A highlight from Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks’ budget vote speech for the department of Social Development.
Address by the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mr. Mogamad Ganief Ebrahim Hendricks on the occasion of the Cabinet Lekgotla
“We stand on the cusp of a new era. This is indeed a seminal moment for our country, where, at this First lekgotla of the new cabinet, we are poised to chart the way forward for the GNU – and we do so, upon unchartered largely territory.
We acknowledge the immensity of the task which lies ahead. The policies we will be adopting will set the government’s priorities over the next five years.
As the Deputy Minister of Social Development, it is fully acknowledged that the concept of developing the capabilities of our people takes centre stage in addressing these challenges, and they remain key factors in our pursuit of overall development.
Key to building these capabilities, is to raise the social protection floor, which includes social assistance, in order to improve living standards to the minimum level proposed in the NDP.
Thus, while the objectives of Social Development remains the elimination of poverty and inequality, the means to ensure this must include building and developing the intrinsic capabilities of our people, and in as far as possible, to work towards self-sufficiency and sustainable outcomes on a social, household and individual level. …”
South Africa is hailed as a developing country with one of the most extensive social security systems on the continent. Our social protection system is made up of various social security programmes, and other social social wage interventions such as free water and sanitation, no-fee schooling, free healthcare and access to short term employment through the EPWP programme. These programmes serve to protect the most poor and vulnerable of our society, those previously marginalised from the economy and the ones who n ever got the opportunities to learn and grow.”