Department of social development
Mboweni announces R30 boost for old age, childcare grants
Tito Mboweni delivered his Budget speech in Parliament on Wednesday.
Education bosses will brief MPs on the reopening of public and private schools. The return to class has been pushed back due to skyrocketing coronavirus infections. The Social Development Department will also account to MPs about grant payments problems.
More than three million people also applied for funds, including the UIF and NSFAS, despite having other sources of income.
The struggling state-owned entity said it experienced a dramatic reduction in revenue during the lockdown period and is currently looking at ways to improve cash flows.
The nation has been through months of varying stages of lockdown, mass job losses and an increase in the number of vulnerable people depending on government for the bare minimum to get by.
Opposition MPs were responding to a ministerial statement delivered by Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu in the National Assembly, where she listed some of her department’s achievements.
Millions of people have not been paid their R350 grant, which is aimed at assisting unemployed South Africans who receive no other financial assistance from government.
Solidarity brought the case and SA Childcare was admitted as a friend of the court.
Over the past few weeks, no less than five women have been murdered, allegedly by their partners or former partners, in the Western Cape and Gauteng.
Government has established a new R350 grant for the next few months to help those in need during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The minister on Monday outlined her department’s upcoming drives to provide relief for destitute families.
Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu announced on 11 May 2020 that more qualified social workers would be employed to assist in the fight against Covid-19. Zulu also explained the directives for people living with disabilities as well as amended regulations for the movement of children between parents and guardians.
The Social Development Department on Thursday told MPs that it had received additional funds to respond to the growing number of starving communities.
As part of the president’s relief package, R50-billion would go towards relieving the crippling financial burden on those most affected by the lockdown.
Several people are unable to work due to the nationwide lockdown, resulting in many families relying on government’s Solidarity Fund to help them survive.
As part of previous lockdown regulations, parents were not allowed to move children between their homes.
It was proven by scientists that the elderly and those with underlying health conditions were the most vulnerable when treating COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Parliament's portfolio committee on Social Development said it was crucial for the department to prioritise gender-based violence because South Africa was plagued by cases of femicide.
The Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that the use of moderate and reasonable chastisement - which included spanking - was inconsistent with the Constitution.