Hon Deputy Chairperson, the Chief whip of the NCOP, hon Minister, hon MECs, hon members and esteemed guests. Deputy Chairperson, the democratic government inherited a social welfare system based on racial exclusion and inequalities; where the white
population enjoyed socio-economic privileges which characterised the welfare policy of the apartheid regime.
This entrenched poverty and inequality. The white population was well- resourced and had access to better welfare services, as compared to the black, coloured and Indian population groups. It was thus, an urgent imperative that the democratic government transforms and extends the social protection system to the entire population after 1994.
This imperative was premised on the ANC's Reconstruction Development Programme, RDP, and on the Constitution, in particular on Section 27. Post 1994, fundamentally transforming South Africa was steeped in the constitutional provisions that envisioned a more inclusive, equal and caring society.
These principles find resonance in the vision of the developmental approach to welfare provisions as outlined in the RDP, which contributed to the development of the White Paper for Social Welfare, which was used to reform social welfare service.
It was Parliament that described the key thrust of the developmental social welfare approach adopted by the white paper as:
Humane, peaceful, just and caring 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.
Deputy Chairperson, the democratic government's social protection framework is premised on the principle of comprehensiveness, largely because it consists of income support, social insurance and the provision of free basic services to vulnerable households; which constitute government's holistic approach to addressing poverty.
This is completely the opposite of the social welfare service provided by the apartheid regime, which did not always apply a holistic approach. The apartheid regime did not take into account and respond to the needs of the poor and the vulnerable. No attention was paid to empowering poor and vulnerable communities to ensure that they become self-sufficient.
Chairperson, social assistance is the one area where significant changes and progress has been made by the democratic government. The changes include modifying the previous social protection system to
eliminate racial inequities and introducing some new guarantees and benefits like the Child Support Grant, CSG, which was introduced in 1998.
It initially targeted children aged 0 to 7 years. The age limit of the CSG was gradually raised to 18 years. The Old Age Grant, OAG, was normalised so that blacks would also get a monthly income, unlike before 1994, when they received it once in two months.
The age limit for men was gradually lowered from 65 to 60 to match the limit for women. Social grants became a core component of South Africa's poverty alleviation strategy. The Disability Grant, Foster Care Grant, Care Dependency Grant and the War Veterans' Grant were extended.
Social assistance provision represents a sustained redistribution of resources to the poor and remains the democratic government's most effective poverty alleviation programme. Social assistance programme has been expanding at an unprecedented rate from covering just 2,7 million people in 1994 to covering over 17,5 million to date.
Chairperson, Social assistance has over the years assisted families and children including those who are orphaned due to HIV and Aids.
In addition, there are many families that would not be able to put food on the table if it was not for social grants, given the gloomy economic climate which makes the creation of jobs difficult, and also given the fact that some of the job seekers are unemployable due to lack of skills.
Women on maternity leave, who paid into the UIF for 13 weeks or more, will now be entitled to receive benefits for between 17 and 32 weeks and receive a flat rate of 66% of their salary. These benefits also extend to the LGBTQI community.
To expand its reach to vulnerable children in communities, the Department of Social Development adopted community based prevention and early intervention child and youth care services model known as Isibindi Model. More than 455 922 learners living in youth-headed households passed matric through the intervention of Isibindi Programme, and more 304 913 of these learners survived on social grants.
The department will continue to maintain and extend our social security system to protect the vulnerable and to reduce poverty.
Chairperson, as committed to in our 2019 ANC Provincial and National Elections Manifesto:
We will further improve the lives of millions of South Africans by working towards comprehensive social security, building houses close to work opportunities, providing affordable basic services and building reliable public transport.
Social security remains a necessity for the social well-being of our people. We do acknowledge that despite major successes in our provision of adequate social security coverage since 1994, there are those who are not covered by existing programmes.
Our commitment is that we will make comprehensive social security coverage a majority over the next five years. This entails defining a basket of social security benefits that all should access with the delivery of a package of services free from administrative burdens.
Address social grants exclusion errors by improving targeting of orphans, children, the aged on farms, remote rural areas and people with disabilities.
Increase Unemployment Insurance Fund, UIF, and coverage as currently only 5% of unemployed people benefit from this fund. Support child headed families through social security.
Finalise a comprehensive policy on social security that will include low- paid workers and informal traders, as well as pregnancy and maternity benefit scheme.
Chairperson, the Social Assistance Act of 2004 and regulations to the Act provide the legal framework for the administration of seven grants. The Social African Social Security Agency, SASSA, administers social grants. As per the SASSA Act, its mandate is;
To ensure the provision of comprehensive social security services against vulnerability and poverty within the constitutional legislative framework.
In closing, Chairperson, the ANC has resolved that there should be a comprehensive strategy that co-ordinates and monitors the protection of vulnerable groups, which must be resourced to ensure that these vulnerable groups are protected.
Social transformation must empower our people to lift themselves out of poverty and change their lives for the better, whilst ensuring that a safety net is provided for the vulnerable.
It is through this budget that our policy will be implemented to ensure that it responds towards changing the lives of our people for the better. The ANC supports Budget Vote 17: Social Development. Thank you, Chairperson.