Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks: Social Development Dept Budget Vote 2024/25

Speech by the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Budget Vote Speech by the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mr Ganief Hendricks, on the occasion of the tabling of Budget Vote 19 of the Department of Social Development to the National Assembly, Cape Town 

Honourable Chairperson,
Minister of Social Development, Ms Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe,
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Ms Bridgette Masango
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Distinguished Guests,
Partners and members of the community here present,
Ladies and Gentlemen

“No political democracy can survive and flourish if the mass of our people remain in poverty, without land, without tangible prospects for a better life. Attacking poverty and deprivation must therefore be the first priority of a democratic government.”

This quote I borrowed from the 1994 Reconstruction and Development Programme.

Can you envision a life without food, without a roof over your head, no basic services, no employment, not being able to provide for your family, no access to basic services and technology? This seems like a harsh or farfetched reality, and yet, many South Africans find themselves living under such harsh, inhumane and undignified realities.

Eradicating poverty in all its forms, should not be reduced to an act of charity towards beneficiaries. It should be seen as the preservation of inherent human dignity. As we celebrate 30 years of democracy, we are reminded that many of our people are still to enjoy the benefits of this hard earned right.

The National Development Plan, South Africa’s blueprint to reduce poverty, unemployment, and inequality, aims to draw on the energies of its people, growing an inclusive economy, building capabilities, enhancing the capacity of the state, and promoting leadership and partnerships throughout society. Much has been done, but there is even much more that is required to achieve the NDP goal.

The question now is, how do we maximise the time and resources we have to ensure that we meet the goals that we have set for ourselves as a country, which Honourable Chairperson, are not just national priorities but also part of global priorities as espoused in the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2030).

One of the key interventions, critical to the achievement of poverty reduction, is the establishment of the Social Protection System. South Africa is hailed as a developing country with one of the most extensive social security systems on the continent. Our social protection system is made up of various social security programmes, and other social wage interventions such as free water and sanitation, no-fee schooling, free healthcare and access to short term employment through the EPWP programme. These programmes serve to protect the most poor and vulnerable of our society, those previously marginalised from the economy and the ones who never got the opportunities to learn and grow.

Another structure in society that has borne the brunt of poverty is the family. Poverty has and continues to negatively impact on this structure that is a cornerstone of our social fabric. The Department runs a programme known as Families Matter programme, as we consistently strengthen families for realisation of a better South Africa.

Honourable Chair, one of the improvements we want to make in our social protection system is to better coordinate our programmes and ensure adequate mobility for our working age population between access to employment and safety nets. Given the magnitude of our unemployment, we must find ways to link working-age social grant beneficiaries to income streams thereby reducing dependence on social grants as their only source of income. We are piloting such a programme with Finmark Trust. The programme identifies social grant beneficiaries, especially, those receiving child support grants, many of which are young unemployed women. The aim is to ensure that they can access other economic opportunities and sustainable livelihoods.

Pro-poor and gender-sensitive intervention strategies of the Department such as the women empowerment framework that focuses on skilling, upskilling, monetary support, building capacity and mentoring women cooperatives in rural areas in partnership with our agency, the National Development Agency (NDA). These interventions need to be increased and be integrated in the municipalities’ local economic development programmes, so that they are not stand alone, but that resources can be matched to go a long way, thereby meeting the District Development Model (DDM) objectives.

Building resilience to environmental, economic, and social disasters is a challenge that our people are now grappling with. Recent disasters such as floods, have exposed our communities to pressure points within a very short time, thus rendering them more vulnerable.

As part of the relief to poverty stricken communities, in the current financial year, the budget for SRD R370 is 33 billion Rand. In addition, 304 million Rand is allocated to address the social ramifications of poverty.

It is important that we, through partnerships, mobilise diverse and critical resources to meet the needs of the poor and vulnerable through implementing interventions to eradicate poverty in all its dimensions. Non- Profit Organisations (NPOs) have and continue to play a crucial role in contributing towards the goal of poverty eradication.

Through the “Know Your NPO Status” campaign, we were able to identify challenges that NPOs go through resulting in them risking deregistration. We therefore need to develop a mechanism to assist them to be compliant and grade them so that they can render quality services and attract funding from a multiplicity of sources.  

Similarly, work is being done with the National Development Agency to provide financial support and capacitate civil society organisations throughout the country. The Department can only do so much to eradicate poverty, however, this needs the civil society, private sector and citizens to work together with all government departments to achieve this.

We must coordinate our efforts across society, and encourage local businesses to support initiatives within their communities first and then others, as I strongly believe that charity begins at home. This will build social cohesion in our communities and local economic development as we all strive towards the development of our localities.

In closing, I wish to quote a statement by our beloved Statesman and Former President, Nelson Mandela as we commemorate Nelson Mandela Month:

“A simple vote, without food, shelter and health care is to use first generation rights as a smokescreen to obscure the deep underlying forces which dehumanize people. It is to create an appearance of equality and justice, while by implication socioeconomic inequality is entrenched. We do not want freedom without bread, nor do we want bread without freedom. We must provide for all the fundamental rights and freedoms associated with a democratic society.”

I thank you.