Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu reminds parliamentarians that Social Development is more than just South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grants

The Department of Social Development is more than SASSA grants" - Deputy Minister Bogopane-Zulu

During the robust National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Social Development budget vote debate, Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu reminded parliamentarians that Social Development is more than just South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grants.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the achievements of the Department of Social Development over the past five years on a number of areas: through partnerships with the Development Bank of Germany (KfW) 15 Community Care Centres (CCC) were built with two more set to be completed by the end of this year. The CCCs provide psychosocial care and support services and skills development to orphans and vulnerable children, including child-headed households and youth. The centres also serve as service points to bring government services on the doorstep of rural communities. This includes services rendered by the Departments of Social Development, Home Affairs, Health and public entities such as SASSA and NDA amongst others. The CCCs are built in rural communities to enhance the quality of services to orphans and vulnerable children within their own communities of origin and to complement existing child protection interventions and services such as Home Community Based Care, drop-in centres, Isibindi, child care forums and early childhood development.
In fulfilling Goal 4 of the National Strategic Plan (2017-2022), which addresses the social and structural drivers of HIV, TB and STIs Social Development rolled out a Social Behavior Change (SBC) Compendium, which saw SBC programmes being launched in all 9 provinces, reaching over 300 000 beneficiaries.
In implementing the NSP on Gender Based Violence and Femicide Pillar The department as the lead department in Victim Empowerment Programme, is responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Inter-sectoral Programme of Action to address violence against women and children. To respond to increased reports of crimes against women and children victim empowerment centres and shelters for abused women as critical service points for victims of gender based violence in ensuring that victims access services such as trauma debriefing, counselling, victim support and containment, legal guidance and protection. White Door Shelters of Hope serve as temporary shelters which provide accommodation and other basic needs such as food, clothing as well as counselling and psychosocial support to abused women. The centres further protect women from secondary abuse. "although we would to see less of these shelters" Deputy Minister urged parliamentarians to form part of the response in institutionalising a responsive Men's Movement. Shelters have been renovated in partnership with Distell and refurbished in partnership with Vodacom SA Foundation.
Social Development is the custodian of the country's National Drug Master Plan 2019-2024 which is the nations' blueprint to respond to substance abuse. Amongst the interventions to combat blood borne diseases amongst people who inject drugs is the needle exchange program, Deputy Minister cautioned South Africans that this intervention should not be seen as an encouragement for drug abuse, she urged them to understand that drug addiction is a medical condition and starts with understanding that people who use drugs are human first "nyaope has never been in the labour ward to give birth to a person, we need to eradicate the stigma- so people who use drugs can have access to services". More community based harm reduction centres are in the pipeline through partnerships with the Global Fund and the South African Network for People Who Use Drugs (SANPUD), community-based harm reduction is an evidence-based approach but often poorly understood way of supporting people who use drugs, is critical to saving lives. In addressing issues of children born with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD), Deputy Minister pleaded with women to stop destroying their children's lives by drinking while pregnant, she reminded South Africans that FASD is not irreversible yet one hundred percent preventable.
Deputy Minister Bogopane-Zulu observed that programs designed to prevent underage drinking needed to be redesigned as through the various ChommY dialogues with boys and girls, between 10 to 14 years - " children are introduced to alcohol by their parents at home, which means we need to relook how our programs are designed".
The department is tasked to develop and monitor the implementation of social policy that both creates an enabling environment for and leads to the reduction of poverty. To mitigate unemployment and its associated challenges, with particular focus on rural areas, the department has been piloting community recycling centre under the banner #WasteIsCurrency and #FoodForWaste. The initiative takes cue from President Ramaphosa's Good Green Deeds campaign, which seeks to encourage South Africans from all walks of life to take part in protecting and preserving their environment. "This initiative will provide employment and income opportunities for local women and youth while encouraging their participation in the waste economy by building cleaner, healthier and a sustainable environment" said Deputy Minister Bogopane-Zulu.
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