Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698139751655.pdf (South Africa)
Monday, 19 October 2020] No 148—2020] SECOND SESSION, SIXTH PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA _____________________ ANNOUNCEMENTS, TABLINGS AND COMMITTEE REPORTS _____________________ MONDAY, 19 OCTOBER 2020 _____________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS National Assembly and National Council of Provinces 1.

Draft Bills submitted – Joint Rule 159 ............................................................................. 2 National Council of Provinces 1.
Referral to Committees of papers tabled .......................................................................... 2 TABLINGS National Assembly and National Council of Provinces 1.

Minister in The Presidency ............................................................................................... 3 COMMITTEE REPORTS 1 National Assembly 1.

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Social Development .......................................................................................................... 4 Social Development ........................................................................................................ 22 Social Development ........................................................................................................ 33 Social Development ........................................................................................................ 43 Social Development ........................................................................................................ 55 ANNOUNCEMENTS National Assembly and National Council of Provinces The Speaker and the Chairperson 1.
Draft Bills submitted in terms of Joint Rule 159 (1) Sectional Titles Amendment Bill, 2020, submitted by the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.

Referred to the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and the Select Committee on Land Reform, Environment, Mineral Resources and Energy, for information.

National Council of Provinces The Chairperson 1.


Referral to Committees of papers tabled (1) The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on Security and Justice for consideration: (a) A letter from the Minister of Home Affairs regarding: Department of Home Affairs late tabling of the Annual Report of Vote 5 for Financial Year ended 31 March 2020.
(2) The following paper is referred to the Select Committee on Security and Justice for information: (a) Appointment of National Forensic Oversight and Ethics Board.

TABLINGS National Assembly and National Council of Provinces 2 1.

The Minister in The Presidency (a) 2020 National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) First Quarterly Report for January – March 2020, tabled in terms of section 23 of National Arms Control Act, 2002 (Act No.

41 of 2002).

COMMITTEE REPORTS National Assembly 3 1.


Report of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development on the Recommendations of the High Level Panel on the Assessment of Key Legislation and the Acceleration of Fundamental Change, dated 14 October 2020 1.

Introduction The independent high-level panel was established to under the task of assessing the content and implementation of legislation passed since 1994 in relation to its effectiveness and possible unintended consequences.
The Panel’s mandate has been to review legislation, assess implementation, identify gaps and propose action steps with a view to identifying laws that require strengthening, amending or change.

The high report level report was referred to the Portfolio Committee on Social Development for consideration on 06 June 2018.

The Committee considered the report on 27 February and 11 September 2019.
The Committee in both instances invited the department to report on the progress it has made in implementing the recommendations both nationally and provincially.

It is important to note that the two dates of the Committee meetings fell within the 5th Term and 6th Term of Parliament.

This report highlights the key findings and recommendations made by the high level panel and report on the activities of the Committee.

2.
2.

Key findings, recommendations and responses from the department 2.1 Key findings on social security legislation 2.1.1 The Social Assistance Act 13 of 2004 The high level panel found that the Act does not have provision for supervising adults designated to assist child-headed households to access the Child Support Grant (CSG).

The child headed households cannot access the CSG for themselves.
It also found that social workers are not able to deal with foster care caseloads, which results in the court orders lapsing.

The lapsing of foster care orders is not addressed by the Act.

The high level panel further found that the means test in the social grants leads to exclusions and it is complex for the public to understand.

The means 1 4 test also encourages concealment of income by applicants.

This exacerbates corruption and fraud.


The Act also does not provide a common definition of what constitutes a disability.

Over and above the findings directly related to the Act, the high level panel found out that the social assistance programme has no provisions to address the plight of unemployed people who do not meet the requirements to receive social grants.

Furthermore, there is no co-ordination between the social grants system and community development programmes.
The report made the following recommendations: Focus Areas Recommendations Responses from the department Access to CSG by child The Act should be amended to: headed households • The Act should be amended to The department reported enable teen mothers and child- it had amended the headed households to receive Social Assistance Act to the CSG simultaneously for address this issue.

The themselves and the children in Amendment Bill was their care; tabled in Parliament in April 2018.
• The Act should be aligned with The department explained the Children’s Act to allow that the definition of a supervising adults supporting care-giver is sufficiently child-headed households to broad to allow supervising apply for the CSG on behalf of adults to apply for the the children under their CSG on behalf of the supervision; children under their supervision.

The conduct of supervisors is better regulated in the Children’s Act.
2 5 Lapsing foster care orders The Act should be amended to The department reported deal with the lapsing of care that it amended the orders.

Children’s Act address to the administrative and legal requirements that caused bottlenecks in the system.

The Amendment Bill was submitted in Parliament on 19 February 2019.
Definition of disability The Act should be amended to The department reported include a widely accepted that provincial definition of disability departments utilise definitions provided for by UN Convention as well as the White Paper on the rights of Persons with Disabilities and Mental Health Act.

It will however, conduct consultations internally and externally on the widely accepted definition of disability and then follow necessary legislative processes to amend the Social Assistance Act.
It will also amend Social Assistance regulations to provide more clarity on qualifying criteria for disability grants.

3 6 Means test exclusion The Act should be amended to The department developed simplify or eliminate the means a policy on the test.

universalisation, which will remove the means test for the Older Person’s Grant and Child Support Grant.

The policy will form part of the policy proposals for the broader social security reforms.
Once this process is finalised the department will develop a legislation to implement the reforms.
Coordination between social There should be a collaboration The department reported assistance programme and between the Department of that it was working with community development Social Development and the other government programmes Department of Public Works to departments to find ensure that community strategies and models on development programmes how can government complement social assistance services benefit programme.

communities better by linking services, at both policy level and system.
2.1.2 South African Social Security Act 9 of 2004 The high level panel found there is a lack of transparency in the social grant system as a whole.

There is a collusion between commercial and administrative sectors.

4 7 Recommendations The report recommended that there should be improved transparency at the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).

Collusion between commercial and administrative sectors should be addressed.
Responses from the department To resolve SASSA’s capacity constraints, the department, as part of preparations and readiness process for the insourcing of the social grant payment system, will review SASSA’s capacity model in 2019/2020 financial year.

The review will pay attention to the payment function of SASSA.

The department is also in the process of review the SASSA Act with an aim to approve the governance of the Agency.
On the issue of collusion between SASSA and commercial sector, the department intends to set up an Inspectorate for Social Assistance to investigate on such matters.

2.2 Key findings on social welfare services legislation 2.2.1 Older Persons Act 13 of 2006 The panel found that the Act defines older persons in terms of frailty and often older persons are grouped together with people with disability.

As result many people who are not frail do not have access to institutional care.
Also, housing policies both at national and provincial levels only focus on young people.

This makes older persons dependent on their children.

The panel also made reference to the problems that were identified in a meeting between the Portfolio Committee on Social Development and the South African Older Persons Forum in 2010.

It was found that home based care services are mostly rendered by NGOs, faith based organisations and community development organisations.
However, most of these organisations are inadequately funded.

Another problem identified was that there is no single standard for implementing frail care.

This result in substantial differences in the costing models un the different provinces.
5 8 The report made the following recommendations: Focus areas Recommendations Responses from the department Amendment to the The Act should be reviewed to The Older Persons Amendment Older Persons Act: ensure that it is developed through Bill was approved by FOSAD in an intersectoral lens that takes 2017 for tabling in Parliament.
• Housing cognisance of other relevant Once the Bill is processed by sectors beyond Social Parliament it will assist in Development, including Health, clarifying the roles and Transport, Human Settlements, responsibilities of various Homes Affairs, Justice and Police, departments and stakeholders as in line with a conceptualisation of recommended by the report.
With older persons as ‘actively ageing’ regard to the funding model of with a whole range of needs service providers, the department beyond frail care.

will consult with all relevant role players including National Treasury, to confirm cost drivers in the implementation of the Older Persons Act, 2006.
The Act should also include to include a policy and funding model for shared housing and include a provision for compulsory reporting of suspected abuse of older persons similar to the one for compulsory reporting of child abuse found in the Children’s Act.

The implementation of the Act to be improved to ensure that there are adequate care centres for the 6 9 aged members of the black communities in the townships and rural areas.
• Funding to Parliament should ensure that the NGOs implementation of the Act is improved to ensure ensure adequate funding for NGO service providers of home-based care; Ensure timely payment of subsidies and transfers of funding that has already been allocated, and provide for consultation by the Department; That a single standard implementing frail care of is developed; Ensure that adequate budgets are allocated to care and services for older persons, both at national and provincial levels; A plan for domestic workers who have no place to go once they retire, other than informal settlements is developed.
2.2.2 Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act 70 of 2008 The panel found that the implementation of the Act has several challenges.

These include, lack of capacity to deal with substance abuse at a community level, inaccessible and 7 10 expensive treatment services for substance abuse and a lack of treatment centres in some provinces, especially in rural areas, as a result these centres have been previously out of reach of poor citizens.
The report made the following recommendations: Focus areas Recommendations Responses from the department Amendment to the Prevention of The Act should be The department reported that and Treatment for Substance amended to give provinces were still Abuse Act: consideration to implementing the expired • Treatment programmes including provisions National Drug Master Plan and de-stigmatisation related to harm reduction (NDMP).
As an immediate as opposed to punitive action, it will submit the new measures; NDMP to Cabinet for approval.

As a long term plan in will To provide for protection amend the Prevention of and against stigmatization Treatment for Substance Abuse Act and its regulations.

It will also implement the NDMP at all spheres of government.
• Treatment centres Parliament should The department reported that ensure that the provinces have state treatment implementation of the centres to accommodate men and Act is improved to women.

It also transferred funds introduce diversion to the provinces from a programmes in order to conditional grant to construct discourage youth from treatment centres.

Eight (8) engaging in activities that provinces have public treatment lead to substance abuse; centres.
Free State treatment centre is still under construction 8 11 Increase the number of public service centres, especially for people in remote rural areas.

There should be an increase in the roll out of in-patient, out-patient and aftercare programmes.
The in- patient facilities should be adequately capacitated and monitored to ensure that they adhere to norms and standards; Change the hours of sale of alcohol at taverns and shebeens (through municipal bylaws), and restrict the number of outlets in communities, increase taxes on alcohol; Substance abuse evaluation centres are rolled out to all provinces to enable the practitioners to assess and locate users to appropriate intervention programmes.
9 12 2.2.3 Early Childhood Development (ECD) The high level panel found that there is a need for a broader access to quality and standardized ECD programmes.

It also found that around three quarters of children are attending in some ECD institution but only a quarter receive public funding.

Recommendations The panel recommended that expansion of ECD programme should have strong emphasis on the quality of provision of cognitive, social and emotional development of children.
For this reason, ECD programme should be transferred from the Department of Social Development to the Department of Basic Education, which is the logical institution to concentrate its efforts on standardised cognitive development programmes, which can be monitored and evaluated for their effectiveness in improving readiness for Grade R. Parliament should also use its right to allocate funding to ECD to stabilise this programme by increasing funding and developing appropriate training for ECD practitioners.
To expand access to ECD, the panel recommended that it may be best to support the rural and marginalised communities by lowering eligibility requirements for infrastructure as many children live in communities with poor services such as lack of running water, electricity and sanitation.

2.2.4 Responses from the department The department reported that it will promote centre and non-centre based ECD programmes including parent support programmes to increase reach and access.
It will also finalise guidelines for provision of non-centre based programmes.

With regard to the provision of ECD infrastructure in rural areas, the department reported that all provinces were allocated ECD infrastructure conditional grant and it was benefitting ECD centres in the rural and underserviced communities.

It finalised the Registration Framework to accommodate poor rural and underserviced communities.
2.2.5 Gender Based Violence (GBV) The high level panel found that while the South African Integrated Programme (IPA) addressing Violence Against Women and Children has been published, it has not been officially launched or implemented.

It is marred by a number of problems including no oversight body to monitor its implementation.

10 13 2.2.6 Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 The panel identified a number of implementation challenges of this Act.
These include non- compliance to its provisions, lack of understanding to its obligations and lack of a concerted effort by government to combat GBV.

In 2013, the Department of Social Development developed the South African Integrated Programme (IPA) addressing Violence Against Women and Children.

The IPA is yet to be officially launched or implemented.
While the IPA may be a step in the right direction, it is marred by the following key problems: the National Council Against GBV (NCGBV) is meant to oversee implementation but this Council has been disbanded since 2014 and thus there is currently no oversight body to oversee implementation; the process of development of the IPA was not consultative or inclusive; women and children are homogenized into two concrete categories and a large percentage of women are excluded due to age, sexuality, identity, disability, levels of income and HIV status; prostitutes and prison inmates are absent, and men who are victims of violence are also excluded.
The IPA focuses solely on violence experienced by women and children at the hands of men and ignores same-sex violence, and the IPA has not been costed.
The report made the following recommendations: Focus areas Recommendations Responses from the department Development of multi-sectoral Parliament should recommend The department will link the GBV strategy to the executive the reviewed Programme of Action development of a National with the National Strategic Plan Strategic Plan on Gender- for Gender Based Violence and Based Violence, which is Femicide.
The latter is to be multi-sectoral, co-ordinated approved by Cabinet as per the and inclusive, with a strong resolutions of Presidential monitoring and evaluation Summit on Gender Based component to hold all to Violence.

It will also host account and should be fully Men’s Parliaments and Boys costed.

Assemblies in all 52 districts to highlight the scourge of GBV 11 14 The Plan should be developed and address social and in collaboration with civil structural drivers of society, and should be HIV&AIDS.
expanded to include all forms of gender-based violence.

It will also present the Victim Parliament should allocate Support Services Bill to funding for victim advocacy, Cabinet to be gazetted for criminal enforcement and local public comments.

To present capacity to implement the the Victim Support Service Strategic Plan.

Policy to Cabinet for approval.


Parliament should consider having regular annual mandatory dedicated intersectoral public hearings with the relevant departments, including the South African Police Service, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the Department of Social Development and the Department of Health as well as other stakeholders to obtain feedback from departments and input from the public on progress with implementation of the the Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998.
A checklist of existing problems with implementation should be used to ensure effective monitoring of progress with addressing 12 15 implementation problems.

3.

Committee considerations and recommendations to the department 3.1 Meeting of 27 February 2019 The Committee was not satisfied with the presentation of the department as it did not address interventions it had taken to address the challenges raised by the report.

The presentation only dealt with high level legislative responses.
It was concerned that some of critical information that the department has dealt with successfully was not reflected in the presentation.

The presentation also lacked details on what the department is doing to address the plight of individuals who have no income but do not meet the criteria to receive grants.

For instance, the department provides Social Relief of Distress (SRD).

The Committee raised concerns that some persons living with disabilities experience poor service from the department.
They are often neglected as their needs are not addressed.

It pointed out the importance of ensuring that their needs are prioritized when it comes to service delivery.

The Committee expressed a disappointment that the department does not have language units and it does not translate its documents into all official languages.
It emphasized that the issue of language links to the concern it raised a number of times that of lack of effective information dissemination both from the department and its entities.

It also relates to the finding it made during its oversight visit in Western Cape where children were separated according to their mother tongues (Afrikaans and Xhosa) language in ECD centres.
It also raised a serious concern over the persistence high backlog of foster care system, which resulted in foster care orders lapsing.

13 16 3.1.1 Committee Recommendations The committee made the following recommendations: • The department should amend its presentation to include a column (response) detailing what it has done in all the provinces to address the challenges raised in the High Level Panel Report.

The revised presentation should be presented to the Committee at a later stage.
• The department should develop an interim plan to address issues of foster care backlogs while waiting for the court order process.

In addition, it should consider appointing former social workers on contract basis to deal with backlogs in foster care applications.

• The department should fast-track the establishment of language units and report timeously to PanSALB on the implementation of the Language Act.
3.2 Meeting of 11 September 2019 (6th Term Committee) The Committee was concerned that it appeared that the department did not have a tracking plan that records gaps and challenges in the sectors.

It was also concerned about the non-completion of the substance abuse treatment centre in Free State and it wanted to know when will it be completed.

The department responded it had given the Free State Department of Social Development a completion deadline of February 2020.
The Committee encouraged the department to maintain its partnership with Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) so as to improve its information dissemination.

3.2.1 Committee Recommendations The Committee recommended that the department’s reporting on the implementation of the recommendations of the High Level Panel Report (action plan) should be integrated into the 14 17 quarterly reports (Section 32 reports) of the department.

This will ensure an integrated implementation and reporting.
4.

5th Term Committee observations in relation to the key findings and recommendations of the high level panel The 5th Parliament Committee conducted oversight on some of the areas identified in the report.

• Early Childhood Development (ECD) The Committee found that there was still a big disparity between rural and urban ECD centres wherein urban ECD centres have better infrastructure and resources compared to those in rural areas.
There was also a serious lack of infrastructure for children living with disabilities and this negatively impacts in their inclusion or enrolment.

Also, the payment of subsidies was erratic.

The payment was not done on time and in some instances months go by without any payments.

This affected payment of practitioners as well as availability of meals for the children.
There were also persistent disparities in the value of subsidies across provinces, with KwaZulu-Natal province, for instance, paying the highest subsidy (R16 per day per child).

There was no policy provision on the ration of staff versus number of children, including children with disabilities.
During its engagements with the Committee on 2 November 2016, the Department of Social Development (DSD) admitted that this issue had not been finalized and it committed to include it in its discussions with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and National Treasury (NT).

The responsibility of training, awarding qualifications and provision of conditions of employment of ECD practitioners still needed to be clarified between DSD and the DBE.
This also includes creation of a career path and academic development for ECD practitioners.

DSD told the Committee that it submitted a proposal for funding to NT for improving conditions of employment and academic development until PHD level.

It is important for the Committee to get report back on the status of the request.

The aforementioned issues are cross-cutting between DSD, DBE and local government (SALGA).
It should therefore be a strategic focus for the committee to engage them on their 15 18 role in the implementation of the National Integrated ECD Policy and progress made to address them, in the next term (6th Parliament).

• Gender based violence, violence against children and older persons The Committee specifically focused on the violence and murder of women, especially older women, forced marriages and abuse of children.
The Committee found that a number of factors were behind the increase of abuse and murder of older women.

These included, older women accused of practicing witchcraft, belief that newly circumcised men have to prove their manhood by sleeping with older women, neglect of older women by their families, abuse of alcohol and drugs and collapse of community policing, which made communities vulnerable to crime and violence.
Based on these findings the Committee recommended that the provincial departments should develop turnaround strategies that would address gender based violence in the provinces.

It also recommended that the national department and provincial should strengthens its implementation of the Drug Master Plan through provincial forums and Local Action Committees.
• Violence, rape and murder of children Through its engagements with stakeholders the Committee identified as a serious concern that South Africa does not have a national survey on child homicide.

It was therefore not possible to provide a provincial statistical breakdown of child homicide.

The country does not have a national database on substance abuse which would indicate the national prevalence of substance abuse in the country.
The high level of substance abuse in the country has been identified as one of the key causes of social ills.

It strongly felt that these surveys are critical assessment tools and provide good evidence for policy interventions.

• Substance abuse The Committee continuously raised its concern that the scourge of substance abuse and alcohol is behind the increase and the violence nature social ills in South Africa.
However, despite this fact, substance abuse treatment centres are not accessible due to high costs or some provinces do not have them.

Those provinces that have them, they are located in urban areas.

It also raised a concern that some provinces did not have substance abuse treatment centres.

Subsequently, National Treasury approved a Substance Abuse Conditional Grant to fund construction of five (5) substance abuse treatment centres.
Two (2) treatment centres in North West, one (1) in Free State, one (1) in Limpopo and two (2) in Northern Cape.

The 16 19 Committee expressed concerns over the delays in the completion of the Free State Substance Abuse Treatment Centre and challenges thereof.

The Committee also raised serious concerns that the National Drug Master Plan was not adequately implemented in most of the provinces.

Local Drug Action Committees were not functional or well supported.
Of most concern to the Committee was that the Central Drug Authority (CDA) only has advisory powers.

It is merely a sub-directorate of the Department and so it does not have a budget appropriated to it.

It does not have authority to take action over the implementation of the NDMP and on any other substance abuse related matters, such timely reporting by government departments.
Both in the previous term (2009 – 2014) and current term (2014 -2019) the annual report the CDA had not submitted its annual report on time (before end September).

This was due to government departments not submitting their reports to the CDA on time.

The Committee recommended that the Prevention of and Treatment of Substance Abuse Act be amended to restructure governance of the CDA.

It should make the CDA an entity and give it powers to act as such.
This would give CDA authority to ensure that stakeholders submit their reports timely and cooperate with it.

This recommendation was however not implemented.

Recommendations of the Committee for the Sixth Parliament Having considered the findings and recommendations of the HLP Report, the Committee recommended that: • The Speaker engages with the Leader of Government Business requesting him to expedite the re-tabling of the Children’s Amendment Bill and the Social Assistance Amendment Bill.
• The Speaker together with the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces engage with the House Chairpersons and Chairpersons of Committees to organise joint meetings on gender based violence, violence and murder of children and substance abuse.

• The Minister of Social Development ensures that the department acts on its plans to amend the Prevention of and Treatment of Substance Abuse Act and expedites the 17 20 submission of the new National Drug Master Plan to Cabinet for approval.
The current plan expired in 2017.

• The Minister of Social Development ensures that between 2020 - 2022 financial years the department develops the Victim Support Services Bill, submit it to Cabinet for approval and to Parliament for processing and passing.

• The Minister of Social Development ensures that between 2020 - 2022 financial years the department amends the Older Persons Act, submit it to Cabinet for approval and to Parliament for processing and passing.
____________________________________________________________________________ Report to be noted 18 21 2.
Report of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development on the First Quarter Performance and Expenditure Report for 2019/2020 of the Department of Social Development, dated 14 October 2020 The Portfolio Committee on Social Development (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) having examined the First Quarter Performance and Expenditure Report for 2019/2020 of the Department of Social Development (hereinafter referred to as the Department or DSD) on 6 November 2019, reports as follows: 1.
Introduction The Quarterly Performance and Expenditure Reports of the Departments are compiled in accordance with the requirements of Section 92 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996, Department of Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) Guidelines on the Preparation of Quarterly Performance Reports.
It is also compiled according to other government legislative prescripts such as the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) (Act No.1 of 1999), relevant National Treasury Regulations and Frameworks.

These guide performance managements in the public sector to display and promote transparency and accountability to stakeholders and the general public.

To monitor performance and expenditure of the Departments, Committees of Parliament are obliged to consider quarterly reports of the Departments.

2.
2.

Mandate of the Committee The Committee’s mandate as prescribed by the Constitution of South Africa and the Rules of Parliament is to build an oversight process that ensures a quality process of scrutinizing and overseeing the department’s action.

It is to conduct oversight that is driven by the ideal of realizing a better quality of life for all people of South Africa.
The Committee is also required to facilitate public participation, monitoring and oversight 1 22 over the legislative processes relating to social development.

In doing this, it also confers with relevant governmental and civil society organs on social development matters.

The Committee also enhances and develops the capacity of its members to exercise effective oversight over the Executive Authority in social development.
It monitors whether the Department of Social Development fulfils its mandate according to priorities.

It also has a mandate to perform the following: • Considers legislation referred to it; • Conducts oversight of any organ (s) of the state and constitutional institution(s) falling within its portfolio; • Facilitates appointment of candidates to entities; • Considers international agreements; and • Considers budget of department and entities falling within its portfolio.
For the current medium term (2014 – 2019), the Committee’s oversight focuses on the department and its entities performance with regard to the implementation of the priorities set in the National Development Plan and in the Medium Term Strategic Framework.

3.

The Department of Social Development (the Department) 3.
1 The Mandate of the Department The department derives its mandate from several pieces of legislation and policies, including the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997) and the Population Policy (1998), which sets out the principles, guidelines, policies and programmes for developmental social welfare in South Africa.

The White Paper for Social Welfare has provided the foundation for social welfare in the post-1994 era.
2 23 The Constitutional mandate of the department is to provide sector-wide national leadership in social development by developing and implementing programmes for the eradication of poverty and social protection and development amongst the poorest of the poor and most vulnerable and marginalized.
3.2 Strategic Goals and Objectives of the Department The key strategic goals (SGs) of the Department are derived from the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTEF) for 2014 – 19 with the following key priorities as follows: • Expand Child and Youth Care Services (Isibindi programme) • Social Welfare Sector Reform and services to deliver better results • Deepening Social Assistance and Extending the scope of Social Security • • Increase access to Early Childhood Development (ECD) Strengthening Community Development interventions • Combat Substance Abuse and Gender-Based Violence • Increase household food & nutrition security (Food for All) • The protection and promotion of the rights of older persons and people with disabilities • Establish Social Protection Systems to strengthen coordination, integration, planning, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of services National Development Plan (NDP) These priorities are in line with the (NDP) vision 2030, which inter alia promotes social protection: • Protective measures to save lives and reduce levels of deprivation; • Preventative measures which help people avoid falling deeper into poverty and reduce their vulnerability; 3 24 • Promotive measures which enhance the capabilities of individual communities and institutions; • Transformative measures which tackle inequities through changes in policies, laws and budgets; and • Developmental and generative measures, which increase the poor’s consumption, promoting local economic development.
4.

Overview and assessment of performance information on the predetermined objectives for the first quarter (April - June) of 2019 The overall, departmental expenditure for the 1st quarter (April – June 2019) amounted to 24.2%, which was consistent with the outcome of the previous year’s 1st quarter (24.4%).

The department spent R44.740 billion (24.21%) during this quarter.
One of the reasons cited for the non-achievement of targets was lower than expected expenditure mainly due to delays in the implementation of the IT Turn Key Solution project.

SITA was in the process of reconciling work done thus far before issuing invoices to the Department.

A total of 39 targets (adding all targets for the 5 Programmes) were set for quarter 1 for the 2019/20 financial year.
5.1 Programme Performance 5.1.1 Programme 1: Administration The purpose of the programme is to provide leadership, management and support services to the department and the Social Development Sector.

The department had set to achieve four (4) targets under this programme and it achieved three (3).

Most importantly the department had planned to align its 5 systems into the 4 25 Case Management System.
These systems are Older Persons Abuse Register, Child and Youth Care Application, Children Services Directory, Accreditation of Diversion Services and Alternative Care Management.

During the period under review, the department completed the process of mapping and analyzing some legislation to fully align and identify common areas on processes and impacts on any other legislation.

It also enhanced processes to incorporate business rules which articulates controls within the processes.
The department had set a target to obtain approval of the study design and scope of the evaluation on the sector infrastructure with reference to ECD and Substance Abuse Treatment Centres.

The approval was obtained from the Bid Specification committee and the Bid Adjudication Committee.

The table below shows that this programme spent R83.4 million (20.4%) of its allocation of R408.4 million, which was lower that the projected expenditure R95.7 million lower.
Lower than expected expenditure was mainly due to delays in the IT Turn Key Solution project.

There were delays in receipt of invoices for the departmental computer services.

This had been a persistent problem since the inception of the project.

In the first quarter of the previous financial year, this problem was also attributed to the lower than anticipated expenditure.
Table 1: Programme 1 - Comparison between expenditure 2018/19 and 2019/20 2019/20 2018/20 1st Quarter Expenditure 1st Quarter Expenditure Expenditure by end of 20.4% 19.8% financial year 92.2% 5 26 5.1.2 Programme 2: Social Assistance The purpose of this programme is to provide social assistance to eligible beneficiaries in terms of Social Assistance Act, 2004 (Act No.13 of 2004) and its regulations.

Under this programme, the department had planned to achieve one (1) target for the 1st quarter.
That target was to transfer 100% monthly funds to SASSA and it achieved it.

This programme was allocated a budget of R175.2 billion, compared to R162.9 billion for 2018/19 financial year.

By June 2019, the programme had spent 43.071 billion (24.6%) of its allocation for the year, compared to R39.9 billion (24.5%) in 2018/19.

The reasons cited for the lower expenditure was due to lower than expected beneficiaries in the child support grant and the disability grant.
Table 2: Programme 2 - Comparison between expenditure 2018/19 and 2019/20 2019/20 2018/20 1st Quarter Expenditure 1st Quarter Expenditure Expenditure by end of 24.6% 24.5% financial year 99.9% 5.1.3 Programme 3: Social Security Policy and Administration The purpose of this programme is to provide for social security policy development, administrative justice of social grants, and the reduction of incorrect benefits payments.
The department had set to achieve one (1) target for the 1st quarter in 2019/20 financial year.

It had planned to review possible policy options for linking child 6 27 support grants to government services.

The department reviewed the discussion paper on linking the beneficiaries of the children’s grants with other government services.
The discussion paper presents an argument that social that social grants combined with care (cash plus care), in the form of linking children’s grants to a basket of appropriate services, offers a promising means of ensuring sustainable and resilient well-being development for children across the life cycle.

This programme was allocated a budget of R7.7 billion as compared to R7.880 billion in (2018/19), of which it spent R1.2 billion (or 15.7%) by the end of the 1st quarter.
This means it spent R621.7 lower than the projected expenditure R1.8 billion.

The difference between what the department projected it would spend by June 2019, and actual expenditure was 33.3%.

This was due to delays in the transfer to the South African Social Security Agency for June 2019, which was only authorised on the system in July 2019.

July expenditure would thus reflect both the June and July transfers to the Agency.
5.1.4 Programme 4: Welfare Services Policy Development and Implementation Support The purpose of this programme is to create an enabling environment for the delivery of equitable developmental welfare services through the formulation of policies, norms and standards and best practices and the provision of support to the implementation agencies.

A total of 16 targets was set for the 1st quarter (2019/20) in this programme.
Among the targets set was to introduce the Children's Amendment Bill to Parliament and monitor the implementation of the Policy Framework on Accreditation of Diversion Services in 1 province.

The target to submit the Bill was not achieved.

Another target was to submit a policy on services to Persons with Disabilities and their families for approval was to be gazetted for public comments.
This target was also not achieved because EXCO raised 7 28 issues that need to be addressed before the policy is submitted to MINMEC, Social Cluster and Cabinet.

The department also did not achieve its target of submitting the Draft National Drug Master Plan for approval due to delays in Cabinet processes.

The department managed to achieve its target of conducting training on the Anti- Gangsterism Strategy in one province.

It trained 65 practitioners in Northern Cape and Mpumalanga.
This programme was allocated a budget of R1.1 billion in 2019/20 as compared to R1.284 billion for 2018/19 financial year.

During the 1st quarter, the department spent R180.1 million (16.9%) as opposed to R224.3 million (17.5%) in 2018/19.

This means it spent R22.3 million lower than the projected expenditure of R202.4 million at the end of June 2019.

The underspending was mainly due to delays in transfers to non-profit organisations.
The department was still awaiting submission of progress reports and other compliance documents, which would have to be assessed before releasing the funds.
Table 4: Programme 4 - Comparison between expenditure 2018/19 and 2019/20 1st Quarter Expenditure 1st Quarter Expenditure Expenditure by end of (2019/20) 16.9% (2018/19) financial year (2018/19) 17.5% 98.2% 5.1.5 Programme 5: Social Policy and Integrated Service Delivery The purpose of this programme is to support community development and promote evidence-based policy making in the Department and the Social Development Sector.

This programme planned to achieve 17 targets for the 1st quarter of 2019/20.
The following were among the targets set for this 1st quarter: 8 29 • Present the NPO Amendment Bill to Technical Working Committee.

This target was not achieved due to the transition of administration which delayed the process.

• All submitted reports of registered NPOs to be processed within 2 months.

This target was achieved.

• Produce and present country monitoring report on the implementation of the White Paper on Population Policy and the ICPD PoA.

This target was also achieved.


For the 1st quarter, Programme 5 spent R189.1 million (45.8%) of its total budget.

Its total allocation for the year is R413.3 million.

The variance between actual and projected expenditure for the 1st quarter was 0.1%.

Table 5: Programme 5 - Comparison between expenditure 2018/19 and 2019/20 1st Quarter Expenditure 1st Quarter Expenditure Expenditure by end of (2019/20) 45.8% (2018/19) financial year (2018/19) 45.2% 99.5% 6.
Committee deliberations and observations The Committee was impressed with the content of the audit action plan of the National Development Agency.

The Committee noted that its main interest is that the findings of the AGSA must come to an end.

With the audit action plans presented, the key focus of the committee’s oversight would be to oversee that there is alignment between the commitments made, monitoring over their execution and their implementation.
The Committee was of the view that the main challenges that affected SASSA’s performance were due to lack of attention by officials to details of legislative frameworks (non-compliance).

It was also due to lack of leadership.

It enquired whether SASSA has 9 30 an expert or manager that deals with consequence management who can brief the committee on details of disciplinary hearings.
The Committee encouraged the Agency to explore possibilities of having lease agreement without involving the Department of Public Works and have their own buildings.

It discouraged it from always depending on the Department of Public Works agreements.

With regard to public outreach on services provided by SASSA, the Committee enquired whether SASSA has conducted awareness campaigns to encourage beneficiaries to use payment channels charging less transaction fees.
The Committee concurred with AG’s audit findings on the lack of leadership and management at SASSA, particularly at Human Resource and Supply Chain Management departments.

The Committee observed the inconsistent reporting format of the presentation.

Other slides reported on root causes of the AG’s findings, AG’s findings, audit action plan and the expected date for completion.

Other slides did not follow the same format and that made it challenging for the Members to follow along.
The Committee proposed that the report should follow the same format of reporting - AGSA findings, root causes, action plan, expected date of completion and progress report.

The Committee was interested to know the outcomes of the report of the committee that was commissioned to investigate the establishment and work of the work streams at SASSA.

Its main interest is to ensure that no blame is shifted to officials when the Court found that the former Minister appointed the work streams.
The Committee was interested to know whether a threat assessment was conducted by SAPS prior to the allocation of VIP services for the Minister Bathabile Dlamini and the Chief Director of Communication of the department.

The Committee also wanted to know if there was any recourse for SASSA to recover debt when National Treasury has written it off.
10 31 With regard to an amount of R3.4 million allocated for Mikondzo programme which was later cancelled by the former Minister due to other commitment, the Committee wanted to know whether the department had any intention to recover the money from the former Minister.

In addition, it wanted to know if there was any strategy to recover monies from officials involved in the irregular expenditure and fruitless and wasteful expenditure cases.

7.
7.

Resolutions • SASSA to present the implementation of the audit action plan on quarterly basis to the Committee.

• SASSA to provide the Committee with details of cases of irregular expenditure and fruitless and wasteful expenditure and a total amount of legal fees paid on cases taken to Court.

• SASSA to conclude its investigation on the above-mentioned cases rather than wait for outcomes of National Treasury investigations.
• Vetting process on candidates should be conducted prior to their appointments to avoid cases of appointing candidates with criminal records.

• The NDA to fast-track the process of appointing an independent investigator to investigate reported cases of irregular expenditure and fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

• SASSA to ensure that investigations on irregular expenditure and fruitless and wasteful expenditure are concluded quicker than 12 months as AG had found that they take longer than 12 months.
• SASSA to ensure that all key positions on SCM are filled by end of March 2020.

Report to be considered.

11 32 3.
11 32 3.

Report of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development on the Second Quarter Performance and Expenditure Report for 2019/20 of the Department of Social Development, dated 14 October 2020 The Portfolio Committee on Social Development (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) having examined the Second Performance and Expenditure Report for 2019/2020 of the Department of Social Development (hereinafter referred to as the Department or DSD) on 20 November 2019, reports as follows: 1.
Introduction The Quarterly Performance and Expenditure Reports of the Departments are compiled in accordance with the requirements of Section 92 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996, Department of Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) Guidelines on the Preparation of Quarterly Performance Reports.
It is also compiled according to other government legislative prescripts such as the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) (Act No.1 of 1999), relevant National Treasury Regulations and Frameworks.

These guide performance managements in the public sector to display and promote transparency and accountability to stakeholders and the general public.

To monitor performance and expenditure of the Departments, Committees of Parliament are obliged to consider quarterly reports of the Departments.

2.
2.

Mandate of the Committee The Committee’s mandate as prescribed by the Constitution of South Africa and the Rules of Parliament is to build an oversight process that ensures a quality process of scrutinizing and overseeing the department’s action.

It is to conduct oversight that is driven by the ideal of realizing a better quality of life for all people of South Africa.
The Committee is also required to facilitate public participation, monitoring and oversight 1 33 over the legislative processes relating to social development.

In doing this, it also confers with relevant governmental and civil society organs on social development matters.

The Committee also enhances and develops the capacity of its members to exercise effective oversight over the Executive Authority in social development.
It monitors whether the Department of Social Development fulfils its mandate according to priorities.

It also has a mandate to perform the following: • Considers legislation referred to it; • Conducts oversight of any organ (s) of the state and constitutional institution(s) falling within its portfolio; • Facilitates appointment of candidates to entities; • Considers international agreements; and • Considers budget of department and entities falling within its portfolio.
For the current medium term (2014 – 2019), the Committee’s oversight focuses on the department and its entities performance with regard to the implementation of the priorities set in the National Development Plan and in the Medium Term Strategic Framework.

3.

The Department of Social Development (the Department) 3.
1 The Mandate of the Department The department derives its mandate from several pieces of legislation and policies, including the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997) and the Population Policy (1998), which sets out the principles, guidelines, policies and programmes for developmental social welfare in South Africa.

The White Paper for Social Welfare has provided the foundation for social welfare in the post-1994 era.
2 34 The Constitutional mandate of the department is to provide sector-wide national leadership in social development by developing and implementing programmes for the eradication of poverty and social protection and development amongst the poorest of the poor and most vulnerable and marginalized.
3.2 Strategic Goals and Objectives of the Department The key strategic goals (SGs) of the Department are derived from the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) for 2014 – 19 with the following key priorities as follows: • Expand Child and Youth Care Services (Isibindi programme) • Social Welfare Sector Reform and services to deliver better results • Deepening Social Assistance and Extending the scope of Social Security • Increase access to Early Childhood Development (ECD) • Strengthening Community Development interventions • Combat Substance Abuse and Gender-Based Violence • Increase household food & nutrition security (Food for All) • The protection and promotion of the rights of older persons and people with disabilities • Establish Social Protection Systems to strengthen coordination, integration, planning, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of services 4.
Overview and assessment of performance information on the predetermined objectives for the second quarter (July - September) of 2019 The overall departmental expenditure by the end of the 2nd quarter amounted to R R46 558 billion (25.1%) of its overall allocation.

For this quarter the department had planned to achieve 44 targets but achieved 25.

Cautioned should be made that this number does take into account partially achieved targets.
The department reported that it achieved 62% targets (compared to 64% in the 1st quarter), partially achieved 3 35 7% (14% in the 1st quarter) and did achieve 31% (22% in the 1st quarter).

Most targets (10) were not achieved in Programme 5.

5.1 Programme Performance 5.1.1 Programme 1: Administration The purpose of the programme is to provide leadership, management and support services to the Department and the Social Development Sector.
Under this programme, the department had set to achieve four (4) targets and it managed to achieve three (3).

One of the most important targets it achieved involved designing and developing a prototype Integrated Systems into single integrated case management solution.

The department mapped prototypes of the various systems in order to show how the Social Development Information Case Management System (SDICMS) will flow once fully developed.
Another important target that was achieved related to strengthening entity oversight.

The department reviewed the terms of reference for Social Assistance Service Delivery Assurance Committee (SASDAC).

This is an important target as Auditor-General findings, especially financial audits, of entities have some bearing on the audit outcomes of the department.

This has been particularly been the case with regard to the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
The department did not achieve the target to conduct an evaluation on social sector infrastructure.

This programme spent R178.9 million (43.8%) of its allocation of R408.4 million, which was lower than the projected expenditure by R19.6 million.

Lower than expected expenditure is mainly due to delays in implementation of the IT Turn Key Solution project.
The department reported that it had terminated its agreement with State Information Technology Agency (SITA) in August 2019, and is currently in the process to take control of all sub contracts for this project.

4 36 5.1.2 Programme 2: Social Assistance The purpose of this programme is to provide social assistance to eligible beneficiaries in terms of the Social Assistance Act (No.

13 of 2004) and its regulations.


Under this programme, the Department had planned to achieve eight targets for the 1st quarter.

That target was transferring 100% funds to SASSA monthly, which it achieved.

This programme was allocated a budget of R175.2 billion for 2019/20 financial year.

By the end of the 2nd quarter, it spent R86.6 billion (49.4%).

The programme expenditure is R787.4 million lower than the projected expenditure of R87.4 billion as at the end of September 2019.
The reasons cited for the lower expenditure was due to lower than expected beneficiaries in the child support grant and old age grant.

5.1.3 Programme 3: Social Security Policy and Administration The purpose of this programme is to provide for social security policy development, administrative justice, the administration of social grants, and the reduction of incorrect benefit payments.

Under this programme, the department had set to achieve four (4) targets and it achieved three (3).
The targets pertained to the reforms in the social security programmes.

The department achieved the target to update the draft policy paper with inputs from NEDLAC social partners.

It completed and presented to NEDLAC Technical reports on the Governance Framework for the entire pension system, along with Tier Three Pension arrangements to provide top-up retirement, disability and survivor benefits through private sector schemes.
The department also drafted Regulations to the Social Assistance Amendment Bill, which is before the Portfolio Committee on Social Development for processing and passing.

Amendments of this Bill are critical in responding to judgement 5 37 of the North Gauteng High Court on the litigation brought against the department by the Centre for Child Law on the high backlog on the foster care system.
This programme was allocated a budget of R7.7 billion, of which it spent R3.73 billion (48.2%) by the end of the 2nd quarter.

This means it spent R27.5 million less than the projected expenditure of R3.76 billion projected for the period.

The reason for this was the delays in the establishment of the Inspectorate for social assistance under compensation of employees and goods and services.
5.1.4 Programme 4: Welfare Services Policy Development and Implementation Support The purpose of this programme is to create an enabling environment for the delivery of equitable developmental welfare services through the formulation of policies, norms and standards and best practices, and support implementing agencies.

The department indicated in their 2019/20 APP reports that it was set to achieve 19 targets.
Key targets included: o Participate in the parliamentary process to approve the Children’s Amendment Bill.

This target was not achieved due to delays in obtaining full certification of the Bill from the office of the State Law Advisor.

o Submit the White Paper for Social Welfare for consideration by Cabinet.

This target was not achieved instead the department reported that it continued with the processes towards finalizing the White Paper in preparation to present it to Cabinet for approval.
It however, developed an implementation plan of the White Paper.

o Submit Draft National Drug Master Plan (NDMP) for approval.

This target was achieved.

6 38 o Training on the Department of Social Development Anti-Gangsterism Strategy in two provinces.

Training was conducted only in KwaZulu-Natal province.

o Develop good practise models on Community-Based Disability Incisive Development (CBID) in four Provinces.

This target was not achieved.


o Appoint service providers 1) to develop inter-sectoral policy on sheltering, 2) develop framework/policy on provision of counselling and 3) revise the White Paper on Families.

These targets were not achieved.

These targets were not achieved.

o Present to Heads of Social Development the Inter-Sectoral Protocol on the Management and Prevention of Violence against Children, Child Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation.

This target was not achieved.


This programme was allocated a budget of R1.1 billion for the 2019/20 financial year.

By the end of the 2nd quarter, it reported expenditure of R375.4 million (35.2%).

This means it spent R235.7 million less than the projected expenditure of R611.2 million at the end of September 2019.
It should be noted that by the end of the 1st quarter, Programme 4’s expenditure was 16.9% This programme had a very low expenditure rate for the following reasons: o delays in transfers to households for social worker scholarships, amounting to R125.3 million, o delays in transfers to HIV/AIDS organisations for the implementation of Social Behaviour Change programmes, amounting to R66.1 million.
5.1.5 Programme 5: Social Policy and Integrated Service Delivery The purpose of this programme is to support community development and promote evidence-based policy making in the department and SDS.

7 39 This programme planned to achieve 16 targets for the 2nd quarter of 2019/20.

The following were among the targets set for this 2nd quarter: • Present the NPO Amendment Bill to Social Cluster.

This target was not achieved and no reasons were given for this non-achievement.
• Process all received NPO applications within 2 months.

This target was achieved.

The department reported that it received 8 715 applications and it processed 8 599.

• All submitted reports of registered NPOs are to be processed within 2 months.

This target was partially achieved where the department received 13 849 reports and it processed 4 177.

Under this programme, the department spent R222.8 million (53.9%) out of the budget allocation of R413.3 million by end of September 2019.
This means it spent R1 million more than the projected expenditure of R221.8 million.

The department reported that the higher than anticipated spending on this programme was because of regrading of employees.

6.

Committee deliberations and observations The Committee was interested to know why Western Cape officials were not included in the training on the Anti-Gangsterism Strategy.

It was reported that training was conducted in 2018.
The Committee wanted to know the status on the President’s announcement of moving some elements of the Early Childhood Development to the Department of Basic Education.

The department responded that it waiting for joint concept paper to be approved by Cabinet which will culminate to the proclamation by the President.

In the interim National Treasury was continuing to allocate ECD budget to the Department of Social Development.
8 40 The Committee advised the department to consider including a Monitoring & Evaluation graph on compliance by NPOs reporting so as to monitor progress.

The Committee wanted to know what progress has the department made to ensure that that NPOs are aligned to the transformation agenda of the country e.g.

HIV related programmes, GBVF programmes.

It also wanted to know whether the department has developed proper accounting systems.
In relation to the Non-Profit Organisation Bill, the Committee wanted to know progress made in finalizing this Bill, and whether the problem that were encountered during the consultation process were resolved.

It was reported that the Bill would be submitted to Cabinet during the third quarter.

It’s costing model was finalized.

The Committee pointed out that the report of the department did not reflect on any interventions that the department has made against Gender Based Violence.
The Committee felt that the entire report focused on mechanisms of interventions and not on areas where interventions are meant to change.

The main reasons why interventions (e.g.

trainings, policies, programmes, registration of NPOs, etc) are made is not included.

This information is critical for effective oversight of the committee to ascertain the change, i.e.

impact, development on people’s lives.


The risk of focusing only on mechanisms of intervention is that a lot of money is spent but it is not known on what.

For instance, the department reported on entity oversight but it is not clear why.

The focus of analysis should be on results.

7.


Committee Resolutions • The department to provide the Committee with breakdown of people that were reached out during the five (5) provincial workshops that were conducted in Gauteng, Western, KwaZulu Natal, Northern Cape and Limpopo on the implementation of the youth strategy.

9 41 • The department to provide numbers of beneficiaries from the household food and nutrition security programme from KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape to the Committee.
• The department to forward the report on the absorption of social workers to the Committee.

Report to be considered 10 42 4.
Report of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development on the Third Quarter Performance and Expenditure Report for 2019/20 of the Department of Social Development (DSD), dated 14 October 2020 The Portfolio Committee on Social Development (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) having examined the Third Quarter Performance and Expenditure Report for 2019/20 of the Department of Social Development (hereinafter referred to as Department) on 11 March 2020, reports as follows: 1.

Introduction 2.
Introduction 2.

Mandate of the Committee The Committee’s mandate as prescribed by the Constitution of South Africa and the Rules of Parliament is to build an oversight process that ensures a quality process of scrutinising and overseeing the department’s action.

It is to conduct oversight that is driven by the ideal of realising a better quality of life for all people of South Africa.
The Committee is also required to facilitate public participation, monitoring and oversight over the legislative processes relating to social development.

In doing this, it also confers with relevant governmental and civil society organs on social development matters.

The Committee also enhances and develops the capacity of its members to exercise effective oversight over the Executive Authority in social development.
It monitors whether the Department of Social Development fulfils its mandate according to priorities.

It also has a mandate to perform the following: • Considers legislation referred to it; • Conducts oversight of any organ (s) of the state and constitutional institution(s) falling within its portfolio; • Facilitates appointment of candidates to entities; 1 43 • Considers international agreements; and • Considers budget of department and entities falling within its portfolio.
For the current medium term (2014 – 2019), the Committee’s oversight focuses on the department and its entities performance with regard to the implementation of the priorities set in the National Development Plan and in the Medium Term Strategic Framework.

3.

The Department of Social Development 3.


1 The Mandate of the Department The department derives its mandate from several pieces of legislation and policies, including the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997) and the Population Policy (1998), which sets out the principles, guidelines, policies and programmes for developmental social welfare in South Africa.

The White Paper for Social Welfare has provided the foundation for social welfare in the post-1994 era.
The Constitutional mandate of the department is to provide sector-wide national leadership in social development by developing and implementing programmes for the eradication of poverty and social protection and development amongst the poorest of the poor and most vulnerable and marginalized.

3.2 Policy priorities for 2019/20 The following are the strategic goals of the Department of Social Development for this relevant period: • Expand Child and Youth Care Services (Isibindi programme).
• Attain Welfare Sector Reform and services to deliver better results.

• Deepen Social Assistance and extend the scope of Social Security.

2 44 • Increase access to Early Childhood Development (ECD).

• Strengthen Community Development interventions.

• Combat Substance Abuse and Gender-Based Violence.

• Increase household food & nutrition security (Food for All).

• Protect and promote of the rights of older persons and people with disabilities.
• Establish Social Protection Systems to strengthen coordination, integration, planning, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of services.
National Development Plan (NDP) The abovementioned priorities are in line with the (NDP) vision 2030, which inter alia promotes social protection and is defined by: • Protective measures to save lives and reduce levels of deprivation; • Preventative measures which help people avoid falling deeper into poverty and reduce their vulnerability; • Promotive measures which enhance the capabilities of individual communities and institutions; • Transformative measures which tackle inequities through changes in policies, laws and budgets; and • Developmental and generative measures, which increase the poor’s consumption by promoting local economic development.
3 45 The following key strategic themes emerged from the February and June State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2019, which have a bearing on the Department: • Social security – The Department of Social Development has given effect to the Constitutional Court’s directive for phasing out the services of Cash Paymaster Services.

At the time, the majority of social grant beneficiaries were successfully migrated from Cash Paymaster to the South African Post Office (SAPO).
Concurrently, former social security cards were replaced with new ones.

• Early Childhood Development (ECD) – from 2019 the responsibility for ECD centres would migrate from Social Development to Basic Education.

In addition, Government will proceed with the process towards two years of compulsory ECD for all children before they enter Grade 1.

• Job creation – the President highlighted the need to accelerate inclusive economic growth and create jobs.
In June 2019 the President committed Government to ensuring that young people are employed in social economy jobs such as early childhood development and health care.

• Gender-based violence – Over the preceding year, Government focussed particular attention on violence and abuse perpetrated against women and children.

As such, a Summit on Gender-based Violence and Femicide was convened, which provided a firm basis for a coordinated national response to the crisis.
The Summit resulted in a road map to end gender-based violence, improve coordination of planning, and establish a commitment to resourcing and accountability.

Work is underway to implement the decisions of the summit, including preparing the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence.

The President further committed Government to, in partnership with civil society, work towards the implementation of decisions taken at the Summit.
4 46 • Substance abuse – South Africa has extremely high levels of substance abuse, which creates crime and violence against women and children; it deepens poverty and causes great adversity and pain for families.

4.
4.

Overall assessment of the financial and non-financial performance information on the predetermined objectives for the third quarter (October - December) of 2019 4.1 Financial performance (Budget expenditure) The Department was allocated an annual adjustment appropriation of R184.7 billion in the 2019/20 financial year (compared to R172.8 billion the previous year) and spent R137.6 billion for the first three quarters.

For the quarter under review, the department spent R43 558 billion.
Of the available budget of R527.4 million for the compensation of employees, the Department spent R386.4 million or (73.3 percent).

Spending was on par with the previous year (2018/19), when the Department managed to spend 73.9 percent of available funds by end of December.

However, spending in 2019/20 is about R5.9 million above the projected expenditure due to performance bonuses paid in December 2019.
5 47 4.1.1 Performance and expenditure per programme for third quarter of 2019/20 Table 1: Social Development 3rd quarter expenditure trends, 2018/19 and 2019/20 2018/19 2019/20 Rand (million) Available Actual % Available Actual % spent Spent spent Spent P1.

391.7 264.7 67.6% 408.4 269.8 66.1% Administration million million million million P2.

Social Assistance P3.


Social 162.9 121.4 74.6% 175.2 130.7 74.6% billion billion billion billion 7.9 billion 5.8 73.5% 7.7 billion 5.7 74.0% Security Policy billion billion and Administration P4.

Welfare 1.3 billion 887.8 68.3% 1.1 billion 601.5 57.0% million million Services Policy Development and Implementation Support P5.
Social Policy 392.3 356.5 90.9% 413.3 372.1 90.0% and Integrated million million million million Service Delivery Programme 3 and 4 receive the bulk of the Department’s budget allocation.

Hence they had the highest expenditure compared to other programmes.

In the year under review they received R7.7 billion and R1.1 billion respectively.

These are the Programmes that drive the key social welfare services through policy formulations and their implementation.
For instance, Programme 3 has targets to draft social security policy reforms - policy on mandatory cover for retirement, disability and survivor benefits, 6 48 policy paper on voluntary inclusion of informal sector workers and discussion paper on linking Child Support Grant beneficiaries with government services.

Also, the bulk of this Programme’s budget, R7.6 billion goes towards Social Grants Administration sub- programme.
This sub-programme provides for the South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA) operational costs for administering social grants, managing information systems and reimbursing payment contractors.

Programme’s 4 largest budget allocation, R1 billion went to Children sub-programme.

Despite of these programmes having the highest expenditure compared to other programmes, they actually underspent when comparing their expenditure against their budget allocation.
Programme 4 had the lowest expenditure of only 57%.

4.2 Programme Performance 4.2.1 Programme 1: Administration The purpose of this programme is to provide leadership, management and support services to the Department and the sector.

Expenditure for the Administration programme totalled 66.1 percent, slightly lower than the 67.6 percent the previous year (refer to Table 1 above).
Actual expenditure is R8.2 million lower than what was projected (R278.0 million) due to the Department taking over sub-contracts for the IT Turn Key Solution project, and will only receive invoices from the providers once certain milestones have been reached.

This Programme had set a total of 4 performance targets for this quarter.

It managed to achieve two (2) targets, which was to submit the 2nd quarter Financial Statements for the 2019/2020 financial year to National Treasury on 31 October 7 49 2019.
It also tested the Accreditation Diversion Services (ADS) system was tested in Limpopo province to ensure that DSD has reliable and credible information.

The two targets to produce a compliance report to governance and oversight framework by entities as well as to conduct an evaluation social sector infrastructure were not achieved.

The department reported it did not produce compliance report due to capacity challenges in the Entity Oversight unit.
The unit was subsequently moved to the Office of the Director-General (DG) pending its proper location.

With regard to the second target, the department reported that the scope of work to evaluate the social sector infrastructure had to be re-costed.

4.2.2 Programme 2: Social Assistance The purpose of the programme is to transfer payments of social assistance grants to beneficiaries who qualify for social assistance in terms of the Social Security Act, 2004 (Act 13 of 2004).
It provides only funding related to payments to social assistance grant beneficiaries by the South African Social Security Agency, and does not include salaries to staff.

The programme spent R14.6 billion lower than the approved drawings of R145.3 billion at the end of December 2019.

This is mainly due to advance transfer of R14.6 billion in December 2019 for the month of January 2020.

Since 1 January fell on a public holiday, funds were required in December 2019.
It is anticipated that total spending will be in line with the available budget by the end of the financial year.

Only 1 target was planned for this quarter for all grants, which was to transfer 100% (14 596 299) of funds to SASSA monthly.

This target was achieved.


8 50 4.2.3 Programme 3: Social Security Policy and Administration The purpose of this programme is to provide for social security policy development, administrative justice, administration of social grants and the reduction of incorrect benefits payments.

Expenditure by December 2019 was R10.4 million lower than the approved drawings of R5.7 billion.

A total of 4 targets had been planned by the Department for this quarter.
The following are the targets that were set and achieved: • • update the draft policy paper on mandatory cover for retirement, disability and survivor benefits with inputs from NEDLAC social partners.

Internal consultations on the draft regulations to support the Social Assistance legislation.

• The target to finalise the costing of the policy on linking child support grants to government services on possible options was not achieved.
4.2.4 Programme 4: Welfare Services Policy Development and Implementation Support This programme creates an enabling environment for the delivery of equitable developmental welfare services through the formulation of policies, norms and standards, and best practices.

Expenditure on this programme declined to 57 percent by the end of the 3rd quarter in 2019/20, compared to 68.3 percent in the previous year.
This was mainly due to delays in effecting transfers to non-profit organisations due to late receipt of progress reports, as well as delays in procurement processes for the awarding of tenders for specialist projects.

Expenditure for the 3rd quarter was R9.7 million lower than the projected expenditure of R611.2 million.

9 51 During the 2019 adjusted appropriation, a total of R93 million was allocated for Gender-Based Violence in this programme.

This was identified as a priority during 2019 SONA.
Three out of four key strategic themes that have emerged from 2019 SONA are located within this programme.

According to the department’s APP 2019/20, a total number of (21) targets was planned this quarter and only nine (9) were achieved, indicating a very low performance.

This was also reflected in the budget expenditure report earlier in this report.
The following were some of the targets set for the 3rd quarter on the APP 2019/20 in this programme: Sub-programme: Children’s services • Participate in the Parliamentary process to approve the Children's Amendment Bill was delayed and not implemented as planned.

The department reported that it is prioritizing this issue.

• The target to capacitate four (4) provinces on the implementation of Guidelines for Community based Prevention and Early Intervention services to vulnerable children was over achieved.
Capacity building sessions were done in six (6) provinces (North West, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Free State, Eastern Cape and Limpopo).

Sub-programme: Social Crime Prevention and Victim Empowerment • The target to obtain approval to submit to Cabinet the Draft National Drug Master Plan (NDMP) achieved.

Cabinet approved the plan.

• The target to appoint a service provider to draft a revised White Paper on Families was not achieved and it will be carried over to the next quarter.
• The target to train department’s officials on the Department’s Anti- Gangsterism Strategy was achieved.

Training was conducted in Limpopo.

10 52 Sub-programme: Rights of Persons with Disabilities • The target to finalise Guidelines for District and Local Disability Inclusion Institutional Arrangements was not achieved.

• The target to have the National Frameworks on Disability Rights Awareness and Self-Representation approved was not achieved.
4.2.5 Programme 5: Social Policy and Integrated Service Delivery This programme provides support to community development and promotes evidence- based policy-making in the Department and the social development sector.

By the 3rd quarter, expenditure under this programme was R372.1 million or 90.0 percent of available budget.

During the previous financial year, was equally high at 90.9 percent.
Expenditure was R32.7 million was higher than the projected expenditure of R339.4 million due to the higher spending mainly due to the earlier than projected transfer of the second tranche of food relief funds.

In 2018/19 higher spending was attributed to the payment of performance bonuses during December 2018.

Total number of targets set in this programme were 18 as per the APP (2019/20).
The following were some of the targets set for the 3rd quarter on the APP 2019/20 in this programme: Sub-programme: Special Projects and Innovation • The target to develop Provincial Business Plans in terms of Coordinate the implementation of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Social Sector Phase 4 Plan target was not achieved.
11 53 Sub-programme: NPO funding coordination • The target to conduct a diagnostic evaluation in one province to assess readiness towards implementation of the DSD Sector Funding Policy was achieved.

• The target to capacitate two provinces to implement DSD-NPO Partnership Model was achieved.

Sub-Programme: Poverty Alleviation, Sustainable Livelihoods and Food Security • The target to conduct capacity building on Women Empowerment Framework in three provinces was achieved.
• The target to establish Provincial technical working group on Food and Nutrition security in three provinces was achieved.

5.

Committee deliberations and observations • The Committee expressed a concern that the department underperformed under Programme 1, which is a critical programme of the department.

The management and administration of the entire department reside under this programme.

Critical targets that constitute the core mandate of the Programme were not achieved.

6.
6.

Committee Resolutions The Committee resolved that Members of the Committee should forward their questions and/or comments to the department in writing.

The department would also forward written responses to the Committee Secretary.

Report to be noted 12 54 5.
Report of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development on the Fourth Quarter Performance and Expenditure Report for 2019/20 of the Department of Social Development (DSD), dated 14 October 2020 The Portfolio Committee on Social Development (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) having examined the Fourth Quarter Performance and Expenditure Report for 2019/20 of the Department of Social Development (hereinafter referred to as the Department) on 11 June 2020, reports as follows: 1.

Introduction 2.
Introduction 2.

Mandate of the Committee The Committee’s mandate as prescribed by the Constitution of South Africa and the Rules of Parliament is to build an oversight process that ensures a quality process of scrutinizing and overseeing the department’s action.

It is to conduct oversight that is driven by the ideal of realizing a better quality of life for all people of South Africa.
The Committee is also required to facilitate public participation, monitoring and oversight over the legislative processes relating to social development.

In doing this, it also confers with relevant governmental and civil society organs on social development matters.

The Committee also enhances and develops the capacity of its members to exercise effective oversight over the Executive Authority in social development.
It monitors whether the Department of Social Development fulfils its mandate according to priorities.

It also has a mandate to perform the following: • Considers legislation referred to it; • Conducts oversight of any organ (s) of the state and constitutional institution(s) falling within its portfolio; • Facilitates appointment of candidates to entities; 1 55 • Considers international agreements; and • Considers budget of department and entities falling within its portfolio.
For the current medium term (2014 – 2019), the Committee’s oversight focuses on the department and its entities performance with regard to the implementation of the priorities set in the National Development Plan and in the Medium Term Strategic Framework.

3.

The Department of Social Development 3.


1 The Mandate of the Department The department derives its mandate from several pieces of legislation and policies, including the White Paper for Social Welfare (1997) and the Population Policy (1998), which sets out the principles, guidelines, policies and programmes for developmental social welfare in South Africa.

The White Paper for Social Welfare has provided the foundation for social welfare in the post-1994 era.
The Constitutional mandate of the department is to provide sector-wide national leadership in social development by developing and implementing programmes for the eradication of poverty and social protection and development amongst the poorest of the poor and most vulnerable and marginalized.

3.2 Policy priorities for 2019/20 The following are the strategic goals of the Department of Social Development for this relevant period: • Expand Child and Youth Care Services (Isibindi programme).
• Attain Welfare Sector Reform and services to deliver better results.

2 56 • Deepen Social Assistance and extend the scope of Social Security.

• Increase access to Early Childhood Development (ECD).

• Strengthen Community Development interventions.

• Combat Substance Abuse and Gender-Based Violence.

• Increase household food & nutrition security (Food for All).

• Protect and promote of the rights of older persons and people with disabilities.
• Establish Social Protection Systems to strengthen coordination, integration, planning, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of services.
National Development Plan (NDP) The abovementioned priorities are in line with the (NDP) vision 2030, which inter alia promotes social protection and is defined by: • Protective measures to save lives and reduce levels of deprivation; • Preventative measures which help people avoid falling deeper into poverty and reduce their vulnerability; • Promotive measures which enhance the capabilities of individual communities and institutions; • Transformative measures which tackle inequities through changes in policies, laws and budgets; and • Developmental and generative measures, which increase the poor’s consumption by promoting local economic development. ]
3 57 The following key strategic themes emerged from the February and June State of the Nation Address (SONA) 2019, which have a bearing on the Department: • Social security – The Department of Social Development has given effect to the Constitutional Court’s directive for phasing out the services of Cash Paymaster Services.

At the time, the majority of social grant beneficiaries were successfully migrated from Cash Paymaster to the South African Post Office (SAPO).
Concurrently, former social security cards were replaced with new ones.

• Early Childhood Development (ECD) – from 2019 the responsibility for ECD centres would migrate from Social Development to Basic Education.

In addition, Government will proceed with the process towards two years of compulsory ECD for all children before they enter Grade 1.

• Job creation – the President highlighted the need to accelerate inclusive economic growth and create jobs.
In June 2019 the President committed Government to ensuring that young people are employed in social economy jobs such as early childhood development and health care.

• Gender-based violence – Over the preceding year, Government focussed particular attention on violence and abuse perpetrated against women and children.

As such, a Summit on Gender-based Violence and Femicide was convened, which provided a firm basis for a coordinated national response to the crisis.
The Summit resulted in a road map to end gender-based violence, improve coordination of planning, and establish a commitment to resourcing and accountability.

Work is underway to implement the decisions of the summit, including preparing the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence.

The President further committed Government to, in partnership with civil society, work towards the implementation of decisions taken at the Summit.
4 58 • Substance abuse – South Africa has extremely high levels of substance abuse, which creates crime and violence against women and children; it deepens poverty and causes great adversity and pain for families.

4.
An overview of the fourth quarter expenditure of the department of social development Table 1: Adjusted Appropriation and Expenditure at the end of 4th Quarter Programme Adjusted Expenditure Percentage Appropriation DSD NT DSD NT DSD NT Figures Figures Figures Figures Figures Figures Administration 421.874 408.4 421 388 419.9 99.8% 102.8% Social 175 155 175 155 190 040 190 044.0 108.50% 108.50% assistance 593 6 841 Social Security 7 659 7 688.9 7 634 7 634 1 99.67% 99.3% Policy and 416 290 Administration Welfare 1 071 1 055.8 979 191 963.5 91.36% 91.3% Services Policy 807 Development and Implementation Support Social Policy 413 282 413 .3 406 127 406.6 98.27% 98.1% and Integrated Service Delivery Total 184 721 184 722 199 481 199 466.2 107.9% 108.0% 972 0 837 5 59 Expenditure per main programme ranges from 91.3% to 108.5%.
The highest expenditure was recorded for the Social Assistance programme.

Lower than expected expenditure in the Welfare Services Policy Development and Implementation Support programme was recorded.

The department was allocated a total budget of R184.7 billion for the 2019/20 financial year (compared to R172.8 billion the previous year).

Its allocation included R175.155 billion (as compared to R171.9 billion in 2018/19 financial year) for transfers and subsidies; mainly to households for social grants.
Additionally, another R7.5 billion was transferred to South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) for the Administration of Social Grants.

The Department experienced over expenditure of R14.7 billion as of the end of March 2020.

The reason reported by the Department was that it had to pay social grants earlier than anticipated.
A total of R529.2 (as compared to R481.1 million in the previous financial year this quarter) was spent on Compensation of Employees; constituting 100.3% of the available budget of R527.4 million (R490.4 million in 2018/19).

Committee should note that there was over expenditure of 0.3% and the Department needs to explain this deviation from its allocated budget.
Expenditure on Goods and Services amounted to R340.4 million or 67.3% as compared to R334.0 million in the previous financial year (2018/19) of the available allocation.

5.

Performance targets information (2019/20) In terms of the 2019/20 Annual Performance Plan (APP), the Department has set itself 45 performance targets.

It achieved 27 targets, partially achieved 9 and did not achieve 13 targets.

Some of the targets reported on were carried over from the third quarter, particularly on Programme 4.
Some of the targets were not reported on.

This does not give an accurate reflection of the department’s performance.

6 60 Table 2: Performance on targets Programmes Annual Q4 targets Targets Targets Targets not targets achieved partially achieved achieved Administration 4 Social 1 assistance Social Security 4 Policy and Administration 4 1 4 1 1 1 Welfare 21 20 12 Services Policy Development and Implementation Support Social Policy 16 16 12 and Integrated Service Delivery Total 46 45 27 6.
Performance and expenditure per programme 6.1 Programme 1: Administration 0 0 2 2 5 9 3 0 1 7 2 13 The operational expenditure from January-March 2020 was R421.4 million (compared to R361.3 million spent in the same quarter in 2018/19), against the projected expenditure of R421.9 million.

A total of 4 targets was set under this programme for the 4th quarter of the 2019/20 financial year.
7 61 The following was the reason cited by the Department for lower expenditure under this programme: Higher than projected spending on software and intangible assets, consisting mainly of a large once-off payment of R24.7 million in March to suppliers of IT services for the Turnkey project after the Department ceded the contracts from SITA.
6.2 Programme 2: Social Assistance South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) administers Programme 2 of the Department in providing quality customer-centric social security services to eligible and potential beneficiaries.

Out of the available budget of R175.1 billion (as compared to R162.9 billion in 2018/19), an expenditure of R190.0 billion (or 108%) was recorded for the 4th quarter.

The programme over-spent by R14.9 billion of the available budget.
This over-expenditure was mainly due to the early payment of social grants for April 2020 because of lockdown Covid-19 health pandemic.

The department had planned to achieve one (1) target under this programme and it achieved it.

It planned to transfer of 100% (14 596 299) of funds to SASSA.

SASSA paid 18 290 592 beneficiaries of grant-in-aid, 12 787 448 beneficiaries of Child Support Grant (CSG), 3 676 791 beneficiaries of Old Age Grant and 1 042 025 beneficiaries of Disability Grant.
6.3 Programme 3: Social Security Policy and Administration Budget expenditure in this Programme was R7.63 billion or 99.6% against the available budget of R7.65 billion.

This implies that the Programme expenditure is R54.8 million lower than the available budget at the end of March 2020.

8 62 Reasons for under-expenditure include: Lower than expected expenditure is mainly on salaries and wages due to the delay in establishing the Inspectorate for social assistance.
Of the 4 targets (as per APP) planned, the department fully achieved two targets.

The Department achieved the targets to complete the discussion paper on linking CSG beneficiaries with government services and to draft Regulations to support the Social Assistance legislation and have them ready for public comments.
With regard to the other two targets, 1) to submit revised policy on mandatory cover for retirement, disability and survivor benefits to FOSAD and, 2) to Submit policy on voluntary inclusion of informal sector workers in social security to FOSAD, the Department does not clearly report whether it submitted to FOSAD.
It reported that in preparing to submit the revised policy on mandatory cover for retirement to FOSAD, it submitted a detailed progress report to the Technical Working Group of the SPCHD Cluster.

With regard to the second target, the department updated a policy paper on voluntary inclusion of informal sector workers.

However, the NEDLAC stakeholder engagements on this policy had to be postponed and is being prioritised in the new financial year to obtain technical inputs into the policy.
6.4 Programme 4: Welfare Services Policy Development and Implementation Support This Programme was allocated a budget of R1 billion for the year under review.

At the end of the fourth quarter (year-end) it spent R963 million, which marked an underspending of R92.3 million or 8.7%.

Lower expenditure was recorded under goods and services in the Social Crime Prevention and Victim Empowerment Sub- programme.
The Department had received an additional budget of R93.0 million appropriated through the adjusted budget appropriations in October 2019.

The additional budget was for the employment of 200 social workers to work in high risk areas of gender-based violence.

This was one of the intervention areas 9 63 identified under the Emergency Response Plan on gender-based violence and femicide.
The reason given for underspending was that the Department funded the employment of these social workers through the compensation of employees budget, instead of goods and services.

The Department planned to achieve 20 targets under this Programme for the fourth quarter.

In the APP, however, there were 17 targets set.

It managed to achieve 12 targets, partially achieved 1 target and not achieved 7 targets.

The other two targets it did not report on.


The Department managed to achieve these critical targets: • It conducted capacity building workshops on the National Plan of Action for Children in Free State, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

The target was to reach 2 provinces.

• The Inter-Sectoral Protocol on the Management and Prevention of Violence against Children, Child Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation was approved.
The Department explained that this policy intends to strengthen sheltering services for victims of violence and crime.

This was however a target for quarter 3 and not for quarter 4.

For the fourth quarter, the Department had set a target to develop a first draft document on sheltering services that would culminate to an inter-sectoral policy on sheltering services.

• The National Frameworks on Disability Rights Awareness and Self- Representation were revised and updated.
It is important to note that this target is not in the Department’s 2019/2020 Annual Performance Plan and no explanation was given by the Department.

• Draft guidelines on the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Disability Mainstreaming (DEM) approach towards Community-Based Inclusive Development Programme (CBID) were developed, consulted and finalized.
10 64 The critical targets that were not achieved are as follow: • The first draft document on the provision of counselling services was not compiled because the Department could not source technical support (service provider).

• Participation in the Parliamentary process to approve the Children's Amendment Bill did not take place as the processes did not commence.

• Consultation on the Revised White Paper on Families in 4 provinces did not take place.

6.5.
6.5.

Programme 5: Social Policy and Integrated Service Delivery This Programme was allocated a budget of R413.3 million and by the end of the fourth quarter it spent R405.

6 million, which was R7.7 million (or 1.9%) less than the allocated budget.

The reason for underspending was due to low spending on outreach programmes in the last six months of the financial year due to a political intervention to have limited participants in major events.
During this quarter, the Department received an approval to shift R29.1 million from the transfers to households for Food Relief: Cost of meals towards the transfer to non- profit organisations for Food Relief: Operations resulting in a single transfer of R63.3 million to implementing agents for the Food Relief programme.

The Food Relief: Operations was originally allocated a budget of R34.2 million.

The Department had planned to achieve 16 targets under this Programme.
It achieved 12, partially achieved 5 and did not achieve 2.

The most important target the Department achieved was that of having 103 750 vulnerable individuals accessing food.

It reached a total of 112 259 vulnerable individuals through feeding programmes through the Community Nutrition Development Centres (CNDCs) and other DSD centre-based feeding programmes.
The critical targets not reported on are as follows: 11 65 • Gazetting of the NPO Bill for Public Comment, • To have in place a finalized Service Prioritization and Standard Service Names Protocol.

This target contributes towards the annual target of facilitating the implementation of the DSD Sector Funding Policy, • Capacitating one province to implement Partnership Model and formalize partnership agreement with network structure/s.
This target contributes to the annual target of facilitating implementation of the DSD-NPO Partnership Model.

• Compiling Capacity building report on Women Empowerment Framework.

This target contributes to the annual target of facilitating the development of Women Empowerment Framework.

7.

Committee deliberations and observations • The Committee raised a concern on the stigma people living with HIV/Aids still face.
This stigma results in some of them (particularly youth and children) not following up on their treatment.

This is a serious concern because it is life threatening.

The Committee wanted to know what programmes the department in partnership with community based organisations, was implementing to support these age groups.

The department explained that it implements a stigma reduction programme in partnership with the South African National Aids Council (SANAC).
This programme can be accessed through community based programmes.

• The Committee also raised a concern that a lot of budget was allocated for IT related programmes but targets were not achieved and the department has recurring challenges in this area.

The department reported that under Goods and Services it had a 101% spending.

It made significant progress in the implementation of IT infrastructure since terminating its agreement with SITA related to the Turnkey project.
During this 12 66 quarter, this programme spent R96 million on goods and services of which the following related to IT Infrastructure: Replacement of servers - R 41 million Cabling & Switches - R 4.8 million Anti-Virus - R 3.6 million • The Committee wanted to know what was the impact of the targets not achieved on service delivery and how this affected planning for the 2020/2021 Annual Performance Plan and budget allocation.
The department reported that at the time of the presentation, it had managed to achieve 80% of the targets not achieved at the end of the fourth quarter.

• The Committee noted the commitment by the Acting Director-General that the department takes responsibility on targets not met.

• It further wanted to know what impact assessment was done on the social assistance programme with regard to uplifting beneficiaries and enabling them to exist the system.
The department responded that the department had conducted a comprehensive assessment study in partnership with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on the impact of the Child Support Grant.

It also conducted a study on the impact of the Older Persons Grant.

For 2020/2021 financial year, it will conduct a study on the impact of the SRD grant.
• The Committee further wanted to know what actions has the department taken to ensure that the four provinces (Northern Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal) endorse Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) business plans.

13 67 • The Committee sought clarity on the reason why the budget for the employment of additional 200 social workers was taken from compensation of employees budget.

The department reported still report R1.7 million over spending.
The department explained that in terms of the Standard Chart of Accounts (SCOA) Classification and SCOA regulations, all expenditure related to salaries and benefits is payable under the SCOA Classification – Compensation of Employees (CoE) on PERSAL.

The 200 social workers were appointed on PERSAL for a 4-month period in the national department and in terms of correct recording of expenditure the budget had to come from the economic classification on the Financial Statements, CoE.
• The Committee noted with concern that it appears when it comes to services for people with disabilities it is just a matter of ticking a box.

No significant progress was made on reaching targets.

It wanted to know how many people with disabilities were employed by the department.

It also wanted to know which departments were not cooperating in employing people with disabilities.

The Committee called to the department to revive programmes for people with disabilities that were abandoned.
The department reported that it employed 1.4% of people with disabilities.

In all of its job adverts, it specifically encouraged people with disabilities to apply.

• The Committee expressed a concern over the withdrawal of funding to Albanism Society of South Africa and Abba Foundation.

It wanted to know what engagements the department had with these organisations.

The department explained that the withdrawal of finding to these organizations was due to misuse of funds.
In accordance with the Public 14 68 Finance Management Act (PFMA) the department can withdraw funds if they are not spent appropriately.

The department was working with these NGOs to ensure that they comply.

• It wanted to know how can best can the department sustain the shelters for the homeless, working with the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA).

• The Committee noted with concern the continuous underspending in all programmes throughout the quarters.
This was especially the case in Programme 3.

• The Committee wanted to know the length of time it takes to process application of NPOs and the actual registration of an NPO.

The department explained that the Non Profit Organisations Act requires that application processes and registration of NPOs be registered within 2 months and the department has been registering them within 2 weeks.

• The Committee expressed a concern that department’s documents are not accessible on the department’s website.
It requested the department to address this.

8.

Committee Resolutions • The department to forward the GBVF safety plans and referral pathways to the Committee.

• It would also forward the statistics the Committee requested.

15 69 • The department would also forward the concept document linking CSG beneficiaries to economic opportunities.

• The Committee would invite MECs to give a report on how they have been implementing the Covid 19 responses.
The department to coordinate their participation through MINMEC.

Report to be considered 16 70