WEDNESDAY, 23 MAY 2007 __

          PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
                                ____

The Council met at 14:02.

The Deputy Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayer or meditation.

ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS – see col 000.

                          NOTICES OF MOTION

Mr M A MZIZI: Chairperson, I hereby give notice that at the next sitting of this Council, I shall move on behalf of the IFP:

That the Council –

1) notes with shock that the alleged murderers of a police captain Anna-
   Marie Potgieter have been awaiting trial for more than two years;

2) further notes that the murder trial will start only in February
   2008;
3) in addition notes that a High Court judge has apologised to the
   Potgieter family for the delays in bringing the alleged killers to
   trial; and

4) acknowledges that a lengthy delay in bringing alleged criminals to
   trial does not serve the interest of justice in our society.

Mnr J W LE ROUX: Agb Voorsitter, ek gee hiermee kennis dat ek op die volgende sittingsdag van die Raad sal voorstel:

Dat die Raad kennis neem dat -

1) regstellende aksie, suiwer op ras gebaseer, onaanvaarbaar en
   gevaarlik is vir die toekoms van ons land; en

2) al meer Suid-Afrikaners weier om in rassekompartemente ingedeel te
   word en dat regstellende aksie op armoede eerder as op ras gefokus
   moet word;

3) die euwel van rasseklassifikasie die fondament was waarop die
   apartheidsideologie gebou was; en

4) die ANC se rasbeheptheid net so skadelik is as wat die
   rasseklassifikasie van die verlede was. (Translation of Afrikaans notice of motion follows.) [Mr J W LE ROUX: Hon Chairperson, I hereby give notice that I will move on the next sitting day of the Council:

That the Council notes that –

(1) affirmative action, solely based on race, is unacceptable and dangerous to the future of our country;

(2) an increasing number of South Africans refuse to be classified into race compartments and that affirmative action should focus on poverty rather than race;

(3) the evil of race classification was the foundation on which the apartheid ideology was built; and

(4) the ANC’s preoccupation with race is as disgraceful as the race classification of the past.]

                      EVICTION OF STREET PEOPLE

                         (Draft Resolution)

Mr N D HENDRICKSE: Chairperson, I hereby move without notice:

That the Council –

1) notes that the Cape Town City Council has been removing the meagre
   possessions of street people and this in the heart of winter; and


2) believes that this action must be condemned.

Ms J F TERBLANCHE: Chairperson, the DA objects to that motion without notice. There is agreement amongst parties that any motion without notice that has political content will be circulated at least 24 hours before the time. That was not done.

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL: Chairperson, on a point of order. The motion speaks about the homeless people who are moved out. There was no reference to any political party – unless certain people feel guilty about the motion.

Ms J F TERBLANCHE: Chairperson, please note my objection. The fact that the Chief Whip has once again raised a point of order against an objection does not make the objection less valid. It is still a valid objection. The DA objects.

The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms P M Hollander): The motion is agreed to in terms of section 65 of the Constitution.

Ms J F TERBLANCHE: On a point of order: If a motion has been objected to, you cannot simply say that it is agreed upon, Chairperson. The DA objects to the motion. If there is an objection, the motion is not carried and that is according to the Rules.

The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms P M Hollander): I am quite aware of the Rules.

Ms J F TERBLANCHE: So how can you say that the motion has been carried?

The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms P M Hollander): There was another objection and a point of order. It was raised. Will you please sit down, hon Terblanche?

Ms J F TERBLANCHE: So, I have objected and the motion can’t go through.

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): Thank you, Deputy Chairperson. I am rising on an inference by the hon Terblanche on the agreement between the political parties, which I do respect. In terms of my own feeble understanding of the Rules and laws, that is not binding or has no any effect on the officer presiding. The officer presiding cannot make a ruling on the basis of the agreement by parties, which is not part of the Rules of the House. It does not support her position.

Ms J F TERBLANCHE: In my objection I mentioned the fact that there was such an agreement. I had the opportunity to object and did so on behalf of the DA. On several occasions the ANC had objected and then you said that the motion was not carried. How can you let this motion go through?

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms P M Hollander): I will repeat myself. There was an objection. There was a point of order. Therefore, I agree that the motion is agreed to in terms of section 65 of the Constitution. Any other member who wishes to move a motion without notice?

                PROPOSED RATES INCREASE IN CAPE TOWN

                         (Draft Resolution)

Mnr F ADAMS: Voorsitter, ek stel sonder kennisgewing voor:

Dat die Raad met skok en afgryse kennis neem dat -

  1) inwoners van Kaapstad kennis geneem het van die belasting wat die
     Stad Kaapstad wil verhoog op eiendomme, water en elektrisiteit; en


  2) dit nie die armes bevoordeel nie. (Translation of Afrikaans draft resolution follows.)

[Mr F ADAMS: Chairperson, I move without notice:

That the Council notes with shock and horror that -

(1) inhabitants of Cape Town noted that the City of Cape Town wants to increase the rates on properties, water and electricity; and

(2) this is not to the benefit of the poor.]

The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms P M Hollander): Any objection to this motion? [Interjections.] Thank you, very much. Please sit down, hon member. In the light of the objection, the motion may not be proceeded with. The motion without notice will now become a notice of motion.

                      TAKE A GIRL-CHILD TO WORK

                         (Draft Resolution)

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL: Chairperson, I move without notice: That the Council –

(1) notes that -

   (a) tomorrow, 24 May 2007, marks the fifth anniversary of the Take a
        Girl-Child to Work initiative, which was first pioneered by Cell-
        C in 2003; and


   (b) this initiative is intended to motivate and inspire girls to
        take the initiative towards achieving their goals and ambitions;

(2) further notes that, since its inception, the Take a Girl-Child to Work Day has become South Africa’s most widely supported act of volunteerism, reminiscent of one of the resolutions of the ANC’s 2002 Kempton Park Policy Conference for all its compatriots to ensure that campaigns such as the Letsema Campaign remain key elements of our people’s participation in the governance of our country;

(3) also notes that this day continues to remind us, as leaders of our nation, that freedom cannot be achieved unless the women of our nation have been emancipated from all forms of oppression, particularly in the workplace; and

(4) resolves that we must all continue to work tirelessly to enhance the visible practical measures that have been put in place by our government to radically change the conditions of the mothers and sisters of our nation for the better.

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

                        MOTION OF CONDOLENCE


                        (The late Ms Molefe)

USIHLALO WENDLU (Nk Ms M N Oliphant): Phini likaSihlalo, ngenza lesi siphakamiso ngaphandle kwesaziso:

Ukuthi lo Mkhandlo –

(1) uyadabuka kakhulu ngokwedlula emhlabeni kwelungu lesishayamthetho saKwaZulu-Natali, uNksz Fikile Molefe; futhi

(2) ukhalisana ne-ANC KwaZulu-Natali, ubuye ukhalisane nomndeni wakwaMolefe ngokuthi: Akwehlanga lungehli. (Translation of isiZulu motion of condolence follows.)

[The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M N Oliphant): Deputy Chairperson, I move without notice:

That the Council –

(1) expresses its sadness at the passing away of a member of the KwaZulu- Natal legislature, Ms Fikile Molefe; and

(2) conveys its condolences to the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, and also wishes to say to the Molefe family: May they accept what has happened as fate.]

Motion agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.

                         APPROPRIATION BILL





                           (Policy debate)

Vote No 17 – Social Development:

The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms P M Hollander): I would like to welcome to this meeting today the hon Z S T Skweyiya, Minister of Social Development; and the Deputy Minister of Social Development, who is now hon Swanson-Jacobs – she has a new surname. [Applause.] I would also like to welcome the hon MEC for social development from the Free State, hon Z P Dlungwana; the MEC for social development in Gauteng, hon K Lekgoro; and then the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Social Services, hon J Masilo, who is a member of this House.

The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Thank you, Madam Deputy Chairperson. Hon Deputy Chairperson, hon delegates, hon Deputy Minister of Social Development, members of the provincial executive councils, distinguished guests, representatives of civil society in the public gallery, ladies and gentlemen, we meet just a few days before the start of the celebrations for the Child Protection Week in the country, from 28 May to 4 June. The Child Protection Week unites the country in promoting the rights of the child, and in highlighting the holistic development, care and protection of children.

This year, our focus is on child development, especially tackling child poverty. This year we are rededicating ourselves as government and communities to protecting children from abuse and other social ills.

As a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, South Africa has an obligation towards the protection of children from all forms of abuse, neglect and exploitation. The first legal step towards realising the rights of children was the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1924, which stated that mankind owes to the child the best it has to give.

Post-1994, the South African government ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. In so doing, we committed ourselves to implementing the principle of “first call for children”, which was subsequently entrenched in the country’s Constitution, thereby extending to children a range of civil, cultural and socioeconomic rights. To give practical expression to this commitment, government introduced policies and programmes to promote the rights of children and to enhance their safety in communities.

This year marks the 10th year since the Department of Social Development introduced Child Protection Week to raise awareness about the need for child protection as well as to mobilise all sectors to respond to social ills facing children in South Africa. The national Child Protection Week has become an annual campaign of government to educate and mobilise communities to put children first. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all stakeholders who have been actively involved thus far for their continued support and determination to free households and communities from violence and abuse against children.

Chairperson, allow me to extend a warm welcome to the children from schools around Cape Town, who have joined us for the debate today. This debate is dedicated to them and all the children of our country. [Applause.]

Over the past 10 years, government has recognised the need for a comprehensive approach to poverty reduction, especially as it relates to our children. Budget Vote 17 calls for a renewal of our pledge to a national partnership to fight child poverty, social exclusion and to promote social cohesion and improve service delivery.

We note with concern that, despite the government’s commitment to the long- term objective of transforming the country into a nonracial, nonsexist, democratic nation, children remain on the periphery of social transformation. Children continue to be hard hit by poverty in various parts of the country.

The human life cycle suggests that early childhood development is vital for human development and, as such, gives children the best start in life. It, therefore, requires investment in early learning, health and nutrition of children, including access to basic services such as potable water; basic sanitation; and protection from violence, abuse, exploitation and discrimination. Given this situation, we will continue to intensify our effort to expand early childhood development.

This year, we will initiate the consolidation of existing and fragmented pieces of legislation and policy development on social insurance, social assistance, welfare services and social relief measures for children in South Africa. This will contribute towards the move to integrate and consolidate all services for children, and the subsequent amendment of the Social Assistance Act of 2004. This initiative will provide a framework that integrates service delivery to children in the sector and possibly in government as a whole.

During the past year we assessed the gaps in the comprehensive social security system. These gaps reveal a need for an expansion of the social safety net. Going forward, we will make every effort to register an estimated 750 000 eligible children for the child support grant, believed to be still outside the system. In addition, Cabinet has approved that we investigate the desirability of in-cash and in-kind measures to support vulnerable children older than 14 years and to link grants to access basic services such as education and health.

This strategy will bring together the social sector cluster departments from education, health and social development, for a start. In the medium term, it will be further consolidated to include housing and access to free basic services. This will require strategic partnerships at all levels.

One of the main impediments to accessing the grants by many children remains the lack of birth registration certificates. In order to overcome this challenge, we have decided to work with the Department of Home Affairs to link registration at birth to application for social grants by eligible children. The aim is to improve the take-up rate of the child support grant by children under the age of five years who currently constitute the smallest number of the recipients of the grant. Ultimately, the government will be able to enrol young children for the child support grant when they receive birth certificates.

Meanwhile, the department is commissioning the assessment of the implementation and impact of the child support grant as a policy intervention. In the review, we look at the overall effectiveness of the grant in reducing poverty in households. This includes understanding why eligible children do not access the grant and why ineligible children do access the grant.

The review will inform both the Department of Social Development and the SA Social Security Agency on relevant policy and implementation reforms, to ensure efficient and effective service delivery. Last year, in collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, the Department of Social Development developed a policy framework for orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV/Aids. These are great achievements.

Through this process, the history of orphans and vulnerable children has been put on the national developmental agenda. We have just completed the database of maternal orphans up to the age of 13 years. This will go a long way in assisting the department and its implementation partners to ensure that these children receive proper care.

The rate of child abuse, neglect and exploitation in our country is disturbing. The department will continue with its efforts to mobilise communities to take a firm stand against violence and other crimes against children. This includes the provision of safe houses for children in need of care and protection.

During my address to the National Assembly on 28 March 2007, I outlined the challenges facing the social development sector with regard to the expansion of welfare services. Among other challenges, I have acknowledged the fact that our ability to deal effectively with poverty, unemployment, inequality and other social ills is made difficult by the fact that community development and welfare services are, by their nature, labour- intensive.

This is the situation, in the face of significant shortages in the supply of social services professionals required to deliver these services. High workloads and inadequate working conditions of social workers, for example, lead to burnout and poor quality of services. Effectively, insufficient numbers of social workers impose a limitation on our ability to meet service delivery demands and, consequently, impacts negatively on our ability to fulfil our statutory obligations.

The expansion of developmental welfare services requires a dedicated focus on human capital development, facility improvement, and simplifying the service delivery processes and technological development to support the implementation of these services.

I am pleased to announce that trends in the social welfare services’ expenditure and allocation continue to show a positive trajectory. My department’s expenditure for social welfare services has grown by about 90% from the year 2006-07 to 2007-08. It will further grow by an annual average of 56% over the MTEF period. This significant increase will support the expansion of social welfare services right throughout the country.

The need to significantly increase the numbers of social workers, social auxiliary workers and community development practitioners has become very critical. We have approved and we are also implementing the recruitment and retention strategy for social workers, which is aimed at addressing the terms of working conditions of this professional category of workers, in order to stem the tide of skills flight and the exodus from the profession and the country.

The strategy will be regularly updated and extended to include other categories of social services professionals. The department will, over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, allocate R365 million to train new social workers and we will use additional resources to develop the capacity and skills of social workers who are already within the system.

Extra capacity for developmental social welfare services will be created to promote social integration and the promotion of individual families and communities so that they can function optimally within society. Such extra capacity will also assist in the implementation of social crime-prevention measures in order to create an environment conducive to addressing the challenges of management of children in conflict with the law. In this training, we depend mostly on our research bodies, especially the universities in South Africa.

During the financial year 2007-08 the department will allocate resources to improve social welfare service delivery by implementing the Older Persons Act of 2006, the Children’s Act of 2005 and the Child Justice Bill. We will also work with both Houses of Parliament to finalise the processing of the Children’s Amendment Bill.

These pieces of legislation require the state to progressively extend service to older persons, to improve the protection of children and to set up systems for the management and care of the children in conflict with the law. The Deputy Minister, the hon Swanson-Jacobs, will elaborate further on these developments.

This year, during imbizo focus week, I visited Itireleng Workshop for the Blind, in Pretoria near Mamelodi. I was appalled at the conditions under which people with disabilities in that institution live and work. The department developed guidelines for residential facilities, protective workshops, rehabilitation services and minimum standards that give effect to the overarching policy on disability and provide a benchmark against which desirable or accepted standard of services can be measured. I urge you to support the department and the province of Gauteng and North West in ensuring that these guidelines are effectively implemented and monitored, not only in this place but also in all such institutions throughout our country.

We have, over the past five years, strengthened our intervention aimed at combating HIV/Aids. Work in this regard includes prevention programmes and provision of care and support services to people affected and infected by HIV/Aids. These services will be undertaken and implemented in partnership with the NGO sector, including community-based organisations and faith- based organisations.

The department continues to provide home and community-based care programmes to many children and orphans. This service includes psychosocial support; alternative care; placements; assistance with access to social grants; provision of material assets such as food parcels and school uniforms; provision of stipends to caregivers; poverty alleviation initiatives; and advocacy for the promotion and protection of rights regarding access to services, information and awareness.

These services are provided in partnership with community-based organisations registered with the Department of Social Development and, more importantly, provided in partnership with the faith-based organisations throughout the country. Although they remain challenges to us, I am pleased with the progress made in regard to the standardisation of stipends provided to caregivers. The department strives to build and promote sustainable livelihoods within communities. Improving the livelihoods of people means ensuring that the individuals and families have access to assets, income and basic services. Through this approach, the empowerment of the youth and deepening of youth development programmes become important.

We have finalised the youth development strategy, and its implementation will go a long way in improving the wellbeing of young people in this country. This will include engaging young people in activities that develop and benefit their communities while acquiring skills that can enable them to access economic opportunities for sustainable livelihoods. This approach will necessitate partnership with government departments, especially local government and civil society organisations.

As part of the community development mandate, the National Development Agency will be working closely with the provincial departments and other development agencies of government to contribute towards economic growth and poverty eradication. This will be done through the mobilisation of community-based organisations, NGOs, faith-based organisations and traditional leadership around the importance of leveraging opportunities created by government and other role-players.

During the financial year 2007-08 the National Development Agency received a transfer of R129 million to its budget as contribution towards the fulfilment of its mandate. We are currently engaged in interviews for nominees to the board of the National Development Agency, which will lead to the appointment of a new board shortly. I take this opportunity to thank the outgoing board members for their commitment and sterling work even under very difficult circumstances.

Significant strides have been recorded in the province in implementing the Expanded Public Works Programme and giving effect to the commitment of creating work opportunities and skills development in the process of service delivery and service provision. The mid-term review of the sector recently undertaken confirmed that the efforts dedicated are beginning to show results. With more efforts, the sectors should be at the half-way mark, consistent with the mid-term period of implementation we are in at present.

The sector has committed itself to expanding the reach of our services through the scaling up of work opportunities created within the Early Childhood Development Programme and Home Community-Based Care Programme. We have investigated the potential and prospects of the social sector expanding beyond ECD and HCBC programmes. Our investigation suggests that there are more service delivery interventions, which currently include work opportunities created in the social sector. Proposals towards this are at an advanced stage.

In response to poverty, inequality and destitution, government has focused its attention and efforts on expanding the social assistance safety net over the past decade. The number of beneficiaries of social assistance has increased from about 3,5 million in 1999 to 12 million today. Over 8 million children now have access to social assistance. These include 7,9 million children benefiting the from the child support grant, close on 412 000 children benefiting from foster care grant and over 98 000 benefiting from the care dependency grant. More than 2,1 million elderly people receive the old age grant and 1,4 million people receive the disability grant.

Expenditure on social security increased from R36,9 billion in 2003-04, that was 2,9% of gross domestic product, to a projected R73 billion in 2009- 10, constituting 3,1% of GDP. Growth in the disability grant has tapered off, indicating close on 100% coverage so far.

In a related development, we will soon present policy options to Cabinet for people with chronic diseases to address this gap. A new disability assessment tool was piloted recently with a view to standardising disability assessments. This tool will ensure uniformity in the assessment of disability, thereby contributing to more efficient management of disability benefits.

The study on incentive structure in the social assistance dispels assertions that our social assistance programme encourages teenage pregnancies, that children are fostered for the purpose of accessing grants and that people with disabilities harm themselves in order to continue accessing social grants. I really want to plead with members generally, not only here but also regarding those in the National Assembly, to understand basically that there is nothing like that. People are accessing grants simply because they are entitled to them. There might be one or two who try to cheat, and those we arrest without mercy, but the vast majority of people are doing their best to ensure they do get what they are supposed to get.

My department, the SA Social Security Agency and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, Unicef, signed an agreement that spells out plans to work together to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the child support grant; and to link social grants with access to education, health and other basic services. This agreement will result in significant donor funding to ensure that we improve access to early childhood development and education for children. Last year, I made several commitments to work towards a comprehensive social security system. These commitments are in line with decisions made at the Mafikeng and Stellenbosch conferences of the ANC, which rules this country. These measures encompass, amongst other things, a mandatory system of retirement provisions, a system of social health insurance and expanding coverage of unemployment insurance. We will work to ensure that these social insurance matters are addressed and a comprehensive system of social security is in place by 2010. And we are doing this with the Treasury, the Department of Labour and the Presidency.

The department is finalising feasibility studies into contributions and benefits proposals, proposals on governance and regulatory aspects of retirement funds, which should address the weaknesses in the current system of retirement provisions. Our proposals will be submitted to the interministerial committee set up by Cabinet within the next few weeks.

We will recommend that the means test for the old age pension be removed as soon as possible, and that all people meeting the qualifying age receive the old age pension. To ensure sustainability of our pension system, all employed South Africans must save for retirement. The new pension system must reflect the system of solidarity, which is the South African cultural thrust of ubuntu …

The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms P M Hollander): Hon Minister, your time has expired and I have already given you six minutes more. Thank you.

The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Really? [Laughter]. Thank you, Madam. [Applause].

Ms J M MASILO: Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, MECs present here, the CEO of the National Development Agency, the CEO of Sassa and invited guests, it gives me pleasure to speak on the Budget Vote of the Department of Social Development and to support it.

The Department of Social Development aims to ensure the provision of comprehensive, integrated, sustainable and quality social development services. It also aims to create an enabling environment for sustainable development against vulnerability and poverty.

Regarding the policy priorities for 2007, the budget of the department is set within the premise of addressing challenges facing the country, such as poverty, unemployment, inequality and absence of essential services.

In addition, the budget is set within the context that the developmental welfare services are labour-intensive and thus require skilled social workers and community development practitioners, who are the major challenges for the department. Therefore, the central priority of the department is to develop policies and programmes that aim to address the aforementioned socioeconomic needs of the poor, vulnerable and marginalised groups.

The policy priorities of the department must also be viewed in the light of the strategic objectives identified in the 2007 state of the nation address. Of most significance is the need for the department to complete the reform of the social security system.

Furthermore, the 2007 state of the nation address identified the need to intensify efforts to integrate youth development into the mainstream of government work. It identified the need to expand training and employment of social workers as well as auxiliaries by increasing the number of training institutions. It also identified the need to define the poverty matrix of the country and the need for government to strengthen the Expanded Public Works Programmes, in order to create more self-employment opportunities.

The overall budget of the department increased substantially from R285,9 billion in the year 2006-07 to R438,5 billion over the MTEF period, marking an annual increase rate of 16,4% mainly due to additional allocation in the 2007-08 budget to strengthen the department’s capacity.

An additional R45 million was allocated for social development policy implementation support to strengthen the department’s capacity; an amount of R70 million was allocated for transfer to the SA Social Security Agency for the implementation of the social assistance management information system, and R50 million was allocated for social worker scholarships.

The budget allocation for the department’s programmes further reflects the aforementioned policy priorities. The Comprehensive Social Security programme ensures and co-ordinates the development of policies and legislation for a comprehensive system of social security, including the development of contributory social security. It received the largest budget allocation amounting to R66,6 billion in 2007-08, an amount of R72,6 billion in 2008-09 and R78,4 billion in 2009-10.

The programme experienced an increase in old age grants, child support grants and disability grants during the 2006-07 financial year, in terms of the number of beneficiaries and expenditure. The expenditure for the old age grants amounted to R21,5 billion, followed by the child support grant at R17,9 billion, which was closely followed by the disability grant at R14,7 billion. The committee greatly welcomes this great move. Well done, hon Minister!

The department’s Programme 3 received an increased allocation amounting to R198,1 million compared to R104,1 million in the 2006-07 financial year. An increase in the budget allocation of this programme has direct impact on women support programmes, particularly the Victim Empowerment Programme, which provides support to abused women and children.

An important achievement under this programme is the development of a national directory of services for victims of violence. This directory was distributed to the relevant stakeholders. In addition, under this programme, the department aims to develop policies and strategies focusing on three areas, namely social welfare services for vulnerable children, including children with special needs, and orphans, and victims of crime and domestic violence.

Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the department’s Programme 2 received the bulk of the budget allocation, namely, R66,6 billion. This is a significant increase, considering that the social grants are located in this programme. This has important implications for women because they are the main caregivers for their households and they are the ones who access these grants.

We also commend the department for coming up with the Children’s Amendment Bill, which was adopted by the select committee yesterday, and the Older Persons Act. These are going to benefit women, children and older persons. The sector is preparing to implement the new Children’s Act by way of developing national and provincial implementation plans over a period of three to five years. We also commend the SA Social Security Agency for launching national offices in Pretoria on 2 March 2007. Ninety mobile unit offices were also launched in order to assist rural areas for administration purposes. I would like to say to the chief executive officer: Thank you very much for the invitation to attend the launch, which I witnessed during that occasion. There is a need for the department to build capacity for the service providers, as communities are still experiencing teething problems in the transitional period of operations.

Presently, the social worker system is in need of approximately 3 000 social workers each year, in order to meet its policy obligations. The need for more social workers and auxiliary workers is receiving attention through a retention strategy for social workers and the recruitment and training of auxiliary workers, as the Minster has indicated.

Social auxiliary workers have been prioritised to meet the demand for service delivery, in view of the scarcity of social workers. Whilst more social workers are being trained, the number of social auxiliary workers prioritised is 3 000 per annum over the MTEF period. The provinces have budgeted for social auxiliary workers who must be trained through a learnership programme provided by the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority.

Another area of priority across government departments is the mainstreaming and integration of people with disabilities. More effort is required to meet the needs of people with disabilities, including provision of appropriate infrastructure, creating employment opportunities and addressing challenges that are faced when assessing disability regarding grants.

Policy priorities set by the department and through the 2007 state of the nation address have significant budget implications regarding their implementation, which requires Parliament’s oversight and monitoring. Particularly, parliamentary committees should oversee the expenditure towards granting social worker scholarships to ensure that the scholarships reach students who need them most. During 2006-07, the department awarded 190 scholarships to social work students through the additional R50 million budget allocations. The department needs to increase this number of scholarships for 2007-08, as the demand for social workers is tremendously high.

It is commendable that the department’s budget for People with Disabilities subprogramme is increasing. Importantly, parliamentary committees should be briefed on the progress made in developing tools to facilitate uniformity in assessing disability.

Concerning income poverty alleviation, by 1999, an amount of 3,7 million households, out of a total of 11,4 million, were living below the poverty line and these were mostly Africans. At least, there are three major government programmes which address income poverty in the communities, namely income grants, the Expanded Public Works Programme and the National Development Agency, more especially through NGOs and faith-based organisations.

With regard to legislation governing Sassa, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996, provides for everyone to have the right to have access to social security.

Currently, the Department of Social Development administers seven types of income grants. These are targeted at older persons, persons with disabilities and war veterans. There are also child support grants, foster care grants and grants in aid for families taking care of children and people in need.

In conclusion, overall, it is estimated that social grants have the potential of reducing the portion of the population living in poverty from 42% to 24% presently.

Lastly, I would like to thank the Minister of Social Development and the senior management for their ongoing support. I would also like to thank the hon members of the select committee for their dedication and commitment in our committee. Ke a leboga. [Thank you.] [Applause.]

Nk N F MAZIBUKO: Sihlalo, thina singamalungu kaKhongolose siyasiseka lesi Sabiwomali soMnyango Wezenhlalakahle ngoba ngalesi sabiwomali izimpilo zabantu abaningi zizothuthukiswa, ikakhulu izingane, abakhubazekile, ogogo kanye nomkhulu bethu. Bazotomula kakhulu baphinde bakwazi nokuxosha ikati eziko.

Siyazi nathi ukuthi imindeni eminingi iphila ngayo le mali, ikakhulukazi ogogo okuyibona abondla imindeni yabo. Ogogo base-Orange Farm, Ngqongqoshe, bathe ngibonge kakhulu ngoba minyaka yonke imali lena bayayibona ukuthi iyenyuka. Bayakwazi ukondla izingane zabo kanye nabazukulu babo. Bathe ngiphinde ngicele ukuthi ubavakashele ngenye imini uzozibonela mathupha ukuthi baphila kanjani.

Enkulumweni kaNgqongqoshe, nani nizizwele malungu, uye wagxila kakhulu ezinhlelweni zezingane. Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi uhulumeni ophethwe uKhongolose uyazikhathalela izingane. EGauteng, lolu hlelo balubiza ngokuthi iBanapele. UNgqongqoshe uLekgoro uzokwenaba ngale nkulumo. [Ubuwelewele.]

Ngqongqoshe, uSoswebhu Omkhulu Womkhandlu uthe ngibuze ukuthi, ngoba nakhu uMnyango usuthathe izizumbulu zezimali wazinikeza isikhungo se-SA Social Security Agency, ngabe uMnyango usuzokwenzenjani manje? Ngithemba ukuthi uzomcacisela uma ngabe usuphendula. Ngiyabonga. (Translation of isiZulu speech follows.)

[Ms N F MAZIBUKO: Chairperson, we as the members of the ANC support this Budget Vote of the Department of Social Development, because the lives of many people will be improved, especially children, people with disabilities and our elderly people. They will benefit a lot in this and will be able to push back the frontiers of poverty.

We are all aware that most families depend on these grants for their survival, particularly the elderly people as they are the source of income in their families. Minister, the elderly people of Orange Farm have requested me to convey their gratitude to you because they see that every year there is an increase in the old age grant. They are able to support their children and grandchildren. They also requested me to ask you to personally visit them one day and see for yourself how they live.

In his speech, as you heard hon members, the Minister put more emphasis on children’s programmes. This indicates that the ANC–led government cares for the children. In Gauteng, this programme is called Banapele. MEC Lekgoro will elaborate on this in his speech. [Interjections.]

Minister, the Chief Whip of the Council, requested me to ask you as to what would be the department’s next step now that it has transferred lot of money to the SA Social Security Agency. I hope that you will explain to him when it is your time to respond. Thank you.] The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms P M Hollander): Hon Lamoela, before you start, I want to make an announcement. I’m not going to tolerate these private meetings members are having in the House. Will you please call yourselves to order. Thank you.

Ms H LAMOELA: Hon Chair, hon Minister, Deputy Minister, MECs, colleagues and representatives of Sassa, the Department of Social Development’s main responsibility is the development of policies, legislation and systems to ensure provision of a range of social services to meet the socioeconomic needs of the poorest, marginalised and most vulnerable within the constraints of available resources.

Strategic priorities are well and good in principle, but if no timeframes are tied to these strategies to be implemented, no results can be expected in bettering the lives of the poorest, marginalised and most vulnerable members of society.

Voorsitter, daar word beweer dat bykans 10% van Suid-Afrika se kinders voor hul vyfde verjaardag sterf, waarvan die grootste oorsaak as armoede aangedui word. Sowat 54% van ons land se kinders woon toevallig ook in die platteland. Tog het armoedeverligtingsprogramme soos byvoorbeeld kindertoelaes wat deur die regering verskaf word ’n enorme impak op minderbevoorregte kinders sowel as hul ouers en voogde.

Afgesien hiervan bly die uitdagings vir die Departement van Welsyn geweldig. Bydraende faktore soos tekorte aan welsynwerkers en gemeenskapsontwikkelingspraktisyns bly ’n groot uitdaging om gehalte sorg en dienslewering te bevorder. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)

[Chairperson, it is contended that almost 10% of South African children die before their fifth birthday, for which poverty is indicated as the greatest cause. Coincidentally, about 54% of our country’s children also live in rural areas. All the same, poverty alleviation programmes such as, for example, child grants that are provided by the government have an enormous impact on less privileged children as well as their parents and guardians.

Despite this, the challenges for the Department of Social Welfare remain daunting. Contributory factors such as shortages of social workers and community development practitioners remain a huge challenge to the promotion of quality care and service delivery.]

Regarding social workers, according to the NGO Food 4 Africa’s report released this week, more than 520 000 South African children are starving. The fact that this situation exists despite our relative wealth and our broad social welfare net is stark evidence of the government’s failure to successfully get to grips with the enormous poverty in our country.

Furthermore, we currently have 1,5 million maternal Aids orphans in South Africa - orphans who lost their mothers. This figure is set to increase to 2 million by the year 2010. The costing report of the Children’s Act explains that by 2010, nearly 41% of all Aids orphans will be double- orphaned, meaning both parents would have been lost to Aids.

The department relies on social workers to identify needy children and channel support to them, but the shortage of social workers is so great that this is an unworkable solution. A costing exercise for the recently passed Children’s Act revealed that if the Act were to be properly implemented, there would be approximately a 97% shortfall in the number of social workers required.

Government needs to initiate a campaign to improve working conditions, pay and perceptions about social work as a career. It also needs to develop alternative and legal mechanisms by which children living alone can access grants. We still only have 5 063 social workers employed by the Department of Social Development and by non-profit organisations. If we were to properly implement the new Children’s Act, we would need to have 47 305 social workers on duty. The figure would stand at 66 329 for the year 2010.

Our universities - excluding Unisa - can only train 3 000 social workers per year, when only an estimated 500 complete the four-year course. It is clear we will struggle to reach the necessary number of social workers.

The DA thus believes the following should be done. Firstly, an analysis of all legislation needs to be carried out in order to determine how severe the actual shortage of social workers is. Secondly, Treasury needs to develop a funding proposal on how we can attract more people to the profession by perhaps paying the tertiary education fees if they work in South Africa for at least four years.

Thirdly, there is a need to exempt social workers from employment equity requirements and to bring those in early retirement back into the workforce. Fourthly, social workers working overseas need to be actively encouraged to come back home by offering higher wages and ensuring better working conditions, for example stipulating a maximum amount of cases per social worker.

If all human life has equal worth and a human being is a human being - there is no lesser human being, as stated by our hon Minister of Finance, why is it then that despite the surplus in the national Budget this year, welfare services, particularly for children, are grossly lacking? If all human life has equal worth, why has the department admitted that the Child Care Act which is supposed to provide the framework for welfare services for all children is underfunded by at least 75%?

The Constitution states that a child remains a child up to the age of 18 years. Why then do children only benefit from school feeding schemes in primary schools? Why are services at hospitals rendered free only for children up to the age of six years, or for those on social grants up to 13 years? These children also have their needs and should not be discriminated against, neither should their rights to access these services be jeopardised.

On the basic income grant, millions of able-bodied working-age South Africans are still illiterate, innumerate and unskilled. The reality is that, in the current environment, they are unlikely ever to have the means to improve their circumstances. The DA and many other organisations have for many years been calling for the introduction of a basic income grant, which would give the chronically unemployed a small survival income. Despite the fact that this grant even has the support of the Minister of Social Development himself and has been shown to be affordable and realistic, government has consistently refused to implement it.

Huidiglik opereer Sassa 9 500 betaalpunte en 620 dienskantore regdeur die land. Die grootste uitdaging wat Sassa tans in die gesig staar is toestande van betaalpunte, veral permanente strukture, elektrisiteitstoevoer en toegang tot water.

Slegs 20% van betaalpunte is tot nou opgegradeer om nodige standaarde te kan handhaaf. Hieraan moet dringend aandag gegee word sodat die menswaardiheid van begunstigdes nie weer in die slag bly nie. Tog moet Sassa geloof word vir die 40 mobiele eenhede wat voortaan die afgeleë platteland sal bedien en daar word met groot afwagting na die eindresultate van dié projek uitgesien.

Ter aflsuiting, in die Suid-Afrika van vandag is daar mos geslagsgelykheid. Mans en vrouens moet dus eenders behandel word. Daar is nie ’n verskil in die behoeftes van beide geslagte nie. Daarom kan ek nie verstaan dat mans op 65 jaar en vroue op 60 vir ouderdomspensioen kwalifiseer nie. Ek stel dus voor dat die middeletoets gelykhandig toegepas moet word en dat dit vir beide geslagte vanaf 60 tot 63 jaar oorweeg moet word. Baie dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs to follow.)

[Currently Sassa operates 9 500 paypoints and 620 service offices throughout the country. The greatest challenge facing Sassa at this time is the conditions of the paypoints, especially permanent structures, electricity supply and access to water.

Only 20% of paypoints have to date been upgraded in order to maintain necessary standards. This should be attended to as a matter of urgency so that the dignity of beneficiaries does not suffer again. Yet Sassa must be praised for the 40 mobile units that will henceforth service the remote rural areas and the end results of this project are eagerly anticipated.

In conclusion, in today’s South Africa there is, after all, gender equality. Men and women must therefore be treated equally. There is no difference between the needs of either sex. That is why I cannot understand why men qualify for the old-age pension at 65 and women at 60. I therefore propose that the means test be applied equally and that it should be considered for both sexes from the age of 60 to 63. Thank you very much.]

The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Chairperson, hon Minister of Social Development, hon members, MECs for social development, members of the community present here today, ladies and gentlemen, in his state of the nation address, on 9 February 2007, the President called on all of us, South Africans, to renew our pledge to implement the programme of government to build a better life for all. Budget Vote No 17, in this financial year, aims to do this by implementing the other pillars of Comprehensive Social Security, by addressing the needs of those who continue to fall into the poverty trap, strengthening services to improve social cohesion and by eradicating poverty. Part of this is the development of a system of mandatory retirement savings to improve the quality of life of many elderly persons who retire from employment without medical or retirement cover.

During the first decade of our democracy, the Department of Social Development’s budget programme had focused largely on social security in the provinces. Indeed, the social security programme has been very successful and is currently paying grants to over 12 million beneficiaries. I think we sometimes underestimate how many people those are, but if we can imagine Cape Town and Durban and maybe Johannesburg together, that’s how many people there are. There are some countries that don’t even have so many people. This success has created the public perception that Social Development is the department of pensions and grants.

However, the department’s work, as we all know, includes social development services to all vulnerable South Africans, including abandoned babies, orphans and vulnerable children, children in conflict with the law; and support to victims of crime and violence, persons with disabilities and elderly persons. In addition to services to vulnerable persons, the department focuses on empowering, mobilising and developing the poor and marginalised. These services also include programmes which develop skills to enable sustainable livelihoods, and includes building social cohesion through strengthening families and communities, and building a caring society.

However, provision of developmental welfare services is hampered by a severe shortage of social services professionals, as has been said by every person who has spoken here so far. But, I want to put on the table that the shortage of our social workers in our country is often attributed to brain drain and affirmative action. The truth of the matter is that South Africa has been training professionals for the world, particularly developed countries. This is perhaps something that we should raise, that developed countries should start paying tax for using our human resources without creating their own.

However, with regard to the question of social workers, the department is implementing its recruitment and retention strategy for social workers, which aims at encouraging young South Africans still at school to consider pursuing social work as a profession of choice and making scholarships available for them to study. The amount of money that is allocated for that has been mentioned. Through the R50 million that is allocated for this year, the department has awarded scholarships to 1 443 students as part of creating the human capital needed to respond to the demand for service delivery and statutory obligations.

Throughput, however, continues to be a concern. In this regard, we appeal to training institutions to introduce the necessary academic development programmes and other support mechanisms, for example mentoring, in order to ensure that South Africa reaps the harvest of this investment.

As part of the strategy, the department will continue to strive for regular and continuing improvements in the working conditions of those in the profession with a view to keeping them in the service. This effort will be strengthened by the department’s focus on skills development and empowerment programmes for all social service professionals.

As part of this effort, the provincial departments will train more social auxiliary workers to render support to social workers and relieve their workload. This category of workers provides paraprofessional services and receives on-the-job training through the learnership programme. The capacity of social workers within the sector will be enhanced when supported by social auxiliary workers and community development practitioners.

The department is working closely with the SA Council for Social Service Professions to formalise these and other additional service professions such as child and youth care workers. I think that when you put all of these into the equation, the figures, in terms of the shortages and implementation of the Children’s Act, will probably come down by a great deal.

The President called for the deepening of social transformation, social cohesion, eradication of poverty and reduction and eradication of crime. In our context, this means that social grants must be integrated and supported by more effective social services, if the social liabilities accumulated by those who have been disadvantaged by apartheid are to be addressed.

Redressing the historical underfunding of developmental social services still remains the greatest challenge. The budget allocation of R25 million for integrated welfare services is a positive step in addressing this legacy. This will assist the department’s efforts of fostering interplay between social security and other developmental services. These efforts will see the social grants beneficiaries being linked to economic activity and sustainable livelihoods, as well as integration of information systems between the department and the SA Social Security Agency to ensure that social grant beneficiaries also receive welfare and other basic services in order to salvage them from the poverty trap.

As a way of addressing the increasing levels of serious interpersonal violence, in particular domestic violence and the abuse of children, victim empowerment programmes provide integrated services to victims of crime and violence in order to strengthen families and communities for a better life for all.

These services form part of the Department of Social Development’s contribution to 365 days of activism against gender violence. Whilst the management of shelters is implemented at provincial level, the national department, through the Criminal Assets Recovery Account, known as Cara, has set R3 million aside to strengthen shelters.

The department continues to implement the National Youth Service Programme, which is a partnership between the department, Umsobomvu Youth Fund, National Association for Child Care Workers Service Programme and the Royal Netherlands Embassy. Through the programme, 192 volunteer assistant probation officers were appointed to render home-based supervision programmes and 187 have completed block training, which is conducted by the University of the Western Cape. Ninety-three probation officers from all provinces were trained as assessors and mentors of voluntary assistant probation officers.

Approximately 1 986 children have benefited from the home-based supervision programme and 12 770 have been diverted from the criminal justice system. Through the roll-out of the department’s secure care centre management system to be completed by March 2008, the department will strengthen the delivery of services to children in conflict with the law.

I am of the view that only a concerted, highly visible, protracted and integrated public awareness campaign is needed in order to address this scourge of drug abuse which is reaching epidemic proportions in the Western Cape, and is also prevalent in other provinces.

I don’t have much time left. I have said it before, but I think we all know that we shall be passing the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Bill and we are implementing the National Drug Master Plan. We are at that level where we are trying to institute local drug action committees. Lastly, I just want to say that, without everybody’s support for these programmes, including the community, we as a government will go nowhere in terms of implementing all our programmes. I therefore call upon all of you to renew our pledge to build a South Africa in which every participant can fully and actively be treated with dignity and respect. We can achieve more if we work together to improve the quality of life for all in South Africa. I thank you. [Applause.]

Ms Z P DLUNGWANA (Free State): Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, let me start by quoting the Minister of Social Development, Minister Skweyiya, when he said:

The social development sector is faced with enormous social challenges resulting from systemic poverty, unemployment, inequality and other social ills associated with such phenomena. Our ability to deal effectively with these social ills is made difficult by the fact that community development and welfare services are, by their nature, labour- intensive.

For this reason, we welcome the establishment of the SA Social Security Agency and its subsequent full operationalisation in March 2007, which presented opportunities that will enable the department to expand welfare and community development services. This will ensure that full attention is provided to the most vulnerable members of our communities and at the same time enable us to provide the necessary development to communities to become self-reliant.

This separation, however, does not imply that the department has lesser responsibilities to deal with. In fact, it has placed more pressure on the department to deliver those services that, up to now, it has not been able to deliver regarding those members of the communities who are most vulnerable.

In itself, this has placed more pressure on the few available social workers in the department. It is further worsened by the scarcity of social workers in the country as a whole. The need for more social workers is set to increase with the passing of the Children’s Act some time during the course of the year. To address this shortage, the department is engaging with the University of the Free State to ensure enhanced quality of training of social workers as well as an increase in their intake and output of community development workers and auxiliary social workers. Training will also be provided for social auxiliary workers to relieve the pressure on social workers. We have also allocated a budget of R5,2 million for bursaries towards social work in order to supplement the interventions by the national department in alleviating the scarcity of social workers.

The enactment of the new Children’s Act will also pose a set of new challenges to the department. One of these is to ensure that young offenders are not put in the same correctional facilities as adult offenders. To meet this challenge, the department has already started to increase the number of secure care centres in the province from one to three secure care centres. We currently have one centre in Kroonstad, in Fezile Dabi district.

The building of the second secure care centre is already complete and the department may commence occupation by 2 June 2007, if not, maybe during the course of the month. This centre is in Motheo district, in Bloemfontein. The third secure care centre will be in Phuthaditjhaba, Thabo Mofutsanyana district. The initial planning phase has been finalised and the construction will begin shortly.

We support initiatives to intensify access to early childhood development facilities as this is one of the most important protection and prevention programmes to develop and prepare children for the future. It is also a major poverty alleviation programme, as it provides income for child carers and ensures that children get at least one good meal per day.

However, as the Free State, we believe that, while there is a serious need to increase the number of children enrolled for early childhood development, the mushrooming of backyard centres should be closely monitored and controlled. This is because we are aware that the mushrooming of backyard establishments poses a danger to children in that sometimes there is no separation of the kitchen and sleeping facilities, and sometimes there isn’t enough space for recreational activities.

As a result, we have entered into a partnership with the Department of Education in the province for the utilisation of empty classrooms and unused schools for ECD purposes, where possible. We also intend to work with municipalities to provide infrastructure for ECD centres in their localities. This is in order to alleviate the infrastructure backlogs that have led to the increase in the backyard informal establishments.

Backyard ECD centres will also be considered where there are no established ECD centres and where they are not easily accessible to children, but they will be closely monitored. We are going to be working with the municipalities to ensure that at least these backyard ECD centres comply with safety requirements. This programme will be promoted further by increasing funding for early childhood development facilities to R33 million. The increase will enable the department to increase the subsidy per child from R4,50 to R9,00 in this current financial year.

As far as strengthening families is concerned, the department notes that large numbers of children are removed annually from their families due to the socially unacceptable conditions they live in. Nevertheless, the department maintains a stance that human development thrives better in natural settings. We are therefore engaged in efforts to assist families to take the responsibility of nurturing children in an environment that is safe and secure.

Through this and other interventions, we will be building on what we have already started through our provincial campaign which stresses that families are the core of society. This campaign emphasises the need for individuals to take their rightful places in families, communities and serve to build families that will be strong and able to impart good morals, norms and values to the young, who are the future of our nation.

With regard to community development, the department is piloting a model that will link grants to development through a sustainable livelihoods approach. The Thaba Nchu Poverty Alleviation Project integrates the activities of the Departments of Social Development, Agriculture, Water Affairs and Forestry, as well as the SA Social Security Agency, for the development and sustainability of this pilot project.

The poverty alleviation project comprises of greenhouses, built-in water tanks with irrigation systems, fertilizer, and they are designed to save water. There are 250 households targeted and identified as beneficiaries. The objective of the pilot project is to address food security for households, income generation and transfer of skills to communities and staff of Social Development, and to model a link between social justice programmes and income-generating programmes.

In as far as job creation for youth and people with disabilities is concerned, the department is implementing an array of second-economy interventions that will result in the empowerment of those that are in the margins of economic activity. In this regard, we are engaging the private sector to create job opportunities for the youth and for people with disabilities. As a matter of significant interest, the department, in partnership with First National Bank, will place 10 people with disabilities on learnership programmes. Even more exciting is the fact that First National Bank has guaranteed the appointment of all 10 trainees within its structures upon the completion of the course.

Another initiative aimed at significantly unlocking job opportunities for youth culminated in the placement of six young people, who secured positions as trainee managers, technicians and marketers at Nashua Free State. Engagement with the private sector will be continued in order to expand the scope of beneficiaries.

Gardening services projects that benefit young people have also been established to render services at the offices and institutions of the department as well as those of other government departments. The beneficiaries are being trained at the moment in all aspects of skills that are required to run a sustainable business venture. The department has taken a decision to reserve all garden services to such youth projects. Our approach is to skill and provide them with the start-up funding of R180 000 per project. The training is estimated to last between three to six months.

The initial phase of this project will see six projects comprising of six to 10 young people each and covering about three districts. The intention is to eventually roll out this project to cover all five districts of the province and to involve other government departments. The implementation of the programme outlined will add impetus to the realisation of our country’s intention to intensify the struggle against poverty. The Free State supports this Budget Vote. I thank you. [Applause.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M N Oliphant): I just gave you extra seconds because that was your maiden speech.

Mrs J N VILAKAZI: Chairperson, hon Ministers, hon MECs, hon members, social security plays a vital role in the alleviation of poverty. Therefore, the IFP welcomes the fact that the total Social Development’s budget for 2007- 08 financial year has increased with R4,7 billion or 7% more than in the 2006-07 financial year. Though the budget will not address the scourge of poverty faced by many poor families in the country, it signals government’s intention to finally bring the budget allocations up to the required levels. My province of KwaZulu-Natal is one of the most impoverished provinces and has, so far, the highest proportion of beneficiaries. It, therefore, needs a fair of share.

Pensioners experience many problems such as inadequate facilities at paypoints, abuse, problems with transportation and fraud. Next to fraud, moneylenders are also the biggest threat to pensioners. They are a common phenomenon outside many paypoints and they charge exorbitant interest rates. Family members also often take advantage of pensioners and misuse their grants.

Pensioners who get their money through banks are not treated in the same way as employees. If a month-end falls on a weekend, employees get their pay on the last working day earlier than the last day of the month. However, this is not applicable to pensioners.

Ake ngithi nje, uma inyanga iphela ngeSonto, okungukuthi umhla ka-31 ungeSonto kanti umhla ka-30 ungoMgqibelo, thina esisebenzayo siyajabula ngoba siye sihole ngoLwesihlanu. Uthi eqambe eshaya umhla ka-30 noma umhla ka-31 sibe sesiholile, simi kahle. Kodwa kunjani kulaba abahola emabhange? Akunjalo impela kubona. Sengathi uMnyango noNgqongqoshe wami bangakucabanga lokhu – ngoba ngiyazi ukuthi uyazikhathalela izalukazi nabantu laba abadala. Akunjalo kulaba abahola impesheni, umuntu uya ebhange afike angatholi mali, do!

Ake ngilinganise ngokuthi lo mhla ka-31 usekupheleni kwenyanga, ngenkathi kuqala inyanga elandelayo lowo ohola impesheni uyoze ayithole ngaleyo nyanga. Futhi uma kuphela unyaka, uNcibijane ufika ngenkathi bona belambile. Umuntu ubabona sebehla benyuka bethi, “Ayiphumanga imali yethu, Nkosi yami. Ake nisiboleke.” Abanye ubathola sebeya komashonisa – laba ebengikhuluma ngabo - abagcina sebefaka nenzalo. Sengathi ningakubhekisisa kahle lokho ngoba ngibona sengathi kungenzeka kube yindlela ethize yokukhetha iphela emasini kungahlosiwe.

Okokugcina, ngoba nami isikhathi sami asiside, ngifuna ukuthi … (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)

[Let me make an example here; if the month ends on a Sunday, meaning that the 31st is on a Sunday and the 30th is on Saturday, we employees get excited because we get paid on a Friday preceding the month-end. When the 30st or the 31st comes, we are home and dry, after having received our salaries. But is it the same with the pensioners who receive their grants from the banks? No, it is not. I wish the department and my Minister could view this - because I know that the Minister cares about the aged people. It is not smooth sailing with those who get the old age pension; they go to the bank and get no money, nothing!

Let me say, for instance, that the 31st of a month falls on a weekend and this practically means that pensioners will only receive their grants in the following month. And if this happens at the end of the year, then, it means that when the New Year’s Day comes, it finds these people virtually hungry. And one would see them going up and down saying, “My goodness, we did not get our money. Please borrow us some money.” You find others going to the loan sharks – those that I referred to earlier – who end up charging exorbitant interest. I would be pleased if you could thoroughly look into that, because I sense that there might be an unintended discrimination here. Lastly, because I don’t have much time left, I want to say …]

… the IFP believes that there is an urgent need to improve facilities and to set up more paypoints whenever they are needed. The welfare department should also increase the number of its personnel at all pay centres in order to monitor and provide immediate help before they are exploited.

Siyazi ukuthi abekho osonhlalakahle. Sebeshilo ukuthi kushoda izinkulungwane ngezinkulungwane. Kodwa-ke okungenani kungaba ngcono uma kungaba khona abasizi babo osonhlalakahle abangakwazi ukuthi babambe iqhaza lapho kuholelwa khona izimpesheni. Kuyasibhedela ikakhulu thina esihlala ezindaweni zasemakhaya. Kuyasibhedela impela, Ngqongqoshe. Siyethemba ukuthi isikhalo sami usizwile, kanjalo noMnyango wakho. Ngiyabonga kakhulu. (Translation of isiZulu paragraph follows.)

[We know that social workers are not enough. They have already said that there is a deficit of thousands and thousands. But it would be better if at least the auxillary social workers could be present at paypoints and play a role in helping the elderly. It doesn’t look too good for us who are staying in rural areas. Things are very bad indeed, Minister. I just hope that both you Minister and your department heard my concern. Thank you very much.]

Dr F J VAN HEERDEN: Madam Chair, the socioeconomic destiny of any country is largely shaped by its society through a vibrant social discourse. Social ills like poverty, unemployment, crime and the HIV/Aids pandemic ravage the country faster than the government seems to find lasting solutions.

Armoede, honger, pyn, verwagtinge en teleurstellings het nie rassegrense nie. Dit het ook nie gemeenskapsgrense nie. Dit bestaan in elke gemeenskap en in elke bevolkingsgroep.

Maatskaplike werkers verrig ’n uiters belangrike taak in hierdie departement. Dit is in wese die siel en gees van die departement.Net soos mense in gesondheids- en geestelike dienste, is werkers in maatskaplike dienste gedryf deur naastediens aan mense in nood. Hierdie geesdrif moet deur die departement finansieël doeltreffend ondersteun word.

Benewens swak salarisse is die werksomstandighede van maatskaaplike werkers soms ook haglik. Maatskaplike werkers lewer ’n onmiskenbare diens aan howe in hoofsaaklik familie en geslagsverwante misdrywe. Gesinshowe sou werklik tot stilstand kom as dit nie was vir die belangrike werk wat maatskaplike werkers daar in ’n ondersteuningshoedanigheid lewer nie.

Die vergoedingspakket en werksomstandighede van maatskaplike werkers moet dringend aandag kry. Daar kan nie toegelaat word dat bestaande verwagtings van mense oorloop tot frustrasie en uiteindelik in woede nie. Dan verloor almal.

Tydens die LUR van die Vrystaat, Mnr Dlungwana, se begrotingspos in die wetgewer het ek reeds die aspek van die vergoedingspakkette en werksomstandighede geopper. Dis was ongeveer in Maart gewees. Dit is baie goed om te sien dat die LUR dit blykbaar deurgevoer het na die Minister toe, want volgens wat ons vandag gehoor het van die Minister, sowel as van die Adjunkminister, klink dit bemoedigend.

``The retainment of social workers’’ waarna die agb Adjunkminister verwys het, is ’n belangrike aspek. Die Minister het ook verwys na die vergrote begroting en dit word verwelkom. Dit help nie mens lei meer mense op, maar jy vergoed hulle nie dienooreenkomstig om hulle te behou nie. Die bydrae wat maatskaplike werkers lewer moet vertroetel en beskerm word en onderspandering kan nie toegelaat word nie. Baie dankie. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)

[Poverty, hunger, pain, expectations and disappointments do not have racial boundaries, nor do they have community boundaries. They exist in every community and in every ethnic group.

Social workers perform an extremely important task in this department. It is, in essence, the soul and spirit of the department. Similar to people in the health service and the spiritual services, workers in social services are driven by a concern for those in need. The department must support this zeal in a financially effective manner.

Besides poor salaries, the working conditions of social workers are also sometimes perilous. Social workers render an undeniable service to courts in mainly family- and sex-related misdemeanours. Family courts would really grind to a halt were it not for the important work performed there by social workers in a supportive capacity.

The remuneration package and working conditions of social workers must receive urgent attention. People’s existing needs cannot be allowed to develop into frustration and ultimately anger. Then everyone loses.

During the MEC of the Free State, Mr Dlungwana’s budget vote in the legislature, I raised the aspect of the remuneration package and working conditions. That was around March. It is very good to see that the MEC has apparently conveyed it to the Minister because, according to what we have heard from the Minister as well as the Deputy Minister today, it sounds encouraging.

The retainment of social workers, to which the hon Deputy Minister has referred, is an important aspect. The Minister has also referred to the increased budget and this is welcomed. It does not make sense to train more people but not remunerate them accordingly in order to retain them. The contributions made by social workers must be nurtured and protected and underspending cannot be allowed. Thank you very much. [Applause.]]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M N Oliphant): Hon members, I will now call upon K Lekgoro, the MEC for social development in Gauteng, to address this House. It’s his maiden speech in this House. [Interjections.] Order please!

Mr M K LEKGORO (Gauteng): Chairperson, Minister, Deputy Minister, director- general, officials of the department, members, all protocol observed, for 12 years, up to March last year, I worked in the other House. I never had the privilege to sit on the benches of this august House, because the Rules did not allow it. So, it’s a singular honour for me, Minister, to stand on this podium. And, of course, Minister, I was taken aback when the Deputy Chairperson addressed your Deputy Minister by names I am not familiar with, but I will take the matter up with her outside, after the meeting. [Laughter.] It’s about a year since Sassa took over social security services in our province. In hindsight, we can now say that that act on its own revealed that there was a lot of welfare services that could not enjoy our full attention because the greater bulk of our work and time was spent on social security services. In my province, particularly, it revealed that in areas concerning the elderly, beyond social grants, the services we were rendering to that aged cohort were not satisfactory. Even the transformation issues around that aged cohort were left behind. Just as an illustration, Minister, I would like to mention that in our province we enjoy about a little over 90 old age homes and only about nine of those are found in townships. The rest are in the privileged areas of the past.

The same could be said of what we generally refer to in the province as luncheon clubs. These are activities for the elderly on day-care basis, where they come together for various activities. Out of the 135 programmes in our province, only 27 were found in 20 townships, where you have most of your population residing. So, all I’m demonstrating is that we were able to reveal all these issues because we had the opportunity to attend to them directly.

More so, on the issue of early childhood development, it became apparent upon closer inspection that, of the over half a million children in Gauteng, only about 3% of them enjoyed the privilege of going through the stages of early childhood development. It was clear that this is where the province should focus the social welfare services.

In attending to those two areas that I have mentioned, we have come to the conclusion that, much as we advocate that the elderly should have programmes that have an element of community home-based care, and much as we accelerate on those programmes, we also hold the opinion that elderly people at some point in their lives would need an institution such as an old age home - for the simple reason that when they become frail, it’s at the point at which they need professional attention and this is only found in those homes. So, because of that, we intend to, on an incremental basis, establish such homes in the various communities of Gauteng, starting with the 20 townships. This will, of course, go hand in hand with the various community home-based care programmes for the aged.

Regarding the early childhood development, this is our intention in this financial year. I am happy to announce, Minister, that our government in our province has finally come to agree that this is a very important area of work for our province. Research has revealed that a child who does not undergo these stages at the starting point of school level starts against odds. That tells, as they grow into their adulthood. So, contrary to a popular belief that we were raised under, that those institutions are for children who can afford it, this is actually a basic need for all children.

In attending to that, we will, in this financial year, erect ECD sites in each of the 20 townships that we characterised as the poorest in Gauteng. We will continue to register and subsidise those backyard crèches. As we do so, we will be helping the backyard crèches to meet the required standards where we will turn them in such a way that they should not be dumping grounds for children as parents go to work, but become training institutions for children like in any standard ECD site.

The other area that I wish to speak to is the area of family. The family in townships and informal settlements has by and large collapsed. The effects of 48 years of apartheid rule, with all its policies of the migratory labour system, the overcrowding of our houses without any decent privacy, and unemployment, have collapsed the family structure. Perhaps what we need to look at, as government, is the comprehensive social package we can direct to a family that is characterised as a family that is living under the poverty line. I am convinced that all the social ills such as substance abuse, early teenage pregnancy and crime can be easily traced to the fact that a family where these elements come from has collapsed.

I think we need a response that should say what the comprehensive social package is that we will be able to direct to a family, at least to defend its existence so that the members of the family see it as a sanctuary in which they can survive. That we will … Oh, has my time expired?

THE HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Ms M N Oliphant): Yes.

Mr M K LEKGORO (Gauteng): I’m sorry; I thought I was halfway through. Thank you. [Applause.]

Mr N D HENDRICKSE: Hon Chair, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon members and officials of the department, there is an urgent need to consider the feasibility of a basic income grant – BIG, which the Minister himself mooted as one policy option. However, I think that Treasury still needs to be convinced about this issue.

There is widespread support for a bigger BIG across the political spectrum. The Minister of Finance cites budgetary issues, but why are billions of rands being spent on the arms procurement and not on BIG? Are the poor and vulnerable then second-class citizens when it comes to budgeting?

The roll-out and implementation of the SA Social Security Agency, Sassa, in various provinces has progressed well and has led to less fraud and improved service delivery. However, at various pension paypoints there are still long queues, which make it difficult for the elderly.

The Children’s Bill will go a long way towards protecting our vulnerable children. We need protection for our kids, given that they are growing up in a dysfunctional society - we just heard that now - where the moral fabric of society has broken down.

We must break the cycle of crime amongst our youth. We are sitting here with the youth that is another lost generation. We have also heard that there are safe houses. One wants to know what is happening in those safe houses. Are there any kinds of skills programmes being offered there? What happens to the youth after they leave those places? Do they find themselves in trouble and get back into jails?

Hon Minister, drug and substance abuse have reached epidemic proportions within the Cape Flats communities, with “tik” being freely available to school children. Rehabilitation centres cannot cope with referrals as addicts are on the increase. We need to look at this problem because it is likely to persist, given that South Africa is a major gateway of the drug trade route, as evidenced by huge busts at the O R Tambo International Airport. A recent TV programme showed that Witbank, in Mpumalanga, is a heroin paradise, which has given rise to addicts in the area.

The research interventions related to HIV/Aids conducted by the DFID Research Programme Consortium and their impact on programmes and planning are proactive, and this must continue. We commend them for that, and similarly the HIV/Aids caregivers. The Expanded Public Works Programme is a valuable tool. [Interjections.]

The CHIEF WHIP OF THE COUNCIL: Is the member aware that the survey was conducted in Witbank, and that it is not necessarily a heroin paradise?

Mr N D HENDRICKSE: No. I wasn’t. Thank you, Sir. [Time expired.] [Laughter.]

The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr T S Setona): Chairperson, I must confess that at the start of the debate I wrote a note to one of the speakers, whom I am not going to mention, in which I indicated that I was a little bit disarmed, because by and large all the points that I wanted to focus on were being addressed. Over and above that, we must agree that the debate itself reflects one point, that there is political cohesion and shared vision in South Africa about, firstly, the challenges that confront us as a society and, secondly, the kind of government interventions that are being used to address some of the problems.

Hon Chairperson, hon members, distinguished and special delegates, hon Minister, hon Deputy Minister, hon MECs present here today, fellow South Africans, friends and comrades, the budget policy debate of Social Development takes place at the most defining and critical moment in the life and history of our evolving democracy. It takes place at the mid-term of our third democratic government, which has been elected on the basis of a democratic mandate of a people’s contract to create work and fight poverty.

I think the hon Minister and the Deputy Minister have expanded on some of the issues that were identified by the ruling party to address in the current term of governance on priorities in terms of social development. I am certain that our debate today has laid the basis for a thorough-going mid-term review of this department, in relation to the democratic mandate of the people’s contract to create work and fight poverty. It cannot be done in one day.

There are lots of challenges and perceptions. For example, the more you give social security grants to child-headed households, the more teenagers become inclined to invite pregnancy. We welcome the intervention by your department to undertake a scientific research into the scientific validity of that claim.

Our mid-term budget must actually look at the whole range of issues that are being addressed by hon members. I do not think that there has been a debate, even within the ANC as a ruling party, about the threshold of giving children these support grants. Hon Lamoela, there was never a debate on whether we must give children support grants until they are 14 or 18 years old.

The ANC’s approach on this issue has been premised on the availability of resources and affordability. That is a key test and that is the reason. When you look at the Mafikeng conference resolution and the Stellenbosch resolution, you will find that the ANC made an assessment as to where we are as a country. Can’t we move beyond nine years to 14 years?

Today there is legitimate debate in society. Of course, the Minister personally pronounced on some issues concerning the basic income grant. The issue is about affordability and sustainability of those things; it is not a debate for or against. I think we are doing well on that particular front.

We must also point out that, as we debate this Budget Vote, we are doing so hardly four weeks before the historic policy conference of the premier liberation movement of the people, the ANC, which will be taking place at Gallagher Estate in Midrand. The eyes of millions of our people will be cast closely on the deliberations of this historic policy conference, for the future of this country and its people will undoubtedly be affected by the outcomes of that conference.

We are happy that our colleagues on the other side of the political spectrum are beginning to contribute meaningfully by making certain concrete proposals, because really there is no future in this country without the ANC, and there is also no democratic government without it. We also welcome that.

Maybe it is important that at some point, as we talk about this mid-term review, we need to contextualise the whole issue of the shortage of social workers. I like the concept used by the hon Deputy Minister, namely “the shortage of professional social services” and not “workers”, because when it is social workers it is narrow. There are many services that are provided in the social development field.

We need to begin to look at whether the challenge is a creation of our own policies, a legacy of the past or a result of the global problem facing not only South Africa, but also the other developing countries. Chairperson, I want to argue that when we look at the history of this profession itself in our own country and elsewhere, you will find that the private sector has been doing far better than what the government can afford to do. As a result, most of our young people, even those being sponsored through bursaries from the state, choose not to go and sit in a government office when elsewhere in the private sector there is a competitive remuneration regime. So, it is also about affordability and not the willingness or commitment of government, because government cannot just wake up and say: “Because there is this challenge, we are going to increase the packages and this is what they are going to be like.”

At the end of the day, you will find that this intervention is not sustainable. We must understand that our interventions, and our policies in particular, in relation to social development, are actually unfolding within a very rapidly changing and fluid environment. It is reality, for instance, that when the RDP document was formulated in 1993-94 there was no expectation that so many thousands and thousands of our people would be bedridden, and not because of old age or poverty, but because they are actually no longer employable because of HIV/Aids. It is a new challenge. We never anticipated that reality. How do we respond to that reality?

We never anticipated that, as much as we are intervening to address the plight of children, as hon MEC Lekgoro has said, today we would be sitting here when many children are actually becoming parents in their own right because they are losing their parents, owing to accidents on the one hand and the HIV/Aids pandemic on the other. Those are the realities within which we must understand our social policy interventions in this current global era.

So it is critical that in platforms of this nature we do not come with statements that endear us to our constituencies without looking at the implications of such statements, in terms of the capacity of the state and the capacity of the country itself to sustain such kinds of interventions.

Let me make an example. Regarding the old age pension issue, hon Lamoela has made a very valid point and nobody can argue against the fact that 65- year-old male adults and 60-year-old female adults qualify for social grants. I just want to make a bad example, with your permission. Let me refer to the hon Rev Moatshe and some of our colleagues here - I am talking about patriarchy and not hon Moatshe as a person, whom I am convinced is still fit to work for the next 15 years. The kind of unbearable circumstances that some of our womenfolk have been exposed to within our communities have made it difficult for them to reach that level of age and still be able to do certain things that hon Moatshe can do. [Time expired.] [Applause.]

The MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Madam Chair, I think most of the issues that were raised are issues that all of us agree on. We do not want to delve deeper into them because we do agree that there has been progress. We do agree that there are still challenges. We do agree that we should all work together towards ensuring that whatever is still a challenge today will not be a challenge tomorrow.

The issue that was raised by Ms Lamoela is indeed a challenge that we have, and we have highlighted it long before in many of our speeches in this House. These are exactly the same matters that this year’s Budget Vote seeks to address. We agree quite honestly with almost everybody on what they said, especially what the hon Vilakazi said about the conditions of paypoints. It is part of the reason the SA Social Security Agency, or Sassa, was established in the first place.

We are working towards improving the conditions to enhance the dignity of beneficiaries. That is why today we signed an understanding with the Post Office, with the hope that it will become an agreement to try by all means to ensure that we use the Post Office. In that way, we will be able to answer some of the questions that have been raised around all these issues of the long queues, old people collapsing, long journeys to these places that cost a lot of money, and the ability of people to get their money at any time, anywhere within South Africa. This is what we are trying to address together with the Post Office and the Department of Communications. Today we signed, with the Minister of Communications, the hon Ivy Matsepe, that understanding that we will do that.

The Post Office is a government agency, and she has promised to ensure that it will provide a network, especially in the former Bantustans and the rural areas, so that people will be able to get their money at any time.

I agree fully that anybody who has questioned before why we had set up Sassa should be convinced beyond any reasonable doubt about the reasons for that, after having listened to the hon Lekgoro, the MEC from Gauteng. Now that we have removed the burden of distributing and looking after the grants and given it to Sassa, we can begin to look at the welfare services that ought to have been one of the main things that we should be doing. We can now concentrate on these services and ensure that we reach older people, children and the disabled as best as possible.

We have been going through the country. In fact, if you remember, we have been talking about the state of affairs in the rural areas of South Africa, the inability of the people to cash their grants, and more importantly, the poverty that exists there. Working with the Department of Finance, to be exact with Stats South Africa, we have been able to pinpoint the poorest places in this country, the poorest districts where there is a lot of poverty, and, consequently, we have been able to concentrate on those areas.

Two or three weeks ago we started in the Alfred Nzo area of South Africa, to look into finding where these people are. We have been going there, especially concentrating on children. I think by the end of next week we will have finished with that area around Mount Frere, Mount Ayliff, Qumbu, and will be moving towards Pondoland, ensuring that each and every child in that area has a grant. And then afterwards we will move towards the Karoo, Cofimvaba and all these other poverty-stricken areas. Then, after that we will go back to Stats South Africa and look at Natal. While we are doing that, we will also look at Free State, around Qwaqwa, and all of South Africa. We will collect all those children, register them and ensure that they get their grants. We will go to each and every province.

The essence of the issue is that we want to ensure that the back of child poverty is broken. People should not be able to stand up and say: Our children are starving. We know we will not be able to do that as fast as possible. It will take a long time, but we will ensure that we reach all those children who are entitled to any service from the department and from government.

We cannot do this alone. We have been working with other departments within government, especially the Department of Home Affairs, which has been providing the necessary identification. We have been working with the Department of Health, which looks after these children, to find out where they are and provide the necessary services. We work with the Department of Education to ensure that all these children do go to school and that all the others receive early childhood education. We have announced the amounts of money and resources that we have in order to ensure that in each and every village there is an early childhood centre or institution.

Of course, as we go to Natal, the Free State, the former Bantustans, Limpopo and the North West, we depend basically on the assistance and participation of members of this House and of the National Assembly to ensure that we reach almost every child.

We will also again look into the process of working as closely as possible with nongovernmental organisations, the faith-based organisations and the whole of civil society, so that we are able to reach each and every child.

I want to take this opportunity to thank basically civil society in South Africa, the NGOs and the faith-based organisations for the assistance they have been giving to this department over the past seven or eight years that I have been here, and the way in which we have been working together. I also want to thank especially hon members for the role they have played in ensuring that we reach people.

In conclusion, I would like to thank not only hon members around here, but also the whole of the Department of Social Development, right through the MECs to the directors-general and the heads of departments in the provinces, and almost everybody within government in the Public Service that works within my department and other departments in the social sector. We are able to work together to ensure that we reach each and every child in South Africa, so that when this government leaves in 2009 – I want to stress that, it is not long, it is 18 months more - we will be able to show that there is no child who can say that he does not know where government is, no older person who can say “I don’t know why I am living, nobody cares for me.”

It is going to cost a lot of money, it is going to cost a lot of effort, and we want you to be part and parcel of that. Don’t leave your constituencies - I am talking to the ANC now – without knowing where the children are, and what is happening to them in your village and your constituency. Don’t leave your constituencies without knowing whether the elderly people are protected, and how their social grants are used. Don’t allow these young sharks, the grandchildren, to rob them. They do. I know it is embarrassing, but it happens. Ensure that they are covered, protected, and part and parcel of the community, as the MEC for Gauteng was saying. We hope the same observation that he has made here on the need for welfare services in the province will happen in each and every province, and that the members of this House will monitor that and ensure that we create better lives for our people, especially the poorest of the poor, children, and the disabled.

Siyabonga! Nangamuso! [Thank you! Do the same tomorrow!]

THE HOUSE CHAIRPERSON COMMITTEES (Ms M N Oliphant): Thank you very much, hon Minister. I want to take this opportunity to thank our guests in the gallery, the hon Minister, Deputy Minister, MECs, department officials and hon members for participating and listening to the debate.

Debate concluded.

The Council adjourned at 16:10. ____

            ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

National Council of Provinces

1. Report of the Select Committee on Social Services on Children’s Amendment Bill [B 19 – 2006] (National Council of Provinces – sec 76), dated 22 May 2007:

The Select Committee on Social Services, having considered the  subject
of the Children’s Amendment Bill [B 19 –  2006]  (National  Council  of
Provinces – sec 76), referred  to  it,  and  classified  by  the  Joint
Tagging Mechanism as a section 76 Bill,  presents a redraft of the Bill
Children’s Amendment Bill [B 19B – 2006].