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SOCIAL ASSISTANCE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES Presentation to NCOP Select Committee 11 SEPTEMBER 2001

SOCIAL ASSISTANCE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES Presentation to NCOP Select Committee 11 SEPTEMBER 2001. Background. Major types of grants: Children, Elderly, people with Disabilities Distribute R1,7 billion to 3,8 million beneficiaries monthly Major program for Poverty Alleviation.

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SOCIAL ASSISTANCE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES Presentation to NCOP Select Committee 11 SEPTEMBER 2001

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  1. SOCIAL ASSISTANCE: ISSUES AND CHALLENGESPresentation to NCOP Select Committee11 SEPTEMBER 2001

  2. Background • Major types of grants: Children, Elderly, people with • Disabilities • Distribute R1,7 billion to 3,8 million beneficiaries monthly • Major program for Poverty Alleviation

  3. Trends in Beneficiary Numbers - Total • Beneficiaries increased from 2,8 million in April 98 to 3,8 million in April 2001 • Strong increase in CSG

  4. Trends in Beneficiary Numbers - Child Support • Increase in uptake • from 34 471 in April 98 to 1 078 million in April 2001

  5. Child Support Grant - Provincial variation

  6. Trends in Beneficiary Numbers - Old Age • Increase from 1,7 million in April 98 to 1,9 million in April 2001 • Average annual rate of 3,5% • Above 3,5% growth in EC, MP, NC, NW, NP and WC • Others all below 3%

  7. Provincial variation in Old Age Beneficiaries

  8. Trends in Beneficiary Numbers - Disability Grant • Decline from 660 000 in April 98 to 607 000 in February 2000 - About 4,1% • Increase again in April 2001 by 4% • Above 5% in EC, FS, G, MP and NP • Declines in NC & NW

  9. Provincial variation in Disability Beneficiaries

  10. Trends in Beneficiary Numbers - Other • Foster Care Grant • - Increased from 43 906 (April 98) to 61 268 • - Grew by 6% in 98/99, 7,2% in 99/00 and 23% • in 2000/01 • - Strong growth in KZN and Northern Province • Care Dependency Grant • - Grew by 66% in 98/99, 35% in 99/00 and 33% in • 2000/01 • War Veteran’s, State Maintenance and Grant-in-aid numbers • continues to decline

  11. Focus Areas • Policy and Issues • - Comprehensive social security • - Improvement of social security delivery • - Amendment to social assistance regulations • Budgeting for 2002 • - Grant increases • - Projections of expenditure and budgets

  12. Comprehensive social security • Policy Areas Covered • - Poverty alleviation • - Employment policy • - Old age and retirement • - Private insurance • - Healthcare • - Disability • - HIV/AIDS • - Regional integration

  13. Improvement of social security delivery • Key challenges in service delivery • - Lack of communication regarding approval, review, cancellation, death • - Venues that lack shelter, toilet facilities, water, chairs and long queues • - Lack of necessary human resources • - Attitudes of paying staff • - Robberies and safety of staff and pensioners • - Under-budgeting

  14. Recommendations - the design of uniform administration processes to approve grants within two days - building human resources capacity for social security - improving customer care inline with the Batho Pele principles - Decentralised operations:will facilitate quick decision making and accountability • - Compliance and Fraud preventionwill become anexpress • requirement

  15. Recommendations - modernising financial management - upgrading pay points and physical infrastructure - the replacement of the Socpen system and related technology

  16. Amendment of Regulations to Social Assistance Act 1992 • Appointment of Assessment Panels • Abolition of the assets test for social grants • Amendment of the accrual date • Simplification of review procedures

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