Hon Chairperson, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, MECs from various provinces, good afternoon. It is true that the Department of Health has to promote the health of all the people of South Africa through an accessible, caring and high quality health system based on the primary health care approach. This aim must be achieved.
With the budget allocation of R17,5 billion for the 2009-10 financial year, we want to see the department ensure that its 10-point plan is implemented without any excuse, such as lack of capacity and human resources.
I heard during his presentation here that the Minister is very serious about seeing his department implement the 10-point plan. We'd appreciate it, hon Minister, if you could ensure that that happens, for the sake of South Africans.
Let me just highlight some aspects that have been reflected in the 10-point plan which we will ask the committee to pay attention to. Of course the Minister has touched on other aspects, such as the finalisation of the National Health Insurance and the implementation plan and improving the quality of health services which, of course, in terms of the 10-point plan, will focus on 18 districts.
We will also pay attention to the strengthening of community-based leadership structures in health through the training of hospital boards. If we don't have hospital boards that are trained - that know what to do and what their responsibilities are - then we are in for it.
We will also pay attention to the establishment of a well-capacitated office of standards compliance. We will also focus on strengthening management by enrolling 150 chief executive officers of hospitals into the hospital management training programme, as well as the revitalisation of infrastructure.
We will guard against shoddy work by most of our building contractors. We will pay attention to that and we will ensure that your department supports provinces in implementing and reporting on the health lifestyle strategy in all 52 districts.
With those few words, we support the Budget Vote of the Department of Health. Bjalo ke tla go Kgoro ya Tlhabollo ya t?a Leago. Modulasetulo, ntumelele ke thome ka go tsopola baswana ge ba re kgomo ga e latswe namane ya e ?ele; e ka seke. Na se se ra goreng? Ke kgopela gore mohlophegi Tona, ge a ka kgona, a hlalose taba ye moragonyana ge a efa phetolo.
Hlogo ya Naga ge a bolela le set?haba sa Afrika-Borwa le lefase ka bophara mo mat?at?ing ao a fetilego, o bolet?e a ahlame ebile a sa met?e le mare, a laet?a boitlamo le boikgafo bja mmu?o go hlabolla le go kaonafat?a maphelo a badudi bja wona, kudu ba dikobo di magetleng. O t?wet?e pele ka gore, gome ke a mo tsopola:
Le ge re ka t?wela pele ka seemo sa go hlola dikgoba t?a me?omo le t?a kgwebo, re swanet?e go tseba gape gore go na le badudi bao ba tlago t?wela pele go nyaka thu?o ya t?helete ya go iphepa mmu?ong. Thu?o ye ya t?helete ya go iphepa ke mokgwa wo o ikemi?edit?ego go fedi?a le go fokot?a bodiidi set?habeng sa ga borena. Kgweding ya Hlakola - Mat?he- ka di-31 go be go ?et?e go na le batho bao ba fetago dimilione t?e 13 bao ba amoget?ego thu?o ya t?helete ya go iphepa, gomme gareng ga batho ba, ba go feta dikete t?e 8 ke bana.
Ke mo tsopot?e. Monatsebe a kwe a kwele ruri.
Lehono re eme mo pele ga set?haba gomme re begela Ntlo ye ka ditekanyet?o t?a thu? o ya t?helete ya go iphepa. Re re di feti?we gomme di ye go ?omela set?haba sa rantsho go ya ka lenaneo la kgoro morago ga gore lenaneo leo le begwe ga komiti. Lenaneo le le hlalosa ka bophara ditekanyet?o t?a ngwaga wa dit?helete wa 2009-10 le lenaneokgoparara la go fihla ka ngwaga wa 2014. Komiti e t?weledit?e dintlha t?e di latelago go kgoro: Go kgaot?wa ga thu?o ya t?helete ya go iphepa balwet?ing ba bangwe; go se ?ome ga dikliniki diiri t ?e 24; go hloma diboto t?a maokelo; le thu?o ya go bala dit?helete t?a bat?ofadi mafelong a go lefela, fao e lego gore bat?ofadi ba ga borena ba a lla gore dit?helete di na le go se balwe gabotse.
Re le maloko a komiti, re thekga ditekanyet?o t?a kgoro t?eo di fihlago go R64 milione. Re tla lebelela t?homi?o ya ditekanyet?o t?e ka leihlo le nt?hot?ho. Re na le lehut? o la go feta legonono.
Ge ke felelet?a, ke rata go tsebi?a ba mekgatlo ya kganet?o gore taba ya dimilione t?e 13 t?a batho bao ba filwego thu?o ya t?helete ya go iphepa ga se nke e diragale mmu?ong wo o fetilego - mmu?o woo ba bego ba o thekga. Ba be ba godi?a bat?ofadi ba ga borena ka morago ga kgwedi t?e tharo. Lehono bat?ofadi ba ga borena ba gola kgwedi-ka-kgwedi. Ke a leboga, mohlomphegi Modulasetulo. (Translation of Sepedi paragraphs follows.)
[Now I would like to touch upon the issues in the Department of Social Development. Chairperson, allow me to start by quoting a proverb of the elderly which says that a cow does not lick a calf which does not belong to it; it doesn't. What does that mean? I would like the hon Minister, if she can, to explain this later on in her response.
During his state of the nation address a few days ago, our Head of State spoke loudly and clearly, indicating government's commitment and dedication to develop and improve people's lives, especially those of the poor. He went on to say, and I quote:
While creating an environment for jobs and business opportunities, government recognises that some citizens will continue to require state social assistance. Social grants remain the most effective form of poverty alleviation. As of 31 March 2009, more than 13 million people received social grants, more than 8 million of whom are children.
I have quoted him. The message is loud and clear. Let it be borne in mind.
Today we stand before the public reporting to the House on the budget allocated for social grants. We request that the budget be approved so that the public can get assistance according to the departmental programme after it has been reported to the committee. This programme explains in detail the appropriation of funds for the financial year 2009-10, as well as the major programme up until 2014. The committee has raised the following points to the department: Termination of social grants for certain patients, non-operation of clinics for 24 hours, establishment of hospital boards and assistance with regard to counting the old-age grant monies at various paypoints where our elderly usually complain that their monies were not counted properly.
As members of the committee we support the departmental budget of R64 million. We will monitor how it is used, but we are very hopeful that it will be used appropriately.
In conclusion, I would like to inform the opposition parties that the fact that 13 million people are receiving social grants is something the previous government could not achieve - the very same government they were in favour of. The elderly only received their grants after three months. Nowadays they get it on a monthly basis. Thank you, hon Chairperson.]