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Social development
Introduction
The Department of Social Development aims to ensure the provision of
comprehensive, integrated, sustainable and quality social-development
services to combat vulnerability and poverty. It also strives to create an
enabling environment for sustainable development in partnership with
those committed to building a caring society.
The national department provides strategic
policy leadership and implementation support to
nine provincial departments that are responsible
for direct service delivery to citizens. It monitors
and evaluates a range of social-development
programmes.
The department’s key programmes include:
- assistance through the South African Social
Security Agency (Sassa)
- social-welfare services
- integrated developmental services, including
community development
- research in the area of population and development
issues and social policy to enhance
evidence-based policy development and planning.
The departmental mandate has also widened
in recent years to include initiatives aimed at
improving the livelihoods of South Africans by co-ordinating home and community-based care
(HCBC) for people living with HIV and AIDS (including
probation services, childcare and protection,
and family counselling and support services), sustainable livelihoods and food-relief
programmes, with a focus on programmes for
particularly vulnerable groups.
The Department of Social Development collaborates
with other government departments within
the framework of intergovernmental-relations
legislation and co-operative governance. It also
collaborates with non-governmental organisations
(NGOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs), the business sector, organised labour and other
role-players to ensure its strategic objectives are
implemented.
The department also undertakes participatory
research to provide evidence for developing relevant
and appropriate programmes and strategies
for sustainable livelihoods, and policies and strategies
on community development. This includes
creating a conducive environment for facilitating
community development practice and overseeing
the National Development Agency (NDA).
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Legislation
Older Persons Act, 2006
(Act 13 of 2006)
The Older Persons Act, 2006
(Act 13 of 2006) [PDF] contains provisions
to improve the lives of older South Africans.
The main objectives of the Act are to:
- maintain and promote the status, well-being, safety and security of older persons
- recognise the skills and wisdom of older
persons
- encourage older persons’ participation in
community activities to promote them as
people.
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Childcare legislation
The Children’s Act, 2005 (Act 38 of 2005) [PDF], sets
out principles relating to the care and protection
of children, defines parental responsibilities and
rights and provides for matters such as children’s
courts, adoption, child abduction and surrogate
motherhood.
In 2008/09, the Department of Social Development allocated over R22 million towards the
protection of children. These resources will be
directed at standardising and accelerating delivery in the areas covered by the Act. The department
has finalised a set of draft regulations for
public discussions. To get South Africa ready to
implement the Children’s Act, 2005, government
increased awareness on the legislation and draft
regulations while accelerating service delivery to
children.
The Act also:
- gives effect to certain rights of children as
contained in the Constitution of the Republic of
South Africa, 1996
- sets out principles relating to the care and
protection of children
- defines parental responsibilities and rights
- makes further provision regarding children’s
courts
- provides for 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 trafficking, and
gives effect to the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction
- provides for surrogate motherhood
- creates certain new offences relating to
children
- provides for matters relating to the trafficking of children and the implementation of the relevant protocol.
The Children’s Amendment Act, 2007 (Act 41 of 2007) [PDF] provides for:
- the partial care of children
- early childhood development (ECD)
- further protection of children
- prevention and early-intervention services
- children in alternative care
- foster care
- child and youth care centres, shelters and drop-in centres
- certain new offences relating to children
- the plight of child-headed households
- respect for parental rights by providing that no person may take or send a South African child out of the country without consent of parents or guardians
- the discipline of children.
The Children’s Act, 2005 [PDF] provides for the establishment of the National Child Protection Register (NCPR) that records all persons found unsuitable to work with children.
It also lists any person found by the Children’s Court and criminal courts to be unsuitable to work with children.
In terms of this law, childcare facilities, including welfare organisations offering foster care and adoption, are able to check prospective employees, foster parents and adoptive parents against the register.
The register, however, is not open to the public, and all requests for information must be directed through the Department of Social Development.
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Health insurance
An estimated seven million South Africans contribute to medical schemes. These schemes account for the largest element of contributory health cover, which was estimated at R43 billion in 2005, excluding the Tax Expenditure Subsidy.
The current private health arrangements incorporate only limited levels of social solidarity.
Optimising social solidarity requires:
- Risk equalisation: This is achieved through interscheme financial transfers to eliminate demographic differences between medical schemes. This is being implemented following government’s approval.
- Minimum benefits: By mid-2007, the mandatory minimum package represented only about a third of a comprehensive package of benefits.
- Income-based contributions: By mid-2007, some medical-scheme members paid flat-rate contributions that were insensitive to income. The inequitable provision of tax subsidies to higher-income groups created a perverse outcome.
- Mandatory participation for income-earners: Voluntary contributory health systems are characterised by “anti-selection”. Mandating participation in health cover is a key mechanism to bolstering and sustaining risk-pooling.
In July 2008, Cabinet received a progress report on the establishment of a national health insurance system for South Africa and noted that legislation relating to the establishment of the Risk Equalisation Fund was before Parliament.
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Community development and
sustainable livelihoods
The persistence of poverty calls for the
development of innovative and sustainable community-development and poverty-eradication policies, strategies and programmes that will not only create opportunities for sustainable jobs and income generation, but that will also harness and strengthen resources within households and civil society to achieve sustainable livelihoods.
Eradicating poverty is the highest priority in government’s efforts to build a better life for all. In this regard, the Department of Social Development manages the Sustainable Livelihoods Programme, which aims to assist communities in a range of developmental projects and to develop best practices to link social grants to the livelihood strategies of direct and indirect beneficiaries and income-generating vehicles such as co-operatives.
By mid-2007, a four-phased pilot project was being implemented in the Eastern Cape, with the first phase completed.
The objective of this pilot project is to restore the poor and vulnerable as quickly as possible to self-reliance.
Through this pilot project, the “sweat equity” principle, which provides beneficiaries with an opportunity to invest in-kind in their own development initiatives, was introduced. This process ensures that beneficiaries do not become passive, but rather play the role of active partners in the development process.
The project also ensures ownership, commitment and accountability on the side of beneficiaries, which are critical and necessary ingredients for sustainability.
Through this process, government supports
beneficiary initiatives and is therefore perceived
not just as a provider but also as an enabler.
In addition to providing social assistance, the Department of Social Development is implementing
poverty-relief initiatives.
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War on poverty
In August 2008, government launched the national
War on Poverty Campaign to reduce poverty among
the country’s poorest citizens. The most deprived
households identified in the poorest wards will be
visited periodically by a team of professionals and
community workers to identify their specific needs
to accelerate access to government services and
to provide safety nets.
The success of tackling poverty and social exclusion
requires that every sector plays its part. “War
rooms” that are inclusive of, among other things, government at all levels, business, and voluntary
and community organisations have been set up to
fight poverty. Local government departments will
intervene in areas such as the provision of free
basic services, public works and other indigent
measures.
The War on Poverty Campaign’s approach draws
on the experience of other focused and targeted
initiatives, such as the urban and rural development
strategy, Project Consolidate and izimbizo to bring
about maximum impact in identified communities.
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Comprehensive social security
Government has committed itself to specific
goals concerning a comprehensive social security
system. The Cabinet-approved framework
of the new system seeks to ensure access to social
security, including appropriate social assistance as
provided for in Section 27 of the Constitution.
The setting up, over time, of a comprehensive
social-security system will result in substantial
changes to the existing social-insurance funds,
the enhancement of administrative arrangements, a new tax structure and adjustments to employee
benefits across the economy.
This reform project will affect all South Africans
and extend across the entire labour market. Its
implementation calls for a new social partnership, constructed on the principles of equity and solidarity, that builds on public-administration reforms and effectively mobilises private-sector capacity.
To give effect to government’s social-insurance
reform agenda, Cabinet appointed an inter-ministerial committee to provide political leadership.
The Department of Social Development will
play a key role in designing and implementing
reforms in the area of:
- retirement provisions
- social-health insurance
- unemployment insurance
- compensation for injuries and diseases on duty
- road-accident insurance.
Among these reforms, retirement provisions
present the most complex of challenges, encompassing
savings for old age, contributions to post-retirement medical schemes, disability and survivors’
benefits.
A discussion document [PDF] on the reform of retirement
provisions in South Africa can be found on
the Government’s website.
The key proposals regarding retirement reform
include:
- removing the means test for the Old-Age Grant and increasing the upper ceiling of the means
test for all other grants
- introducing a mandatory system of retirement
contributions
- reviewing the current system of tax-expenditure
subsidies
- establishing a government-sponsored retirement
fund
- introducing ancillary benefits along with retirement savings to cover disability and survivors’ benefits
- providing arrangements for post-retirement medical contributions.
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Social-assistance policy developments
In the context of South Africa’s main challenges of high levels of poverty and inequality, the Department of Social Development continues to expand the social safety net. The Social Assistance Act, 2004 (Act 13 of 2004) [PDF], creates uniform norms and standards that apply countrywide. It provides for the publication of regulations on performance management and on adherence to the Batho Pele (“People First”) 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.
Social-assistance transfers are funded from general revenue and are appropriated on the Vote of the Department of Social Development. Social- assistance cash grants provide targeted income support to those whose livelihoods are most at risk. The available grants are:
In February 2008, the Minister of Finance,
Mr Trevor Manuel, announced that the qualifying age for men for old-age pension would be reduced from 65 to 63 in 2008, to 61 in 2009 and to 60 by 2010. More than 23 million older persons 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, which was 2,9% of gross domestic product (GDP), to a projected R73 billion in 2009/10, constituting 3,1% of GDP.
By March 2008, about R12,4 million people were receiving social grants. By October 2008,
8,3 million children were receiving the Child-Support Grant (CSG), which is provided to children in need (up to the age of 15 years from 1 January 2009).
The growing number of child-support beneficiaries has been the main source of increased expenditure over recent years, with the increase in disability grants taking up a rising share of the total.
Government’s medium-term aim is to increase the qualification age limit for the CSG to the 18th birthday.
By October 2008, 494 992 children were receiving the Foster-Care Grant. Foster care is a temporary measure until the children reach the age of 18, unless an extension is requested.
To provide a direct response to poverty and vulnerability in the context of rising food prices, the department ensures that qualifying vulnerable citizens receive the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant. The SRD Grant is designed to address temporary provision of assistance to those in dire situations. An amount of R124 million was allocated in 2008/09 to meet these needs and to complement the department’s integrated response to these crises. In October 2008, a further
R500 million was allocated to Sassa to provide relief to households or individuals facing hardship.
SRD is a temporary provision of assistance intended for persons who are unable to meet their families’ most basic needs. The SRD may be in the form of a food parcel or a voucher to buy food. Some provinces give this assistance in the form of cash. SRD is given for a short time only, usually for up to three months, and sometimes for six months.
The South African Social
Security Agency (Sassa) is responsible for SRD for categories relevant to social grants, and provides it in cases where the person:
- is awaiting permanent aid, in the form of a social grant
- is found to be medically unfit for a period of less than six months
- has appealed the suspension of a grant
- needs help while waiting for the children’s grants to be processed by government
- has experienced a crisis or disaster, for
example, the house has burnt down
- is unable to get maintenance from the other
parent of the child or children, or the breadwinner has died, or has been sent to prison for a
short time (less than six months)
- has been affected by a disaster in the area that
has not been declared a disaster area.
By July 2008, 1,4 million people received the Disability
Grant.
The Social Cluster is dealing with the implementation of a common tool that will assist in assessing
disabilities. The implementation of the tool has
been put on hold pending the amendment of the
Social Assistance Act, 2004 in the 2009 Parliamentary cycle. In the meantime, the Department of
Social Development has appointed 40 members to
panels of tribunals to deal with appeals submitted
for all grants, especially those for disability benefits.
Amounts of grants per month as at 1 November 2008
| Grant type |
Amount |
| Old-Age Grant |
R960 |
| Disability Grant |
R960 |
| War-Veterans’ Grant |
R960 |
| Foster-Care Grant |
R650 |
| Care-Dependency Grant |
R960 |
| Child-Support Grant |
R240 |
| Grant-in-Aid |
R210 |
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Implementing social-assistance
programmes
Before 2006, the nine provincial departments each
had its own administration for social assistance. This situation posed significant challenges for
government concerning lack of norms and standards
of social-assistance service delivery. The
Sassa Act, 2004 (Act 9 of 2004) [PDF], was introduced
to create a single entity for the delivery of social
grants. The South African Social
Security Agency (Sassa) took over this responsibility
from the provinces from April 2005.
The agency’s delivery model aims to ensure that
the administration and payment of social grants
become more customer-focused, while ensuring
regular reviews of beneficiaries’ eligibility. Regular
reviews and a comprehensive fraud strategy
should reduce levels of fraud, leakage and corruption
in the social-grants system.
Sassa was apportioned a budget of
R4,5 billion for the 2008/09 period to facilitate proactive service delivery. Its initiatives
include the Integrated Community Registration
Outreach Programme. This flagship programme
involves the participation of the departments of
social development, home affairs, health, and
education and the South African Police Service
(SAPS). The programme has also revolutionised
turnaround times for the processing of applications,
and it is now possible for an application to
be approved on the same day.
Sassa has purchased 40 mobile units to take
services to remote and rural communities. The
trucks are one-stop shops where beneficiaries can
apply for identity documents and grants.
Together with the Department of Health, the Department of Social Development has embarked
on a project that aims to bring about the provision
of free healthcare and disability grants seamlessly, by piloting and then rolling out a harmonised
assessment tool for people with disabilities.
Cabinet approved a new definition of disability, specifically for two programmes (free healthcare
and disability grants). This definition necessitated
an investigation into possible dispensation for
people with chronic conditions, who usually form
the bulk of temporary disability grant recipients.
The rehabilitation of people with disabilities
is considered imperative to facilitate the development
of an exit strategy for them from social
grants. Such rehabilitation is expected to enable
people with disabilities to access training and job
opportunities.
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Employment assistance
An employment-assistance directorate has been
established to link social-grant beneficiaries with
economic activities and poverty-alleviation strategies,
for their possible exit from the social-grants’
system.
In line with this thinking, Cabinet approved
a presentation on this proposal, in principle, to
explore possible economic activities and poverty alleviation strategies for the same purpose.
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Combating fraud and corruption
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.
By March 2008, the Special Investigating Unit, National Prosecuting Authority and SAPS were busy with investigations, prosecutions and recovery processes involving both private and public-sector beneficiaries who had unlawfully obtained grants.
Disciplinary proceedings were also ongoing against all public servants who had been prosecuted and those who had agreed to repay unlawfully obtained grants.
By March 2008, 3 970 public-sector beneficiaries had been convicted. The target for the 2008/09 financial year was to investigate and prosecute 3 500 public-sector and private beneficiaries. Furthermore, 8 000 beneficiaries were targeted for repayment of grants through acknowledgement of debt agreements.
By September 2008, the department had removed 333 233 grants from the system, with an annual value of over R1 billion. It had ensured that 21 189 irregular private beneficiaries and public servants repay the illegally obtained grants worth R114 374 million.
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Improving community
development service delivery
To improve community development service delivery, the Department of Social Development is regrading work and salary levels for community-development practitioners.
The department has also worked with the South African Qualifications Authority to standardise the qualifications and training of community
development practitioners. An agreement has
been reached on the generic qualifications at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) levels one, three and four.
The department is also consulting stakeholders in drafting a community development policy, which has been identified as an important
aspect for improved community development service delivery.
The envisaged policy on community development will integrate the norms and standards for community development practice.
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Responding to the impact of HIV
and AIDS
The National Strategic Plan for HIV and AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections 2007 – 2011 [PDF] serves as South Africa’s primary HIV and AIDS policy document. Recognising the growing need to combat the further spread of the pandemic, the plan hinges on four key priorities, namely:
- prevention
- treatment, care and support
- monitoring, research and surveillance
- human rights and access to justice.
The sustained national response is beginning to pay some dividends as data indicates that the infection rate among women younger than 20 had decreased significantly while the average national HIV prevalence among young pregnant women had shown signs of stabilisation in the three years to 2006.
The Department of Social Development has also developed a 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 HCBC Programme; empowering women; and capacitating officials to deal with HIV and AIDS.
Partnerships with other government departments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), faith-based organisations (FBOs), the business sector, volunteers and international agencies underpin the department’s response to HIV and AIDS.
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
- 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 HCBC and support.
The HIV and AIDS Youth Programme’s services now reach marginalised and vulnerable youth in rural areas. It focuses on preventing the spread
of HIV and AIDS among young people. Behaviour-changing programmes have been implemented to
help reduce vulnerability.
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HIV and AIDS Workplace
Policy and Strategy
The Department of Social Development’s HIV and
AIDS Workplace Policy and Strategy is managed
according to strategic focus areas.
In addition, a set of indicators has been developed
to monitor the implementation of the workplace
strategy.
Research has been undertaken to monitor the
HIV and AIDS Workplace Policy and Strategy, and
assess related capacity-building and training
needs. The impact of the department’s HIV and
AIDS workplace initiatives will also be assessed. The aim is to develop a comprehensive programme
that addresses, among other things, sexual behaviour
and creates awareness about accurate and
scientific facts on HIV and AIDS.
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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 infection. 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
addresses the following challenges:
- the lack of accurate and current information on
HIV and AIDS
- the lack of access to care, support, treatment
and new healthcare developments
- discrimination against the infected and
affected
The program aims to involve people living with HIV
and AIDS in initiatives that directly help affected
and infected people to alleviate stigmatisation.
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Care and support
Home and community-based care
(HCBC) is the provision of comprehensive services, including health and social services, by formal
and informal caregivers in the HCBC and support
programmes.
The HCBC Programme has been prioritised
as a cost-effective response substituting for a
significant proportion of AIDS-related hospital
care. The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is a critical component of the effort
to deliver holistic HIV and AIDS and tuberculosis
related services. It represents a strategic opportunity
to address key pressure points in current
interventions.
Some 30 056 community caregivers received
stipends up to December 2007. In the same period, some 14 960 community caregivers received
basic HCBC and ancillary healthcare NQF level one
and two training. Some 1 145 270 beneficiaries
received care and support services between April
2007 and December 2007.
A service-provider was appointed in May 2007
to assist in fast-tracking the accreditation of
100 non-profit organisations (NPOs) as training
service-providers. The appointed service
provider developed a toolkit that was approved by
the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training
Authority. The training of facilitators, assessors
and moderators from the selected NPOs was
conducted in all the provinces.
The departments of social development and
health formed a partnership with the Japanese
International Co-operation Agency to provide
technical assistance for the establishment of a
monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system for HCBC at all levels of governance.
The HCBC capacity-building programme is being implemented in four provinces, namely Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo. Three service-providers were appointed to assist in the project.
There are about 130 organisations, 10 mentorship organisations and 10 district officials involved in the programme. Quarterly meetings are held with service-providers and officials from provinces and districts. The main aim of the programme is to improve the management
capacity and organisational sustainability of the HCBC organisations.
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Services to orphans made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS
A policy framework for orphans and other children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS was developed, which reflects the collective commitment of government, faith-based organisations (FBOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), civil society and the business sector, and serves as a guiding tool to all people involved in HIV and AIDS and in the children’s sector. It seeks to reinforce existing commitments and efforts to create a supportive and enabling environment for children.
A national action plan was then developed to clearly define the value-adding role of various stakeholders in addressing the social impact of HIV and AIDS.
The Department of Social Development is developing a national database of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), which will include child-headed households. The programmes, which are in place to assist OVCs include access to treatment, food, skills training and psycho-social support.
By May 2008, some 237 000 vulnerable children had benefited from the department’s programmes. These encourage children from households headed by children to remain within and participate in the communities of their birth. This contributes to integrated community-based care, which is in the best interests of the children concerned.
Each community should have a childcare forum that works with social workers, welfare organisations and other community structures to ensure that identified OVCs receive appropriate services.
The department has established a number of community-based drop-in centres where children are given meals and a packed lunch before they go to school. Caregivers at the drop-in centres also assist children from child-headed households with homework and involve them in life-skills programmes.
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Partnerships
The department continues to strengthen its partnerships with national and international organisations involved in the fight against HIV and AIDS.
The department chairs the National Action Committee for Children Affected by HIV and AIDS, which is a multisectoral team consisting of government, FBOs, CBOs, civil society, the business sector, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) and
Save the Children, focusing on the care and support of OVCs.
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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 youth
In addition to providing social assistance to children through the Child-Support Grant (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 department has entered into partnerships with research and academic institutions to promote scientific research in the social, population and development fields.
The department leads the co-ordination of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
The sector is made up of the departments of social development, health and education, with the Department of Public Works as the overall co-ordinator.
The programme is being piloted through the Home and community-based care (HCBC) and Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes. It intends to improve the quality of training received by both caregivers and ECD practitioners to improve service delivery and offer them better opportunities to access the open labour market.
The department has successfully managed to strengthen co-ordination of these programmes at both national and provincial levels, as well as
create an avenue for skilling and the creation of
more job opportunities for unemployed youth and
graduates.
In 2007/08, the Department of Social Development’s HCBC and support programme identified
and lent support to 237 980 children affected
by HIV and AIDS. The department provided social
support to 20 657 child-headed households.
The Department of Social Development has
committed itself, as per the Integrated Plan on
ECD, to increase the number of ECD sites from
where practitioners are selected for training.
The ECD sites will also be provided with subsidies
for children from poor households.
The annual target was set at registering
1 774 ECD sites in 2007/08. However, the total
number of ECD centres registered in 2007/08
was 1 981. The total number of children benefiting
from the subsidies was 355 762 – an increase of
24 000 children.
In 2007/08, there were 1 682 national adoptions
and 231 intercountry adoptions.
The department seeks to:
- increase the number of local adoptions
- increase the number of prospective adoptive
parents locally and reduce the placement of
children through intercountry adoption
- make communities aware of adoption services
- contribute towards the reduction of the number of children placed in foster care and child and
youthcare centres.
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International social services (ISS)
International Social Services (ISS) are rendered to clients in need of intercountry
social services to and from South Africa, focusing
on unaccompanied minors.
The South African ISS unit works with other ISS
offices worldwide. There is a good network of ISS
branches, affiliated bureaus and correspondents.
There is also close collaboration and overlap on
enquiries with regard to adoptions.
The ISS unit has initiated training at provincial
level to streamline referral processes in the sector
across partner departments and NGOs.
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Child abuse and neglect
The Department of Social Development’s priority
is fighting child abuse and neglect, as illustrated
by the following initiatives:
- National Child Protection Register (NCPR): By November 2007 a wireless web-based system was being introduced and provinces
were to participate in this programme, which had already established a community
based, integrated information management
system with an NCPR component linked to the
national database.
- The draft Policy Framework and Strategic
Plan on the Prevention and Management
of Child Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation has
been completed. Effective implementation is
expected to reduce the incidence of abuse and
neglect, and to clarify stakeholders’ roles and
responsibilities.
- Isolabantwana (“Eye of the Child”): The department
funded the South African National
Council for Child Welfare to replicate a prevention
programme in communities to eliminate
child abuse and 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 local people, structures and traditions.
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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.
Childline is an nonprofit organisation (NPO) that works collectively to
protect children from all forms of violence and
to create a culture of children’s rights in South
Africa.
Programmes delivered through the provincial
offices include:
- crisis line
- child rights, prevention and education
- training of volunteers
- training of other professionals who work in child
protection and children
- therapy for abused and traumatised children
and their families
- court preparation for child witnesses
- networking and co-ordination
- advocacy.
Programmes delivered through the national office
are:
- training and education
- analysis of law and policy
- lobbying and advocacy
- networking and co-ordination.
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Social-crime prevention
Probation services
The Department of Social Development is implementing the Probation Services Act, 1991 (Act 116 of 1991), as amended, and at national and provincial levels provides early intervention services and prevention programmes to offenders and victims of crime. Social crime prevention has been allocated R7 million, a significant increase of
132,6 % since 2004.
In collaboration with the Umsombomvu Youth Fund (UYF) and as part of the National Youth Service Programme for youth in conflict with the law, a voluntary Assistant Probation Officers Programme is being implemented. By August 2008, 180 young people from seven provinces had completed block three training and the social crime prevention allocation had been increased to R7 million. Twenty-five co-ordinators were trained on minimum norms on diversion and 164 probation practitioners and secure-care officials were trained in customer-care excellence.
The National and Provincial Probation Service Co-ordinators Forum meets on a regular basis to deal with service-delivery issues pertaining to children awaiting trial, especially their removal from correctional facilities.
Provinces have increased the number of diversion programmes to ensure that children are diverted from the Criminal Justice System. One such centre is the Mangaung One-Stop Youth Justice Centre in the Motheo District in the Free State.
Home-based supervision is proving to be a successful programme for any high-risk child or child in conflict with the law. It is a cost-effective manner of bringing about behavioural changes within these children. The parents have to be co-
responsible in dealing with their children to achieve the desired changes. Different programmes can be used during home-based supervision. The assistant probation officer is responsible for supervision but the probation officer remains the case manager. Regular consultations should take place between the probation officer and assistant probation officer to achieve the best results.
Overcrowding in prisons remains a concern. The national office and provinces have developed an action plan to ensure that children do not await trial in prisons.
The focus of the action plan is to provide secure-care facilities. By mid-2007, there were 36 secure-care centres in the country and provision was being made for additional facilities, especially near magistrates’ courts.
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Victim-Empowerment Programme (VEP)
The Victim-Empowerment Programme (VEP) aims to lessen the long-term impact of crime by proactively tending to the needs of all 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.
The year 2008 marked the 10th anniversary of the VEP. Through the VEP, the Department of
Social Development has scored several achievements. These include the establishment of 89 shelters to cater for abused women in the country. In 2001, there were only 39 shelters, which were mostly operated by civil-society organisations.
In 2008, in supporting the programme, the European Union and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime pledged R20 million over a three-year period to strengthen existing shelters and programmes.
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Integrated Victim-Empowerment Policy
The Integrated Victim-Empowerment Policy [PDF] serves as a framework for a victim-centred approach, with strong emphasis on service delivery to victims of crime and violence. It promotes
the reduction of secondary victimisation and improved co-operation with the criminal justice process.
The draft policy document serves as a point of reference for all stakeholders regarding the establishment, development, delivery and nature of victim-empowerment benefits and services. It serves as a framework to facilitate the establishment of partnerships for integrated, effective and efficient service delivery to victims.
The core intervention strategies for the Integrated Victim Empowerment Policy apply to all sectors involved in the empowerment of victims, namely:
- capacitating management structures
- creating awareness and providing information
- building skills
- educating and training personnel and consumers in using the services
- establishing services and programmes
- research and M&E.
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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 for No Violence Against
Women and Children Campaign in December
2004, is updated annually in collaboration with the
provincial VEP managers or co-ordinators and their
provincial counterparts.
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Minimum Standards for Service Delivery
to Victims of Crime and Violence
The Minimum Standards for Service Delivery to
Victims of Crime and Violence is a developmental
quality-assurance instrument for practitioners.
Proficiency, professionalism and respect for the
client are uppermost in service delivery.
Workshops concerning the implementation of
the minimum standards for service delivery to the
victims of violence are continuing in some provinces
as a complementary process to the implementation of the South African Victim’s Charter
of Services [PDF]. Provinces conducted development
quality-assurance criteria “workshops” using the
minimum standards document as a guideline.
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Campaigns: national/international
women’s days and 16 Days of Activism
South Africa is a signatory to various international
declarations on the promotion and the protection
of the rights of women and children, such as the:
To honour these conventions, the department
participates in events such as:
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Women’s Strategy
The social-development-specific Women’s Strategy guides service delivery to women within the
social-development sector. The focus is on empowering
women and promoting their resilience.
The Women’s Strategy aims to address the
needs of women in South Africa and to empower
them to know their rights and be assertive, productive
and independent, by developing and implementing
policy, programmes and services in partnership
with stakeholders.
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Strategy for the Engagement of
Men and Boys in the Prevention
of Gender-Based Violence
The strategy aims to strengthen existing programmes and develop new initiatives aimed at mobilising
men and boys to positively engage in the
prevention of gender-based violence.
The objectives are to:
- guide efforts to mainstream the constructive
involvement of men and boys in preventing
gender-based violence in the social
development sector, in line with the National
Gender Machinery’s Men and Gender Equality
Programme
- facilitate integration of the involvement of men
and boys in preventing gender-based violence
programmes into the National Action Plan.
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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:
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Care and support to families
Care and support programmes promote the family
as the core of society. A well-functioning family
addresses the emotional, physical, intellectual, spiritual and economic well-being of its members.
It is in the family environment that children are
born, nurtured, supported and provided with opportunities
for growth and development into competent
and productive adults. Therefore, the family
is the basic institution in society for the survival, protection and development of children.
The draft National Family Policy proposes
a framework for integrated and comprehensive
service delivery to families. It identifies the
family as the focal point for service delivery and
promotes the benefits of a well-functioning, resilient
family and the extended family as a strong
support system.
The draft policy is linked to the African Union’s
Plan of Action for Families in Africa for implementation by government and civil society.
The draft Moral Regeneration Strategy for Social Development has been developed to instil positive values in families and communities.
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Prevention and treatment of
substance abuse
A negative effect of globalisation is that South Africa has become situated at the centre of the world drug trade, being a conduit for the transfer of drugs to other destinations.
Dagga and alcohol are still the most abused substances. An estimated 2,2 million people use dagga or cannabis, followed by cocaine, heroin, speed, LSD, hashish, ecstasy, tik and others.
According to the World Drug Report, the approximate number of problem drug-users in South Africa exceeds 200 000. Close to 9 000 problem drug-users were treated at 73 treatment centres between June and December 2006. Considerable abuse of over-the-counter and prescription medicines is also reported.
These include pain relievers, tranquilisers, cough mixtures and slimming tablets, as well as solvents such as glue. The social cost of illicit drug use has not been officially calculated, but up to 12 million family members of drug users face emotional and financial strain. In addition, drug usage has a negative effect on transport safety. A third of heavy-duty long-distance drivers admit to using drugs to relax and stay awake. The main drugs used in this instance are alcohol and dagga.
Meanwhile, a conservative estimate of the economic costs to South Africa of alcohol abuse, based on research studies conducted in other countries, is between R8,7 billion and
R17,4 billion a year. The social costs are also enormous. About 11 million family members have to endure the turmoil of living with problem or risky drinkers. Risky drinking affects 17,5 million South Africans. Harmful drinking is defined as people
drinking first thing in the morning, drinking to
the point of intoxication and taking alcohol
between mealtimes.
The Ke Moja Project, launched in the Western Cape, is a prevention programme that targets the youth. “Ke Moja” means “no thanks”, and the project 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.
In March 2008, the Ke Moja Hip Hop Campaign was launched in Cape Town by the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Dr Jean Swanson-Jacobs. Children and adolescents make up over half of South Africa’s population. According to the South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use, an increasing number of young patients is being admitted to rehabilitation centres.
The Ke Moja Campaign communicates to the youth in their own language the negative effects of drugs.
The Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse Bill [PDF] was presented to the National Assembly in March 2008. It aims to combat substance abuse through:
- prevention
- early intervention
- treatment
- reintegration programmes.
The Youth Best-Practice Treatment Model was developed, and training provided countrywide to facilitate the roll-out of the model. It proposes essential elements to be considered when offering treatment to youths in residential facilities.
Successful combating of the drug problem requires the application of three elements in an integrated and balanced manner. These are:
- supply reduction through law enforcement
- demand reduction through, among other things, prevention strategies
- harm reduction through treatment and social support.
All provinces are directed by the National Drug Master Plan [PDF] to develop provincial mini-master drug plans to carry out prevention, early intervention and treatment interventions in a co-ordinated manner. To facilitate this, the budget of the Central Drug Authority, which is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the National Drug Master Plan, has been increased substantially to R13 million at a rate of 57,2% since 2004.
Provinces have launched substance abuse forums and municipalities are establishing local drug action committees in which officials and members of the community formulate local plans of action to combat substance abuse in their areas.
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Women
Social-development services for women is another priority, built on 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 often 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 the attainment of
gender equality.
Various economic empowerment projects
include bread-baking, leather works, offal-cleaning,
child-minding and paper-and-fabric printing.
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People with disabilities
There are about four million people with disabilities
in South Africa, with the majority being women. The
Office on the Status of Disabled Persons is part
of The Presidency and is duplicated in the offices
of the premiers. Together, these offices have co-ordinated work to mainstream disability issues in
all government policies and programmes.
The White Paper on an Integrated National Disability
Strategy (1997) 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 Department of Social Development supports
the following national councils:
As existing policies are not adequate to address
the needs of this vulnerable group, the Department
of Social Development has allocated R1 million for
research into the needs of people and children
with disabilities.
In July 2008, a two-day National Disability
Summit was hosted by the Office on the Status of
Disabled Persons. The theme of the summit was “Justice and Dignity for All”.
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Youth development
Youth-development initiatives are guided by,
among other things, the National Youth Development (NYD) Policy Framework [PDF], the World
Programme of Action for Youth and the Ministerial
Ten-point Plan. Various youth-development
services have been rolled out to cater for the needs
of young people in South Africa.
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Youth-development services
The Department of Social Development developed NYD implementation
guidelines in line with the National Youth Service (NYS) 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 Memorandum of Understanding with the UYF
on the NYS Programme.
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Research and programmes
In 2007, the Draft Youth Development Framework was presented to management for approval.
From a population and development perspective,
a process has been initiated to gather information on the expectations, aspirations and needs
of the youth, which would serve as a basis for
research and policy-making regarding the social
and economic integration of youth into society.
Regarding the development of children into
worthy citizens, research has been undertaken on
OVC, to support policy development and M&E of
children’s issues.
The Masupatsela Youth-Development
Programme, launched in October 2008, is a
Department of Social Development-facilitated
initiative, which will recruit, train and absorb
unemployed and out-of-school youth.
The youth are recruited from and serve in their
local communities. Through this programme, the department seeks to address the challenges
facing South Africa’s youthful population by using
them as development resources.
The national and provincial departments of
social development are tasked with co-ordinating
and implementing this programme. The key
responsibilities for the Masupatsela Programme
include auxiliary social-work services, community
development and Early Childhood Development. At the end of the programme, the youth will have employment, bursary and entrepreneurship opportunities.
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United Nations Population Fund
Third Country Support
Programme for South Africa
The UN Population Fund (UNPFA) and other UN partners have introduced a third cycle of assistance to South Africa in the form of the Third Country Support Programme, contextualised within the UN Development Assistance Framework.
The overall goal is to improve the quality of life by contributing to reversing the spread of HIV, reducing gender inequities in the AIDS pandemic, enhancing the centrality of population issues in development policies and programmes, and strengthening the integration of population factors in the national development agenda.
These areas reflect national priorities, articulated in government’s Vision 2014. They are contextualised within the millennium development goals and the government-prepared country analysis, which was adopted as the basis for development co-operation with all partners. Implementation of the projects will involve and benefit all nine provinces.
The duration of the Third Country Programme is from 2007 to 2010, and a total of $13 million has been pledged by the UNFPA to support the implementation of identified projects.
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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 seven to 12 were regraded. The Minister of
Finance allocated funds for revised salary
packages to be implemented. The implementation will be evaluated to reduce disparities and ensure uniformity.
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Recruitment and Retention
Strategy for Social Workers
The broader Recruitment and Retention Strategy for Social Workers has been drafted and addresses the needs of social workers in the public and private sectors. It includes the following key components:
- increasing human resources by recruiting and retaining social workers
- promoting the 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.
The implementation of the strategy remains vital to the realisation of the goals of the Department of Social Development. To this end, in 2008, the department was negotiating the Occupation Specific Dispensation for various categories of social workers in the Public Service. This will create better remuneration packages.
In 2008, over 1 126 social auxilliary workers had been trained and 11 service-providers accredited.
The bursary scheme supported 1 917 student social workers in 2008.
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Capacity-Building Programme for Social-Service Professionals
About R105 million was allocated in 2008/09 to train about 3 000 social auxiliary workers and family social workers.
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Repositioning the
developmental social welfare sector
The Integrated Service-Delivery Model for Developmental Social Services aims to implement 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 developmental 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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Funding of non-governmental
organisations
The services rendered by NGOs as partners of the
department in service delivery continue to receive
support. The department continues to award funds
to service-providers at national and provincial
level, with 18 national bodies benefitting.
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Statutory bodies
National Development Agency
The National Development Agency (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.
The NDA is a critical engine that ensures
growth and skills development in the South
African economy and plays an important role in
the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for
South Africa.
Transfers to the NDA increased from
R103,3 million in 2003/04 to R123 million in
2006/07. The NDA plays a critical role in finalising
a national anti-poverty strategy for South Africa.
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Relief boards
The Fund-Raising Act, 1978 (Act 107 of 1978) [PDF], provides for relief boards to offer social relief to
people in distress as a result of disasters or their
displacement from another country.
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Non-profit organisations
Civil society in South Africa is characterised by
a variety of organisations of different sizes and
shapes across the political, economic and social
spectrum of society.
These range from faith-based organisations (FBOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs), charities
(welfare) and traditional organisations such as
social and sports clubs, to a host of other development
and social forms of organisations working
tirelessly on weaving and maintaining the social
fabric of society.
South Africa, like any democratic society, has
an enabling legal environment for civil society that
supports and encourages the formation of organisations.
The NPO Act, 1997 (Act 71 of 1997) [PDF], is perceived
to be the entry point in the regulatory framework
for organisations to derive benefits. It provides a
registration facility for all public NPOs that are not
organs of the State.
The Directorate: NPOs was established in terms
of this Act to increase public access to information
on registered organisations. The legal mandate
requires that the directorate registers organisations
within two months of receipt of a complete
application, and provides support for organisations
to register and meet reporting requirements.
The registration and reporting of organisations
have increased substantially since the inception of
the Act in 1998.
Source: South Africa Yearbook 2008/09
Editor: D Burger. Government Communication and Information
System
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