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Social development
Introduction
The aim of the Department of Social Development is to ensure the provision of comprehensive, integrated, sustainable and quality social-development services, and to create an enabling environment for sustainable development in partnership with those committed to building a caring society.
It works in partnership with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs), the business sector, organised labour and other role-players in the spirit of Batho Pele (People First).
The department provides implementation support to the provincial departments of social development, and monitors and evaluates a range of social-development programmes. Provincial departments are responsible for most of the service delivery.
Some of the direct services provided by the Department of Social Development include:
- relief payment to victims of declared disasters
- registration of non-profit organisations (NPOs)
- payment of subsidies to national councils
- poverty-relief projects
- home- and community-based HIV and AIDS projects
- a national call centre for social-grant enquiries.
The department is responsible for policy and oversight in the critical areas of social assistance (means-tested cash benefits to vulnerable categories of South Africans) and social-welfare services (including probation and adoption services, child and family counselling and support services, and secure centres).
Over the last three years, the department has overseen a large expansion of the social-assistance system, with beneficiary numbers increasing from 3,8 million in April 2001 to more than 11 million in March 2006. The departmental mandate has also widened in recent years, with growing responsibility for a broad set of initiatives to improve the livelihoods of South Africans, through the coordination of home-based care for people living with HIV and AIDS, food-relief programmes, a focus on programmes for particularly vulnerable groups, and overseeing the National Development Agency (NDA).
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Legislation
Older Persons Act, 2006 (Act 13 of 2006) [PDF]
The Older Persons Bill, which was passed in the National Assembly in March 2006, became law at the end of 2006.
The Older Persons Act, 2006 [PDF], contains provisions to improve the lives of older South Africans. The main objective of the Act is to:
- maintain and promote the status, well-being, safety and security of older persons
- recognise the skills and wisdom of older persons
- promote participation of older persons in community activities to promote them as people.
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Child-care legislation
President Thabo Mbeki signed the Children’s Bill into law, now known as the Children’s Act, 2005 (Act 38 of 2005) [PDF], on 8 June 2006. Until Parliament passes the Children’s Amendment Bill, and the Children’s Act, 2005 and the Amendment Bill become a single comprehensive Act, the Child Care Act, 1983 (Act 74 of 1983), will remain in effect.
The Children’s Act, 2005:
- gives effect to certain rights of children as contained in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa
- sets out principles relating to the care and protection of children
- defines parental responsibilities and rights
- makes further provision regarding children’s courts
- provides the issuing of contribution orders
- makes new provision for the adoption of children
- provides for intercountry adoption
- gives effect to the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption
- prohibits child abduction and gives effect to the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction
- provides for surrogate motherhood
- creates certain new offences relating to children.
The Children’s Amendment Bill aims to:
- amend the Children’s Act, 2005
- insert certain definitions such as ‘child-headed household’ and ‘cluster foster-care scheme’
- provide for partial care of children
- provide for early childhood development (ECD)
- make further provision regarding the protection of children
- provide for prevention and early-intervention services
- provide for children in alternative care
- provide for foster care
- provide for child- and youth-care centres, shelters and drop-in centres
- create certain new offences relating to children.
Section 75 of the Children’s Bill provides for the establishment of the National Child Protection Register that will record all persons found unsuitable to work with children.
It will also list any person found through the Children’s Court, as well as criminal courts, to be unsuitable to work with children.
In terms of the draft law, childcare facilities,
including welfare organisations offering foster care
and adoption, will be able to check prospective
employees, foster parents and adoptive parents
against the register.
The register, however, will not be open to the public
and all requests for information will be directed
through the Department of Social Development.
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Social assistance
Social assistance and security
In 2004, the South African Social Security Agency
(Sassa) Act, 2004 (Act 9 of 2004)[PDF], and the Social
Assistance Act, 2004 (Act 13 of 2004)[PDF], were signed
into law.
By mid-2006, the social grants function had
been moved from the provinces to the Sassa.
By July 2006, Sassa had completed a pilot
project in three offices and was processing
applications in between one and three days. Sassa was to investigate the feasibility of implementing
these processes in all regions.
Bids for supplying mobile units in remote and rural areas to improve access to social grants services were also invited.
In 2006/07, social-assistance grant programmes received an additional R2,7 billion.
Income transfers to households, mainly through social-assistance grant programmes, increased from R42,9 billion in 2002/03 to R74,2 billion in 2005, representing an increase of 20% a year.
The Sassa Act, 2004 [PDF] creates a unitary but flexible service-delivery mechanism to ensure that government pays the right grant amount to the right person, at the right time and in a dignified manner.
The Social Assistance Act, 2004 [PDF] creates uniform norms and standards that apply countrywide. It provides for the publishing of regulations on performance management and on adherence to the Batho Pele principles of customer service.
The Act provides for the rendering of social assistance to persons, mechanisms for the rendering of such assistance, the establishment of an inspectorate for social assistance, and related matters.
With a view to operationalising Sassa, government has committed itself to ensuring that ordinary South Africans notice tangible changes to the social-assistance administration system, particularly as improved service delivery will affect them directly.
Operation Isidima is an endeavour by the Department of Social Development to ensure that section 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa is given effect, with its primary objective being to restore dignity to citizens who are recipients of social grants.
The main focus areas of Operation Isidima include:
- reducing the application and processing time for grants to 21 days
- enhancing human resource (HR) capacity to a ratio of 1:1000
- upgrading pay and service points in nodal areas
- enhancing communication by uniform messaging
- standardising the disability-application process
- deploying dedicated fraud prevention/detection teams.
The department’s national facilities to combat fraud and corruption in the social-security system consist of:
- a toll-free national security fraud hotline (0800 60 10 11) that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- an e-mail address (fraud@socdev.gov.za) and a free-call fax service number (0800 61 10 11).
As part of the Anti-Corruption and Fraud Prevention Strategy, internal control systems have been improved, and forensic and investigating teams deployed in all provinces.
To root out fraud and corruption, the department set aside R47 million in 2006/07 and maintained its co-operation agreement with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
Over 70 staff members were trained and used in the fight against fraud and corruption, and probed the details of all grant beneficiaries.
By May 2006, 829 cases of social-grant fraud had been brought to court, with 453 convictions. Half of the 12 000 public servants who have been found defrauding the system are expected to be prosecuted between 2007 and 2008.
The department, in collaboration with all national and provincial law-enforcement agencies, including the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the SIU, was expected to establish the Inspectorate for Social Security.
The department has set aside R25,5 million for the establishment of the inspectorate, and R19,4 million for the development of effective monitoring, evaluation and impact-assessment systems.
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Payment of social grants
By March 2006, grants were being paid to 11 million South Africans, including foster care grants (300 119), care dependency grants (91 604), war veterans’ grants (2 858), old-age grants (2 131 820), disability grants (1 312 726), and child support grants (CGS) (6 961 046). These figures were reached despite significant decreases in some grants after a number of people exited the system during the Department of Social Development’s anti-fraud and corruption campaign.
Research studies have consistently confirmed that these grants not only reduce the occurrence of hunger and extreme poverty, but that they also facilitate household access to basic services and economic opportunities.
This has been the fastest-growing category of government expenditure since 2001, and now amounts to R70 billion a year, about 3,4% of gross domestic product.
Social grants contribute more than half of the income of the poorest 20% of households and have doubled in real terms over the past five years.
Social grants have been equalised between racial groups and extended to all in need who qualify.
Some R6,9 billion was set aside for 2005/06 and an additional R19 billion has been set aside over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period for the further extension of the CSG to children under the age of 14 years.
By May 2006, more than 7,5 million children were receiving the CSG.
The Old-Age Pension Grant is the second-largest social grant. Women qualify at the age of 60 years and men at the age of 65.
The Disability Grant is paid to people who have been assessed as permanently or temporarily disabled.
By April 2005, the department had reviewed 260 000 recipients of temporary disability grants. As a result of the reviews, by September 2005, 100 000 cases of temporary disability had been terminated.
By March 2006, an additional 150 000 recipients of temporary disability grants had been reviewed, resulting in savings of more than R200 million. To consolidate the integrity of the social-security system and related processes, the national budget allocation for system integrity was increased from R24 million in 2005/06 to R60 million in 2006/07.
In partnership with the Department of Health, the Department of Social Development has embarked on a project that aims to bring about a seamless assessment for free healthcare and disability grants by piloting, and then rolling out, a harmonised assessment tool for people with disabilities. A new definition of disability was approved by Cabinet, specifically for the two programmes (free healthcare and disability grants).
The rehabilitation of people with disabilities is
considered imperative to facilitate the development
of an exit strategy for people with disabilities from
social grants. Such rehabilitation is expected to
enable people with disabilities to access training
and job opportunities.
Foster care grants are paid to caregivers of
children who have been placed with them by the
courts. Caregivers of children with disabilities up to
the age of 18 years are eligible for the Care
Dependency Grant. Once these children turn 18 years
old, they are eligible for the Disability Grant.
Amounts of grants per month as at 1 April 2006
Grant Type |
Amount |
| Old-age grant |
R820 |
| Disability grant |
R820 |
| Grant-in-aid |
R758 |
| War veterans’ grant |
R590 |
| Foster care grant |
R820 |
| Care dependency grant |
R190 |
| Child support grant |
R170 |
Source: Department of Social Development
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Poverty relief
Eradicating poverty is the highest priority in
government’s efforts to build a better life for all.
In addition to providing social assistance, the
Department of Social Development also manages
the Poverty-Relief Programme. This programme
aims to assist communities in a range of
developmental projects. The Independent
Development Trust (IDT) has been contracted to
provide implementation support of these projects.
The programme entrusts state resources to communities to enable them to undertake and dictate development for themselves by themselves.
The programme emphasises access to economic opportunities for specific targeted groups and the establishment of local structures able to identify, own and manage the ongoing implementation of development initiatives in the community.
The programme focuses on the following:
- youth development
- women’s co-operatives
- HIV and AIDS
- food security
- older persons
- social finance.
The department has, with the IDT, developed an exit strategy that will enable the projects to operate independently.
To ensure that this is done responsibly, projects have been assessed to determine their status of development and readiness to be exited. Those that are well-developed and ready to stand on their own will be left to do so. Those that need further support will be linked to other institutions that specialise in their areas of focus. The strategy is also intended to bring these projects closer to the provinces and local government. The department is negotiating with relevant stakeholders such as the Department of Trade and Industry, the Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) and the National Empowerment Fund to provide the necessary support to this process.
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Responding to the impact of HIV and AIDS
The Department of Social Development has developed a social-development framework for an integrated and co-ordinated response to HIV and AIDS.
The framework includes sourcing reliable research and information; providing social protection to those infected and affected, especially children; protecting children’s rights; providing services; special programmes such as the Home- and Community-Based Care Programme; empowering women; and capacitating officials to deal with HIV and AIDS.
The department’s response to HIV and AIDS is underpinned by working in partnership with other government departments, NGOs, community-based organisations (CBOs), FBOs, the business sector, volunteers and international agencies.
The main objectives of the Gender, HIV and AIDS Programme are to:
- facilitate the mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS into policies and of gender into HIV and AIDS-prevention programmes
- facilitate and monitor the development and implementation of policies and programmes.
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HIV and AIDS Youth Programme
The expansion of the LoveLife Groundbreaker Partnership Programme aims to strengthen the LoveLife Mphintshi Initiative by linking it to the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and the prevention programme in relation to home- and community-based care and support. The programme will also expand its services to enable it to reach marginalised and vulnerable youth in rural areas.
The HIV and AIDS Youth Programme will focus on preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS among young people. Behaviour-changing programmes will be implemented to help reduce vulnerability.
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HIV and AIDS Workplace Policy and Strategy
The existing HIV and AIDS Workplace Policy and Strategy was reviewed in March 2004, when strategic focus areas for the next three years were outlined. The department’s initiatives are managed according to these focus areas. In addition, a set of indicators has been developed to monitor the implementation of the workplace strategy. Research will be commissioned to assess the impact of the department’s initiatives.The aim is to develop a comprehensive prevention-awareness programme about sexual behaviour, create awareness about accurate and scientific facts on HIV and AIDS, and to develop transmission modes.
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HIV and AIDS advocacy, awareness and outreach
Achieving a meaningful and clear understanding of the scientific facts about HIV and AIDS will lead to individual self-management regarding the risk of HIV. The awareness programme has the following main pillars:
* disclosure
* communication
* rights
* facilitation.
The programme also deals with the physical and emotional consequences of HIV and AIDS. It has the following challenges:
* lack of accurate and current information on HIV and AIDS
* access to care, support, treatment and new healthcare developments
*
discrimination against the infected and affected
*
involvement of people living with HIV and AIDS in HIV and AIDS programmes that directly involve people affected and infected, to alleviate stigmatisation.
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Home- and Community-Based Care and Support Programme
The social impact of HIV and AIDS is evidenced by
the increase in the number of orphans and childheaded
households, manifesting itself in the
disintegration of families and communities.
About R4,2 billion was expected to be spent in
2006/07 on social-sector employment programmes.
These include home- and community-based
community care and ECD, community health workers
and social-development partnerships with NGOs.
Care of child-headed households, strengthening of
HIV and AIDS programmes, and appropriate
management of children in conflict with the law are
among the social-service priorities.
The Home- and Community-Based Care and
Support Programme teaches life skills to children
and the youth, and provides voluntary testing and
counselling services and a range of care and
support services, focusing on families and on
children orphaned through the AIDS-related death
of their parents. There has been significant
progress regarding the initial implementation of
home- and community-based care and support.
In 2005/06, the programme:
- identified 218 259 orphans and vulnerable
children and extended appropriate services to
them
- visited 26 623 child-headed households to
provide counselling and support services
- referred 30 863 children for foster-care
placements
- assisted 268 382 affected families and
distributed 170 184 food parcels
- established 600 child-care fora nationwide to
identify orphans and vulnerable children.
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Services for children
Each province has identified drop-in centres to be contracted to provide cooked meals to identified beneficiaries. These beneficiaries are classified as
people who are not able to cook for themselves, as
in the case of child-headed households.
The department has developed the integrated
and consolidated Five-Year National Social
Development Strategic Plan, which is being
implemented in partnership with other
stakeholders such as the United Nations Children’s
Fund (Unicef).
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Partnerships
Since 2000, the department has strengthened its
partnership with national and international
organisations involved in the fight against HIV and
AIDS. The department chairs the National AIDS
Children’s Task Team (NACTT), a multisectoral team
focusing on the care and support of children
infected with and/or affected by HIV and AIDS.
United Nations Children’s Fund
Unicef has conducted various studies on caring for
vulnerable children and children orphaned through
AIDS-related illnesses, as well as on the costeffectiveness
of several models of care for
vulnerable children.
The department has implemented the results of
Unicef studies in its design of programmes for
children. Unicef has indicated interest in providing
further support to the department in fast-tracking the
Home- and Community-Based Care and Support
Programme.
Unicef provided technical support and funding
for the review of ECD guidelines which were
disseminated to service-providers in 2006.
Save the Children Fund
This organisation provides secretariat and other assistance to the NACTT and has undertaken research on abused children and children affected by HIV and AIDS. It has compiled a directory of services and children’s organisations.
Faith-based organisations and the business sector
The department has strengthened its partnership with churches and other FBOs, the business sector, volunteer organisations, and individuals, to assist with poverty-relief, HIV and AIDS, and social-grant registration programmes.
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Promoting and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups
Children and the youth
In addition to providing social assistance to children through the CSG and the Foster Care Grant, the Department of Social Development facilitates the provision of services to children and the youth through the provincial departments of social development and NGOs.
The implementation of the department’s EPWP will improve services and care to orphans and other vulnerable children, with 5 000 home-based care-givers earmarked for training. A database for orphans and vulnerable children was expected to be established in each province in 2006/07 to help ensure the provision of efficient structures for delivering services at all levels.
The policy framework for this sector was expected to be finalised and a national action plan for orphans and vulnerable children developed, as well as the number of childcare fora to be raised by 800 by 2008.
Various programmes for the protection of children continued, including the installation of the Child Protection Register in provinces. Progress was made in finding permanent homes for children. In 2005/06, 251 intercountry adoptions and 2 256 domestic adoptions were registered.
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Social-crime prevention
The department is tasked with the implementation of the Probation Services Act, 1991 (Act 116 of 1991), as amended. As such, it has to fulfil various obligations at national and provincial level, such as early intervention services (reception, assessment and referral services, and restorative justice and diversion programmes), prevention programmes, services to crime victims and statutory services.
The added focus on preventive and diversionary programmes directed at children in conflict with the law saw some 30 000 children diverted from the criminal justice system (CJS) through agreements with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), provincial departments of social development and NGOs.
Home-based supervision programmes benefited about 1 000 children in conflict with the law. The number of children in correctional-service facilities declined by 40% between 2004 and March 2006.
The allocation to the social-crime prevention subprogramme was increased by 23,2% over the 2006 MTEF so that the Child Justice Bill [PDF] could be implemented to improve the functioning of the integrated justice system.
The proposed Child Justice Bill [PDF] will augment the responsibilities of probation services to ensure that sufficient diversion programmes are in place in rural and urban areas. It will also ensure every arrested child is assessed within 48 hours; additional home-based supervision programmes are provided; the numbers of probation and assistant probation officers are increased; and sufficient and secure-care facilities to accommodate children awaiting trial are put in place.
Policies for promoting the well-being of children were expected to be aligned to the Children’s Act, 2005 [PDF]and provincial implementation was to be managed and progress evaluated.
Programmes and policies for children awaiting trial were being implemented by May 2006, and would be monitored to assess progress and impact.
The department aimed to reduce the number of children in police cells and prisons by 60% during 2006/07 by reviewing existing legislation and regulations, and developing a departmental social-crime prevention strategy and suitable programmes and guidelines for children awaiting trial.
Three secure-care centres are expected to be established, and norms and standards for the centres implemented. Minimum standards for diversion programmes will be launched, and 600 probation officers and 40 assistant probation officers are to be trained. Some 500 volunteers were also expected to be trained as assistant probation officers as part of the National Youth Service Programme in 2006/07, and a professional board for youth work established.
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Victim-Empowerment Programme (VEP)
The VEP facilitates the establishment and integration of interdepartmental/intersectoral programmes and policies for the support, protection and empowerment of victims of crime and violence, with a special focus on women and children.
It also ensures that the implementation of such programmes and policies is monitored and evaluated.
Integrated Victim-Empowerment Policy
The final draft of the Integrated Victim-Empowerment Policy has been costed and presented to senior management fora for recommendations and approval.
One-stop centres for abused women and children
The VEP is a major component of the agreement between the Department of Social Development and the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, for the establishment of one-stop centres for women and children who are victims of abuse, especially domestic violence.
The one-stop centre in Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape has a shelter for abused women and their children. This centre – one of five countrywide –attends to about 55 people a month.
To establish two shelters for victims of domestic violence in rural areas, a partnership was secured with Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. The Transnet Foundation donated R600 000 to shelters in Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Free State.
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National Directory on Services for Victims of Violence and Crime
The National Directory on Services for Victims of Violence and Crime, which was launched during the 16 Days of Activism on No Violence Against Women and Children in December 2004, is continuously updated in collaboration with provincial VEP managers/co-ordinators. The purpose of the national resource directory is to promote the accessibility of services to victims of crime and violence.
Minimum standards for service delivery to victims of violence
Workshops for the implementation of minimum standards for service delivery to victims of violence were conducted nationally as a complementary
process to the implementation of the South African
Victim’s Charter of Services [PDF]. By mid-2006, the
provinces were conducting development quality
assurance using the minimum standards as
guidelines.
Training in victim-empowerment and trauma
support
An updated manual for training professionals in
victim empowerment and trauma support is
available for use by the relevant role-players and
for training.
Victim-empowerment management
The department conducted six victimempowerment
interdepartmental intersectoral
management team meetings and one strategic
planning session during 2005/06. The Integrated
VEP Strategy is available as well as the
consolidated report of achievements.
European Union (EU) funding
The EU has made funding available to strengthen
VEPs and services in the country. The VEPs were
expected to commence on 1 July 2006.
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Interdepartmental collaboration
The department is actively involved in the following interdepartmental task teams for an integrated approach to victim empowerment, namely:
Anti-Rape Strategy
The Interdepartmental Management Team (IDMT) comprises representatives from the departments of health, of safety and security, and of social development, as well as from the Sexual Offences and Community Affairs Unit of the National Directorate of Public Prosecution.
The IDMT was tasked with developing the Anti-Rape Strategy for the prevention of sexual violence against women and children.
The strategy comprises an approach that enables both prevention of and response to violence, improves effectiveness of the CJS, increases the reporting rate of sexual assault, and improves the effectiveness of survivor-support programmes.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has also established partnerships with several community-based role-players, including businesses. These links have improved the implementation of crime-prevention initiatives.
Trafficking in human beings
The Department of Social Development forms part of the Trafficking in Persons Intersectoral Task Team, which co-ordinates the country’s strategy in relation to anti-trafficking activities. This is because existing empirical data demonstrates that most cases of human trafficking can be linked to sexual exploitation. The country’s strategy has been developed to ensure participation by all stakeholders.
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Services to families
This programme favours services promoting the family as the core of society. A well-functioning family addresses the needs of its members in terms of their emotional, physical, intellectual, spiritual and economic well-being.
The policy presents a framework and strategy on the role and contribution regarding an integrated and comprehensive approach of service delivery to families.
The Reference Group for Family Life took responsibility for developing the integrated five-year Strategic Plan for Families. The plan is linked to the African Union Plan of Action for Families in Africa, and is being implemented by all stakeholders. Reports are submitted to the Department of Social Development for coordination.
The Moral Regeneration Strategy for Social Development has still to be developed. A discussion document is available and is expected to be workshopped for input from provinces.
The national and international days for families are celebrated annually on 17 April and 15 May respectively.
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Prevention and treatment of substance abuse
The Ke Moja Project, launched in the Western Cape, is a prevention programme that has successfully targeted the youth. ‘Ke Moja’ means ‘no thanks’ and aims to inform and educate the public about the dangers of drugs, as well as to mobilise them, particularly children and the youth, to say no to substance abuse. The project was extended to all provinces during 2006/07.
The Youth Best-Practice Treatment Model was developed, and training provided countrywide to facilitate roll-out of the model. The model proposes essential elements to be considered when offering treatment to youth in residential facilities.
A significant achievement has been the development of minimum standards for in-patient treatment centres, which were piloted and implemented in the five government facilities. These minimum norms and standards were expected to be implemented in all provinces during 2006/07, with training to be conducted based on identified needs.
The standards are being used to transform service delivery in government facilities as a first priority, and to ensure that appropriate services are provided at these centres. The standards will also set the framework for the registration of treatment centres run by civil-society structures in the country.
The proliferation of unregistered treatment centres is being addressed. Notices have been sent out to sensitise the sector about the legal registration requirements and to ensure that such facilities are registered in terms of the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act, 1992 (Act 20 of 1992). Most treatment centres have applied for registration, and the department is working with the provinces to accelerate the process.
In October 2006, Cabinet approved the National Drug Master Plan and Programme. The plan is in line with the Drug Dependency Act, 1992, which requires government to review such a plan every five years.
Current legislation governing services on the prevention and treatment of substance abuse and rehabilitation is outdated and was expected to be reviewed during 2006/07. The Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse Bill will provide for the transformation of services in the field of substance abuse, community-based interventions, and the development of minimum norms and standards for different levels of service delivery for substance abuse, and will ensure registration and monitoring facilities. This Bill was expected to be introduced to Parliament in 2006.
The department wants to ensure that human rights and minimum standards for treatment are upheld. The Policy on the Management of Substance Abuse was drafted and finalised during 2005/06. The policy was used to inform the review process of the substance abuse Bill and the National Drug Master Plan.
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Child abuse and neglect
The department’s priority is fighting child abuse and neglect, as illustrated by the following initiatives:
- Child Protection Register: This programme,
tested and revised in 2004, has been
implemented in seven provinces. It aims to
develop an electronic database in all provinces,
linked to a central database at the Department of
Social Development, on children younger than
18 years who have been abused, neglected or
exploited.
- Draft Policy Framework and Strategic Plan on the
Prevention and Management of Child Abuse,
Neglect and Exploitation: The framework has
been completed. Effective implementation is
expected to reduce the incidence of abuse and
neglect, and to clarify the roles and
responsibilities of stakeholders.
- Isolabantwana (Eye of the Child): The South
African National Council for Child Welfare
received donor funding from the department for
the replication of a prevention programme in
communities to eliminate child abuse and to
promote child protection. The programme aims
to provide a safety net for children within a
community where services and support can be
provided to children at risk on a 24-hour basis,
and in areas where resources are limited.
Community members contribute to the success
of child-protection services, as they reside in the
communities and are familiar with the people,
structures and traditions. The programme has
been implemented (with a minimum of three
sites per province) in all nine provinces
according to community needs.
Childline South Africa
Childline offers a toll-free crisis line (0800 55 555) to children and families across South Africa on a 24-hour basis. The line provides immediate assistance to children and families in crisis who need counselling and information.
Apart from the 24-hour toll-free helpline,
services also include treatment centres for
individual, family and play therapy; prevention
programmes; community safehouses; and training
and awareness programmes.
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Women
Social-development services for women are another
priority. This derives from the premise and
concern that the inequality that exists between men
and women in South Africa is deeply entrenched
and has characterised South African society for
many decades. Women are subject to discrimination,
exploitation and violence despite the
Constitution, which affirms the democratic values
of human dignity, equality and freedom. An
unprecedented effort is therefore required to
ensure that the status of women is elevated to
protect their rights and speed up gender equality.
Economic empowerment
The department has established the Flagship Programme: Developmental Programmes for Unemployed Women with Children under Five Years. The programme provides economic and development opportunities and services to unemployed women with children under the age of five years, living in deep rural areas and previously disadvantaged informal settlements. Sixteen projects create income that is distributed among the participating women.
The various projects include activities such as eating-houses, overnight facilities, car washes, beauty salons, vegetable gardens, garment-making, poultry and egg production, bread-baking, leather works, offal-cleaning, child-minding and paper-and-fabric printing.
A considerable number of women and children are benefiting from the programme. The flagship programme has developed a creative form of early childhood intervention, which provides developmentally appropriate education to children younger than five to increase their chances of healthy growth and development.
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People with disabilities
There are more than three million people with disabilities in South Africa. The majority of these are women.
The Office on the Status of Disabled Persons is part of The Presidency and is duplicated in the offices of the premiers. Together, they have coordinated work to mainstream disability issues in all government policies and programmes.
The White Paper on an Integrated National Strategy provides a policy framework for implementation across the whole of society and through all spheres of government.
The National Skills Development Strategy calls for 4% of all people who obtain training to be people with disabilities.
The national councils supported by the Department of Social Development are the:
As existing policies are not adequate to address the needs of this vulnerable group, the Department of Social Development intends to do research into the needs of people and children with disabilities, and an increase of R1 million was allocated for this purpose.
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Youth development
Youth-development initiatives are guided by, among others, the National Youth Development (NYD) Policy Framework, World Programme of Action for Youth, and the Ministerial Ten-Point Plan.
Various youth-development services are being rolled out.
Youth-development services
The department developed NYD implementation guidelines in line with the NYS unit guidelines.
The NYD Forum sits biweekly to consult, secure support for, and guide provinces in implementing youth projects. Key to these are provincial visits, including hosting meetings with stakeholders and visiting projects funded by the department to monitor their implementation and impact.
Volunteerism is promoted among the youth. A volunteer manual has been developed, which includes a volunteer rights charter and a basic code of conduct for volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations. These documents are distributed to organisations and government departments throughout the year and, in particular, during the National Volunteer Week held annually from 26 June to 2 July, as part of the Youth Month Programme.
Several relations have been developed and strengthened, including the signing of the MOU with the UYF on the NYS Programme.
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Research and policies
The Draft Youth Development Framework was presented to management for approval. By mid-2006, the Youth Development Plan was being drafted.
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Youth-work professionalisation
A national task team has been established, constituting youth workers represented by the South African Youth Work Association, UYF, National Youth Commission and the Department of Social Development. Unit standards on youth work have been drafted, as have the proposed qualifications at National Qualifications Framework levels 4 and 5. By mid-2006, these were being reviewed by youth workers, through the Community Development Practitioners’ Professional Board.
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Outreach programmes
Youth Development Month is held every June. Activities include Youth Day on 16 June, the National Entrepreneur Exhibition and National Volunteer Week.
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International obligations
The department was part of a task team charged with reviewing the World Programme of Action for Youth and preparing the Country Report to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly. Part of the review process of the World Programme of Action was the holding of a civil-society Youth Assembly in New York in the United States of America. The outcome of the assembly was included in the final report presented to the UN General Assembly as part of the 10-year review of the youth programme.
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Cluster responsibilities
The Department of Social Development was tasked by the Social Cluster to convene and chair the Task Team on Youth to draft the Cluster-Wide Youth Development Plan. A framework was designed as an outcome of the Social Sector National Workshop. The Social Cluster meeting approved the framework and it later became the Social Cluster Youth Development Plan. A template has been developed to monitor its implementation according to indicators and measures.
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United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Second Country Support Programme for South Africa
The second country programme of the United Nations Population Fund was con-ceptualised and designed to develop best-practice models and methodologies for local municipalities, in order to integrate population and development priorities in the local integrated development plans.
The capacity-building initiatives and research study were formulated to support this pilot programme. The programme was approved by the Minister of Social Development in October 2002. It is informed by the need for government to develop those areas that were previously marginalised, in particular, rural areas, through integrated sustainable rural development. The programme is implemented in 10 rural nodes within the three provinces with the worst socio-demographic indicators, namely the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo.
The overall goal of the second country programme is to:
- improve the quality of life of historically disadvantaged South Africans
- alleviate poverty through population trends commensurate with social and economic development
- reduce the spread of HIV and AIDS
- improve reproductive health services and respect for reproductive rights
- enhance gender equality.
Four subprogrammes were also developed:
- Sexual Reproductive Health
- Gender-Based Violence
- Population and Development Strategies
- Advocacy.
A more streamlined project implementation
framework comprising 27 identified projects was
developed, and the following capacity-building
projects and research were implemented:
- Population and HIV and AIDS Integrated
Development – Capacity Development Course
for Government Managers and Planners
- Applied Population Sciences Training and
Research
- Leadership Training in Sustainable Development
– Population, Environment and Development
Nexus
- Advocacy, Information, Education and
Communication training workshops
- Capacity-Building Programme for Civil-Society
Advocacy Organisations Working in the Fields of
Sexual Reproductive Health, Gender-Based
Violence, and HIV and AIDS
- Research Study on Knowledge, Practices and
Attitudes on Gender-Based Violence.
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Welfare services
Remuneration of social workers
The process of regrading social workers was completed and implemented at national and provincial levels. Social workers on salary levels 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 were regraded. The Minister of Finance allocated funds for revised salary packages to be implemented. The implementation process will be evaluated to reduce disparities and to ensure uniformity.
Retention Strategy for Social Workers
The broader Retention Strategy for Social Workers has been drafted. The strategy will address the needs of social workers in the public and private sectors. It includes the following key components:
- increasing HR by recruiting and retaining social workers
- promoting education, training and development of social workers
- improving the quality of social-work services
- strengthening governance structures within the social-service professions
- promoting occupational safety standards within the workplace
- improving service conditions for social workers
- marketing and promoting social-work services and programmes.
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Capacity-building Programme for Social-Service Professionals
During the first phase of the Capacity-Building Programme for Social-Service Professionals that commenced in all provinces in 2005/06, 1 869 social-service professionals from both the public and private sectors were trained.
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Repositioning the developmental social welfare sector
The Integrated Service Delivery Model for Development Social Services was launched in November 2005.
The desired outcome of the model is the implementation of comprehensive, efficient and quality service delivery that contributes to a self-reliant society.
The model acknowledges the interdependent relationship between the department’s main programmes, namely Social Security, Social Welfare and Community Development.
It determines the nature, scope, extent and level of work that constitutes service delivery by development social services.
It also provides a basis for determining appropriate norms and standards for service delivery, which will in turn provide a basis for funding and greater efficiency in service delivery.
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Review of the policy for service-providers
The policy was being implemented in phases with effect from 1 April 2005. Procedure guidelines and an administrative tool have been developed and approved, and are being implemented on a trial-basis with a view to full implementation in April 2007.
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Funding of non-governmental organisations
The services rendered by NGOs as partners in service delivery with the department continue to receive support. The department continues to award funds to service-providers at national and provincial level, with 18 national bodies having been awarded funds.
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Costing models
Costing models were developed to promote uniformity in the costing of services, to improve service delivery and responsiveness to the needs of the majority of the population, to help identify and quantify inequities in service delivery and funding mechanisms, and to effectively foster transformation of services.
The models were presented to MinMec and were approved in principle, subject to determination of financial implications and priorities by the provinces.
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Statutory bodies
National Development Agency
The NDA is a government agency mandated by the NDA Act, 1998 (Act 108 of 1998)[PDF], to contribute towards eradicating poverty through funding, capacity-building, research and development.
The NDA’s primary sources of income are an allocation from the National Revenue Fund and donor funding.
Transfers to the NDA increased from R103,3 million in 2003/04 to R123 million in 2006/07.
The NDA is mandated to:
- grant funds to civil-society organisations to meet the development needs of poor communities
- strengthen organisations’ institutional capacity for long-term sustainability
- promote consultation, dialogue and sharing of developmental experiences
- inform and influence government developmental policies
- collaborate with stakeholders in the development field to develop strategies for eradicating poverty in South Africa.
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Relief boards
The Fund-Raising Act, 1978 (Act 107 of 1978), provides for relief boards to offer social relief to people in distress as a result of disasters or displacement from another country.
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Non-profit organisations
The NPO Act, 1997 (Act 71 of 1997) [PDF], mandates the Department of Social Development to contribute towards creating an enabling environment within which NPOs can flourish. The Directorate: NPOs was established in terms of this legislation to manage the registration facility and to increase public access to information on registered organisations.
The legal mandate requires that the directorate register organisations within two months receipt of a complete application, and provide support for organisations to register and meet reporting requirements.
The registration and reporting of organisations has increased substantially since the inception of the Act in 1998. During 2005/06, 13 405 organisations applied for registration. Of these, 8 398 met the registration requirements. By March 2006, the total number of registered organisations was 37 532. Most registered organisations are in Gauteng (32%) followed by KwaZulu-Natal (18%). The Northern Cape (2,3%) has the fewest registered organisations.
Only 1 024 organisations were deregistered due to non-compliance. That 5 415 registered annual reports is a positive capacity of organisations to comply reporting requirements of the . voluntary. Nevertheless, a large continue to choose to be accountable to a public office.
In supporting NPOs in their endeavour to register, the department continues conducting capacity-building interventions and other support initiatives in collaboration with the provincial departments, including other networking organisations and fora within civil society.
Source: South Africa Yearbook 2006/07
Editor: D Burger. Government Communication and Information
System
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Last modified: 03 June 2008 14:15:48. |
