Hon Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister, all MECs, the department and its agencies, hon members, distinguished guests, comrades and friends, the ANC rises in support of Vote 17 on Social Development.
Key to the ANC's social transformation programme is the meeting of social needs which are aimed at strategically dealing with the
triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality which confront the majority of our people who are poor and vulnerable.
In addressing these, the ANC has committed and continues commit to providing basic rights and a safety social net which includes other most vulnerable in society these being women, children, youth, older persons and families in need of care.
Promised on the 1955, freedom charter which expressed clearly our fight for human rights and the dignity for all our people. We entered into a social contract with our people through the Reconstruction and Development Programme (1994). This was to demonstrate our ability towards committing to the social transformation of our people, towards improving their lives for the better. That is why our social transformation policies are steeped in the principle of creating a better life for all. This we did, to address and undo the injustices of the past which had caused our people to live undignified lives, characterised poverty, unemployment and inequality.
That is why the ANC government in 1994, had to transcend the inherited social welfare system to a more developmental system called social development. The apartheid government, prior 1994 had
a social welfare service system, that entrenched the socio economic privileges of the white population. The social welfare service system under apartheid, made no reference to social protection as an inclusive term in South Africa.
The ANC's Reconstruction and Development Programme, RDP, and the White Paper for Social Welfare, amongst other key documents provided the framework for the transformation of the social welfare services. A developmental approach was applied in the transformation of social welfare services and transpired within the confines of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which envisioned a more inclusive, equal and caring society.
It must be emphasised that, key to the White Paper was that this developmental social welfare approach, must be steeped in values such as a humane, peaceful, just, caring and society which will uphold welfare rights, facilitate the meeting of basic human needs, release people's creative energies, help them achieve their aspirations, build human capacity and self-reliance, and participate fully in all spheres of social, economic and political life. The aim was to meet the basic needs of all people in South Africa, by transforming the entirety of society.
Fundamentally, introduced through the developmental social welfare approach, were interventions that redistributed resources and benefits with the objective of empowering disadvantaged groups and raising the general welfare of society.
This resonates well with two key policy positions in the ANC, that our attack on poverty must seek to empower people to take them out of poverty and that social grants must not create dependency and must be linked to economic activity. Over the past 25 years, the governments approach to social developmental welfare has been anchored on empowering our people to help them and becoming independent. That is why we strongly welcome the Minster's approach of changing the narrative that social development is about disbursements of grants. Rather it is about the development and empowerment of our people, through the usage of grants. The grant system must link our people to economic activity.
South Africa's commitment to social protection is reflected in government's expenditure on this item since the advent of democracy. We reaffirm this assertion in this policy vote.
Key to the ANC social transformation programme is the meeting of social needs which are aimed at strategically dealing with the
triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality which confront the majority of our people who are poor and vulnerable. In addressing these, the ANC had committed and continues to provide basic rights and a safety social net which includes all other most vulnerable in society.
After the successive ANC administrations, working with the people, has over the 25 years put in place a progressive social wage that protects the dignity of the vulnerable children, the elderly and people living with disabilities. The ANC's social protection policies and programmes over the last 25 years have commendably enabled millions of poor people to change their livelihoods for the better.
The ANC policy inputs into the final Constitution of the Republic expressed the ANC's commitment to a society that is free and open based on democratic values where the dignity and worth of every South African is protected by law. It is this context that our task is to construct a socially, inclusive society, one that prioritises the elimination of poverty, inequality, unemployment and underdevelopment, which are elements that undermine the dignity of our people. The dictum that the poor will always be with us should be rejected as poverty is created by society and it can therefore
for be eliminated by society. The ANC in its resolve to address poverty and inequality, has committed to providing a social safety net for the poor and the most vulnerable, which includes women, children, youth, families in need of care and older persons.
We remain committed in ensuring that a decent life is created for our people. This will require a comprehensive social security system, which is underpinned by the elimination of poverty and is linked towards the reduction of inequality. This is particularly important, as the key outcome of the social transformation goal of the ANC seeks to ensure the restoration of the total human dignity for all South Africans.
The department needs to have mechanisms in place to monitor the funds that have been allocated to provinces, non-governmental organisations and non- profit organisations. This committee was of the view that the Minister must provide oversight to the monies transferred to provinces.
On early childhood development, ECD, the committee noted that the programme will be moved to the Department of Basic Education, but is of the view that Social Development will play a vital role of the kids and funding of the ECD programmes. We also welcome your view
Minister that we must build partnership with business and other role players in the ECD field.
Although the department drafts certain plans and programmes, the committee is of the view that this department will not have the capacity to implement, for instance, the drug master plan and urges the department to work with the South African Police Service on this plan
Minister we also need to applaud you and the department in your efforts in combating corruption in the department and different agencies. The committee expressed its concern about the lack of compliance with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). The matter was highlighted in the Fifth Parliament. The committee is of the view that this is a matter that worries us. The committee was also of the view that people need to stick to the National Treasury guidelines and regulations. And we know that we can count on your oversight, together with us on this matter.
The committee said the levels of crime in the Western Cape are concerning and disturbing. Criminals are intensifying their activities. The Army has been brought in to assist in the fight against crime. But, the committee is of the view that this cannot be
a long term solution and that this department must play a vital role. We also applaud you Minister for the efforts that you are taking in participating as the Minister of Social Development to be part of all the discussions that take place to bring stability within the Western Cape
In conclusion the direction on the path ahead has been stated by the President. The work now is to ensure that our people used the safety nets that we give to them out of poverty. We have to ensure that we work together with the Social Development Portfolio to ensure that it delivers quality services to improve the lives of all South Africans, particularly the most poor and marginalised sections of our communities. The ANC supports Vote 17 on Social Development. I thank you.