinvestmoreintheyouth.The theme of the 2014 State of the World

PopulationReportwas“Thepowerof1,8billion:adolescence, youth and the transformation ofthefuture.”The report provides the latest trends and

statistics on adolescent and youth populationsworldwide, which gives the department anopportunity to reflect onSouthAfrica and howit is doing (compared to the rest of the globe)concerning the issues contained in this reportregardingyoungpeople.TheMid-yearPopulationEstimatesbyStatistics

SouthAfrica (StatsSA)show thatSouthAfricastill has a relatively young population. Twothirds of the population is younger than 35yearsold.Thoseaged15to35years,whicharedefinedas youth, comprise almost 40%of thetotalpopulation.Theyoutharealso the fastestgrowingagegroupinthecountry.Thistrendcreatestheprospectforaso-called

“DemographicDividend”,inwhichresourcesareinvested into activities that promote social andeconomicdevelopmentandgrowth.SouthAfrica,likemostcountries,isgrappling

with the challenge of youth unemployment.YouthunemploymentinSouthAfricaisestimatedto be 36,1%,which is significantly higher thanadultunemploymentat15,6%.Government has recognised the problem of

pooreconomicparticipationofyoungpeopleandhasput inplacenumerouspolicy interventionsgeared towards bringing youth into the

mainstreamof theeconomy to enhance socialinclusionandcohesion.ThroughtheNationalTreasuryandDepartment

ofLabour,DSDintroducedyouthunemploymentpolicy options for SouthAfrica with the aim ofincentivisingentitiestoemployyoungpeople.TheNYDAhasprovidedtheIntegratedYouth

Development Strategy (IYDS) with the keymandate of implementing interventions gearedtowards the economic participation of youngpeople, namely, youth work, national youthservices, and education and skills relevant toeconomicempowerment.Governmentstrivestoprovideanopportunity

to raise the share of youth-owned businessesandtosupportyouthtoengageincooperativesinthecountry.Socialentrepreneurshipisbeingexplored.The NDP is clear about the need for skills

development in promoting economic growthandreachingrelatedgoalsandthecountryhasdonewellinthepast20yearsofdemocracytoensurethatpracticallyallchildrenwhoshouldbeinprimaryschoolarethere.

Food banksFoodBankSouthAfrica,aimedatstrengtheningthe Food forAll Programme, ismeant to feedthreemillionpeopleby2015/16.The Food Banks Programme, which is part

of the Zero Hunger Strategy, is an importantchannelthroughwhichvulnerablepeopleaccessfood.Thedepartmentalsodevelopedatrainingand

mentoringprogrammeforCBOs.

HIV and AIDS supportThe National Strategic Plan on HIV, AIDS,Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) andTuberculosis(TB)2012–2016,whichaddressesthesocialdriversandsocial impactofHIVandAIDS, isa keycomponentof thedepartment’sfightagainstthespreadofHIVandAIDS.

HIV and AIDS Youth ProgrammeMostfundscontinuedtobedisbursedtoloveLife,enabling it to increaseandextend itsHIVandAIDSawarenessprogrammes,andscholarshipsforsocialworkstudents.By2015/16,thenumberofstudentsbenefiting

fromthesescholarshipsisexpectedtobe4248.Youth-care workers from local communities

arerecruitedandtrainedfortheIsibindiModelat260sitesthroughoutthecountry.The aim is to recruit 10 000 child and

youth-careworkers over the next five years. Itisexpectedthattherecruitmentanddeploymentof this cadre of social service professionals


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will go a long way towards upholding govern-ment’s constitutional obligation to protect andprovidecareandsupportfororphans,vulnerablechildrenandyouthsaffectedbyHIVandAIDSinSouthAfrica.

HIV and AIDS advocacy, awareness and outreach programmeAchievingameaningfulandclearunderstandingof thescientific factsaboutHIVand AIDSwilllead to individual self-management regardingtheriskofHIVinfection.Theawarenessprogrammehasthefollowing

main pillars:• disclosure• communication• rights• facilitation.TheprogrammealsodealswiththephysicalandemotionalconsequencesofHIVandAIDS.Itaddressesthefollowingchallenges:

• the lackofaccurateandcurrentinformationonHIVand AIDS

• thelackofaccesstocare,support,treatmentandnewhealthcaredevelopments

• discrimination against the infected andaffected.

The programme aims to involve people living withHIVandAIDSininitiativesthatdirectlyhelpaffectedandinfectedpeopletoalleviatestigma-tisation.

Care and support partnershipsThe DSD developed a new National ActionPlanfororphans,vulnerablechildrenandyouthaffectedbyHIVandAIDS(2012–2016),whichis aligned with the National Strategic Plan onHIV,STIsandTB(2012–2016).

The action plan calls for meaningful involvementandparticipationbyallstakeholdersinthenationalresponsetoorphans,vulnerablechildrenandyouthsaffectedbyHIVandAIDS.

Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP)South Africa’s Victim Empowerment Policy isbasedupontheconceptofrestorativejustice.Victimempowermentisameansoffacilitating

accesstoarangeofservicesforallpeoplewhohave individually or collectively suffered harm,trauma and/or material loss through violence,crime, natural disaster, human accident and/orthroughsocio-economicconditions.

It is the process of promoting the resource-fulness of victims of crime and violence byproviding opportunities to access servicesavailable to them, aswell as to use and buildtheirowncapacityandsupportnetworksandtoactontheirownchoices.

National Directory on Services for Victims of Violence and CrimeTheNationalDirectory onServices forVictimsof Violence and Crime is updated annually incollaborationwiththeprovincialVEPmanagersorcoordinatorsandtheirprovincialcounterparts.

Prevention and treatment of substance and drug abuseSobrietyWeek,isanationalcampaignaimedatcreating awareness among the general SouthAfricanpublic,particularlytheyouth,womenandpregnant women about the adverse effects ofliquorabuse.Sobriety Week incorporates the International

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Day, which isobserved internationally on 9 September everyyeartohighlighttheirreversibledamagecausedto unborn babies when their mothers consumealcoholduringpregnancy.

Government recognises challenges such as unemployment, which result in people usingandabusingliquor.

Children and youth The Home Community-Based Care (HCBC)programme is thecentrepieceof government’sinterventions to build a protective and caringenvironmentforvulnerablechildren.Most services to orphans and vulnerable

children are rendered through the HCBCprogramme and include early identification ofvulnerablechildrenand their families, referrals,training of community caregivers and psycho-socialsupportandmaterialassistance.This approach is geared towards keeping

childrenwithintheirfamiliesandcommunities.Itis aimedat providing comprehensive care andsupport, which is complemented by proactiveactionatcommunitylevel.This includes linking families with poverty

alleviation projects and other services in thecommunity,suchasfoodsecurityinitiativesandECDservices.

Child Labour Programme of Action (CLPA) Report The CLPA is South Africa’s roadmap to theprevention, reduction and eventual eliminationofchild labour,whichaffectsanestimatedonemillionchildreninthecountry.It serves to focus and guide the efforts of

an array of government departments and civilsociety groups, including business organi-sations, labour federations and organisationsservingtheinterestsofchildren.The key elements of the CLPA include

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otherstakeholders’programmesandpoliciesonpoverty,employment,labourandsocialmattersmoreeffectivelyinareaswheretheworkchildrendohasseriousnegativeeffectsonthem.TheCLPApromotesnewlegislativemeasures

against the worst forms of child labour andstrengthen national capacity to enforcelegislativemeasures.Itisaimedatincreasingpublicawarenessand

socialmobilisation.

Childline South AfricaChildline offers a 24-hour toll-free crisis line(0800055555) tochildrenand familiesacrossSouthAfrica. It provides immediate assistanceto children and families in crisis who needcounsellingandinformation.Childline is an NPO that works to protect

childrenfromallformsofviolenceandcreateacultureofrespectforchildren’srights.Programmesdeliveredthroughtheprovincial

officesinclude:• a crisis line• childrightsandeducation• trainingandeducationofvolunteers• trainingofotherprofessionalswhoworkwith

childprotectionandchildren• therapy for abused and traumatised childrenandtheirfamilies

• courtpreparationofchildwitnesses• networkingandcoordination• lobbyingandadvocacy• analysisoflawandpolicy.

People with disabilitiesIn November 2014, the DSD finalised theNationalDisabilityRightsPolicy.The policy includes a monitoring and

evaluation framework that will allow thedepartmenttotrackprogressmadeineradicatinginequalitiesandreducingpovertyamongpeoplewithdisabilitiesandtheirfamilies.Through the policy, SouthAfrica ensures to

honour its obligations under the InternationalConvention on the Rights of Persons withDisabilities,towhichitisasignatory.The policy is also a means to promote the

activeparticipationofpeoplewithdisabilities inthecountry’seconomy.Governmentremainedcommittedtoensuring

thatpeoplewithdisabilitieswerenot leftoutofthePost2015DevelopmentAgendaandthattheAfrica2063Agendatookeveryoneonboard.SouthAfrica had to collectively contribute to

the empowerment of people with disabilitiesthroughaccessibledisabilityinformationservices,inclusive ECD opportunities and accessiblerehabilitationservices.

Thiswouldenablepersonswithdisabilitiestotakeuptheopportunitiescreatedinmuchlargernumbers, improving performance in achievingequitytargets.In2014,therewere11membersofParliament

and72localcouncillorswithdisabilities.Persons with disabilities represent the

voice of the sector in institutions such as the SouthAfrican Human Rights Commission, theCommission onGender Equality, the Board ofthe South African Broadcasting Corporation,NationalYouthDevelopmentAgencyandmanytransformationanddevelopmentalentities.TheSouthAfricanexperiencehasalsohelped

to shape the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the ContinentalPlan for the African Decade of Persons withDisabilities.In November 2014, South Africa hosted

an international conference to tackle thechallenges experienced by deaf and blindpeople.

South Africa has been celebrating the Interna-tionalDayforPersonswithDisabilitiesannuallysince1997.

Blind SABlindSAisanorganisationfortheblind,andisgovernedbytheblind.SituatedinJohannesburg,it is aligned with other member organisationsthroughoutSouthAfrica.BlindSA’smainfocusistoimprovethequality

of life of all South Africa’s visually impairedpeoplebyempoweringthemthrougheducation.Itsobjectivesare toprotectandpromote the

interests of people with visual impairment andenable all visually impaired people to achievetheir optimal potential through independence;and by providing development care for andprotecting the rights of those who, owing tocircumstancesbeyondtheircontrol,areunabletodosothemselves.Orientation,mobilityandskillsdevelopmentto

blindandnewlyblindedpeople isan importantaspectoftheworkundertakenbyBlindSA.Theorganisationprovides,amongotherthings,

studybursariesforvisuallyimpairedstudentsforfurther education, Braille publications in all ofSouthAfrica’sofficiallanguages,Brailletrainingthatentailswritingandreading,andorientationandmobilitytraining.

South African Braille Authority (Saba)Saba’spurposeistosetandmaintainstandardsfor Braille in all 11 official languages of SouthAfrica.These standards relate to the development

and maintenance of Braille codes; production


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ofqualityBraille;theteachingof,accesstoandpromotion of Braille; Braille examinations; andmanyotherBraille-relatedmatters.Through Saba, South Africa is a member

country of the InternationalCouncil onEnglishBraille(ICEB).ICEB membership enables South Africa to

stay abreast of and participate in internationalBraille-relatedmatters.

South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB)The SANCB is the coordinating body for over100 member organisations that span the full spectrumofservicesofferedforandtoblindandpartiallysightedpeoplethroughoutthecountry.The SANCB comprises four core business

areas,namelySocialDevelopment,theBureaufor thePreventionofBlindness,Educationandlastlyfund-raisingandpublicrelations.To combat as much as 80% of avoidable

blindness,thecouncilregularlyundertakestourswithitsmobileeyecareclinicstoruralareasforeyescreening,referralsandtoperformcataractremovaloperations.TheSANCBprovidesentrepreneurialtraining,

adultbasiceducationandtraining,andfacilitatesskillstrainingsuchascomputerliteracyandcallcentreprogrammesthroughitsOptimaCollege.

Support for the deafSouthAfrica’snationalorganisationforthedeafistheDeafFederationofSouthAfrica(DeafSA).

DeafSA has nine provincial chapters through-outSouthAfrica.Twoothernationalorganisationsfor thedeaf

are Deafblind South Africa and SHHH SouthAfrica, the South African organisation for thehardofhearing.Anestimated500000to600000SouthAfri-

cansuseSouthAfricanSignLanguage.AssignlanguagehasgrowninSouthAfrica–particularlybabysign language–anNPO,SignLanguageEducationandDevelopment,hasbeen formedtopromotesignlanguage.Signing with hearing babies and children is

being promoted through the Signsational Kidswebsite.SouthAfricahasalong-establisheddeafedu-

cationsystem.Statistics indicate that there are more than

40 schools for the deaf in SouthAfrica. Theyinclude:• De laBatSchool (runby the Institute for the

Deaf)• Fulton School for the Deaf• KutlwanongSchoolfortheDeaf(Rustenburg)• KwaThintwaSchoolforHearingImpaired

• St Vincent’s School for theDeaf (Johannes-burg)

• VulekaSchoolfortheBlindandDeafThe Institute for the Deaf in Worcester operates Deaf College South Africa, which trains deafpeopleforjobs.Inaddition, theBibleCollege for theDeaf in

Gautengtrainspeopletoworkindeafministry.TheUniversityoftheWitswatersrandinJohan-

nesburghasaCentreforDeafStudies.Thecentreoffersprogrammesindeafeduca-

tionandfocusesonteaching,researchandcom-munityservice.Among other services, the National Institute

fortheDeafprovidesservicesformultipledisa-bleddeaf,runstwodeafchurchesandprovidesaudiologicalandmentalhealthservices.A Deaf Child Centre at the Department of

PaediatricsandChildHealthattheUniversityofCapeTown,providespre-schooleducationandcommunityservices.Thiscentrealsofocusesondeafnessresearch.TheCarelduToitCentre,basedinCapeTown,

providesearlychildhoodauditory-oraleducation.Inaddition,thecentreengagesincommunity

outreaches,helpingfamilieswithhearing-relatedneedsandmorepracticalneedssuchasfood.AsimilarcentreistheEduplexinPretoria.Itpro-

videsauditory-oralpre-schoolandprimaryschooleducational services, teaching hearing and deafchildrentogetherandprovidestrainingtoprospec-tiveteachers,audiologistsandtherapists.

Older peopleThe DSD promotes a holistic approach to active ageing and well-being among the country’ssenior citizens. A number of initiatives havebeen rolled out by the departments of socialdevelopment, health, tourism, sport andrecreationSouthAfricaandother stakeholderstopromotegeneralhealthamongolderpersons,especially through sports to promote generalwell-being.In October 2014, the Minister of Social

Development opened the National OlderPersons Golden Games at the MbombelaStadiuminMpumalanga.Thegames,hostedinpartnershipwithSports

andRecreationSouthAfrica,sawolderpersonsparticipating in sport and recreation activitiessuchas theduckwalk,dress-uprace, football,athleticsandothers.

InJune2014,CapeTownallocatedR16millionfortheconstructionofmoreearlychildhooddevelopment(ECD)centresacrossthecity in2014/15.ThecitywantstobuildmoreECDcentresinDelft,MitchellsPlain,Dunoon,OceanView,HeideveldandLotusRiver.In2013/14,thecityspentoverR7milliononbuildingECDcentresinLeonsdale,Scorpio,ElsiesRiverandOceanView,andStrandfontein.


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Since 2008, theGovernment implemented anational active ageing programme in line withthe Madrid International Plan of Action onAgeingof2002.TheMadridPlanofActionoffersaboldnew

agenda forhandling the issueofageing in the21stcentury. It focuseson threepriorityareas:older persons and development, advancinghealthandwell-beingintooldageandensuringenablingandsupportiveenvironments.The Older Persons Act of 2006 aims to

enhance the quality of life and improve thehealth of older persons by engaging them inprogrammes that promote social, physical,mental and emotional well-being to prevent ordelaytheonsetofageingchallengesandkeepoldagerelatedillnessatbay.[SAnews.gov.za]The old-age grant means test would be

phasedoutby2016,accompaniedbyoffsettingrevisionstothesecondaryandtertiaryrebates.All citizens over a designated age will be

eligible for the grant, which will simplify itsadministration and address the disincentive tosavethatarisesfromthepresentmeanstest.The Older Persons’ Parliament takes

place annually in October. It gives elders theopportunity to engage with the executive oncriticalissuesaffectingtheirlives.

Training and skills developmentRecruitment and Retention Strategy for Social Workers Thereare9456socialworkersintheemployofgovernment.The Unemployed Social Workers Database

informs the department about the number ofunemployed social workers who have studiedoutsidetheDSDscholarshipprogramme.This is in response to the issue raised by

communities and the media that there arequalifiedsocialworkerswhoareunemployed.The Draft Scarce Skills and Policy

Framework of 2003 recognised socialwork asascarceskill.Government mandated the development

of strategies to facilitate the recruitment andretentionofsuchscarceskills.The DSD has been the main driver in the

implementationofthissocialpolicy.In addition, the NDP indicates that 60 000

socialworkerswillbeneededby2030toservethepopulation.

Professionalising community developmentThe Council for Social Service Professions wasestablishedintermsoftheSocialServiceProfessionsActof1978.

Thekeyfunctionsare:• protectingandpromotingtheinterestsoftheprofessions,inrespectofwhichprofessionalboards have been or are to be establishedand todealwithanymatter relating tosuchinterests

• advisingtheMinisteronmattersaffectingtheprofessions in respectofwhichprofessionalboardshavebeenestablished

• controllingandexercisingauthorityregardingallfinancialmattersrelatingtothecouncilandtheprofessionalboards

• assistinginthepromotionofsocialservices.

Social work scholarshipsAs part of its efforts to develop skills andempowertheyouth,theDSDinvitedGrade12learnerstoapplyforscholarships.While recruiting, preference is given to

deserving learners in rural areas, includingthose from child-headed households, thoseliving in places of safety, dependants of warveteransandlearnersinno-feeschools.

Documents

SUTH AFRICA EAR 20115€¦ · SUTH AFRICA EAR 20115 353 The strategic goals for the Department of Social Development (DSD) are to: • review and reform social welfare services and