Social Development Repatriates A Toddler From A Senegal Prison 
0 
1 Department of Social Development Leaders
The Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, will on 20 April 2024, speak at this year’s EMPOWAMEN Summit in Johannesburg, Gauteng
MINISTER LINDIWE ZULU TO ADDRESS EMPOWAMEN ANNUAL SUMMIT 2024
The Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, will on 20 April 2024, speak at this year’s EMPOWAMEN Summit in Johannesburg, Gauteng.
The summit which brings together 3000 men, aims to tackle toxic masculinity at its root, shatter stereotypes and rewrite the script of manhood while assisting the country in its fight against Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and strengthening families.
The 2023/2024 third quarter crime statistics released by the South African Police Service (SAPS) state that between the years, 2021, and end of 2023; murder, attempted murder and assault crimes against women aged 18 years and above, increased from 902 to 18 474.
The department of social development leads Pillar 4 of the National Strategic Plan on Gender Based Violence and Femicide (NSP-GBVF) which deals with Response, Care, and Healing and it recognises men as partners in the fight against GBVF.
The NSP-GBVF is the country’s comprehensive strategy for tackling all forms of violence and abuse against women and children.
The department of social development is also responsible of programs that strengthen families - an area the summit will discuss. The White Paper on Families, which focuses on promoting healthy family life, strengthening the family and preserving it, seeks to promote and support families, many of whom are less equipped in responding to huge financial and social pressures, including but not limited to poverty and a lack of economic opportunities, substance abuse, crime, and violence.
It recognises that the South African family is mostly led by women who carry the responsibility of raising children alone.
South African families are diverse and exist in high rates of internal migration and mobility, including, children; unusually low marriage rates; high rates of informal relationship care; high rates of inequality, poverty and violence.
It is in this context that the White Paper on Families views the family as an important development societal component aiming at securing government and multi-sectoral-wide support to enhance the “socialising, caring, nurturing and supporting capabilities of families so that their members can contribute effectively to the overall development of the country.
The summit aims to be a safe space for men and during panel discussion session, delegates will deliberate on physical, Mental, Sexuality, Spirituality, Gender Based Violence, raising children and families. On the day, men will also be empowered on how best they can turn their lives around and become responsible citizens and role models for current and future generations.
The summit will be live on :
DSDtv: www.dsdtv.org.za
Facebook:
X: https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1yNxaZeqpvjKj
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/live/DgGmlOBTr8E?si=ScL8TYkst1H5Ahz1
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover EmpowaMen Summit planned as follows:
Date: Saturday, 20 April 2024
Time: 08h30
Venue: 1 Danielle Street, Randburg, Mosaiek Theater in Fairlands, Gauteng Province
Media can RSVP by contacting Ms Precious Mupenzi on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 083 715 0034
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Media enquiries may be forwarded to Ms Lumka Oliphant on 0834848067 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Minister Lindiwe Zulu Leads Community Outreach Programme In Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, Eastern Cape
The Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu on Friday, 19 April lead a community outreach programme in the Buffalo City Metropolitan area, Eastern Cape.
Minister Zulu will commence the outreach programme by handing over a mobile office facility to Ihlumelo Foundation, a youth organisation based in Duncan Village that provides a safe, enabling and stimulating environment for learners after school whilst their parents are still at work.
Learners are assisted with homework, get support with school projects and have a meal before going home. Ihlumelo Foundation also renders edutainment and prevention programmes focusing on alcohol and drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence. The facility was donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to enable Ihlumelo Foundation to reach more children in the area.
As part of the outreach programme, Minister Zulu will handover Ncera Information Resource Centre, bore hole, water storage tanks and a solar-powered water pump donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
The centre comprises of a community library donated by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and laptops sponsored by MTN Foundation, all of which will be used by surrounding villages.
During the public engagement programme, Minister Zulu will hand over a cheque from the National Development Agency (NDA), an entity of the Department of Social Development to Isithembiso Multi-Purpose Organisation, a local NPO to support its women-led agricultural and sustainable livelihoods projects.
Also participating in the outreach programme will be the Eastern Cape MEC of Social Development, Bukiwe Fanta, MEC of Public Works and Infrastructure, Ntombovuyo Nkopane and the Executive Mayor of Buffalo City Municipality, Cllr Princess Faku who will be donating a boxing ring to the local boxing club.
The Ministerial visit will include a community engagement with local community members. Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the official handover ceremony scheduled as follows:
HANDOVER OF MOBILE OFFICE FACILITY TO IHLUMELO FOUNDATION
Date: Friday, 19 April 2024
Time: 09h00-10h30
Venue: Apostolic Faith Mission Church, Duncan Village, Ward 6 Buffalo City Municipality
HANDOVER OF NCERA INFORMATION RESOURCE CENTRE, BOREHOLE AND COMMUNITY LIBRARY
Date: Friday, 19 April 2024
Time: 11h00-13h00
Venue: Ncera Information Resource Centre, Ncera Village 6, Ward 31 Buffalo City Municipality
Media RSVPs may be directed to Ms Sharlene Naiker on 082 673 5849/ e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Ms Nomfundo Lentsoane on 066 480 6845 /e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Media enquiries may be forwarded to Ms Lumka Oliphant on 0834848067/e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Information Officer and Deputy Information Officers
Department of Social Development
Details of the Information Officer and Deputy Information Officers in terms of section 56 of the Promotion of Personal Information Act, 2013 (“POPIA”) and section 17(1) of the Promotion of Access to Information Act, 2000 (“PAIA”)
Physical Adress:
HSRC Building
134 Pretorius (C/o Pretorius and Bosman Street)
Pretoria
Postal Address:
Private Bag X901
Pretoria
0001
Telephone: (012) 312 7500
|
Information Officer Mr. P Netshipale |
Tel: (012) 312 7662
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
|
Deputy Information Officer Mr. M.M. Machubeng |
Tel: (012) 312 7839
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
|
Deputy Information Officer Ms. L.M. Nkhethoa |
Tel: (012) 312 7108
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |
Minister Lindiwe Zulu To Handover A New Early Childhood Development (Ecd) Facility To Nazarene Educare Centre In Mqobaneni Village, Mpumalanga Province
The Minister of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu in collaboration with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints will on Friday, 12 April officially handover a newly built ECD facility to Nazarene Educare Centre in Mqobaneni Village, Mpumalanga Province.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints collaborated with the Ministry of Social Development and the National Development Agency (NDA), an entity of the Department of Social Development to complete phase 2 of Nazarene Educare Centre.
The centre currently provides access to early learning opportunities for 118 children between the ages of 0-4 years. Given that the majority of the children at the centre are vulnerable households, 70 of children currently receive a subsidy of R17 per child per day from the Department of Basic Education.
Research shows that the first 5 years of life of a child’s life are instrumental. This is because the first 5 years is when children’s learning and behavioural foundations are established for life, through developing connections, building relationships and exploring their world.
Significant progress has been made in terms of provision of Early Childhood Development (ECD) services in South Africa after the first democratic elections in 1994. According to South Africa's Census 2022 national results, 3.4 million children aged 0 - 4 years attended ECD programmes in 2022, of which 2.5 million attended a crèche/educare centre or pre-school/nursery school/Grade 00/Grade 000/Grade R.
Giving every child the best start in life through access to early learning that is engaging and builds success for life is extremely important. In 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the transfer of ECD function from the Department of Social Development to Basic Education in order to expand access to early childhood development and improving early-grade reading. This is all part of Government’s efforts to attain universal access to quality ECD services in line with Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals.
At the official handover ceremony, Minister Zulu will be joined by Mpumalanga MEC of Social Development, Ms Lindiwe Ntshalintshali and MEC of Education, Mr Bonakele Majuba.
The Ministerial visit will include a community engagement with local community members.
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the official handover ceremony scheduled as follows:
Date: Friday, 12 April 2024
Time: 10h00-13h00
Venue: Nazarene Educare Centre, Mqobaneni Village – Mpumalanga
Media RSVPs may be directed to Ms Sharlene Naiker on 082 673 5849/ e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Ms Nomfundo Lentsoane on 066 480 6845 /e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Media enquiries may be forwarded to Ms Lumka Oliphant on 0834848067/e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Traditional Leaders From Batlaping Ba-Ga Mothibi Get Capacitated On Social And Structural Determinats Of Hiv And Aids And Other Social Ills
Vryburg, 04 April 2024: Traditional leaders from five of the fourteen villages from Batlaping Ba-Ga Mothibi gathered at the Traditional Council in Sekhing village in the North West to attend the first day of the two day workshop on the Rock Leadership Programme facilitated by Dr Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, the Deputy Minister of Social Development.
As part of the Social and Behavioural Change (SBC) compendium the department of Social Development developed the Rock Leadership Programme which focuses on traditional leaders as partners in the in prevention of new HIV infections and other social ills. The workshop’s aim was to sensitise, promote positive traditional norms and promote culture as vehicle to social cohesion and positive behaviour change. SBC programmes are aimed at promoting positive behavioural outcomes that are critical in altering the course of the HIV pandemic.
Approximately 7.8 million people are living with HIV in South Africa in 2022 compared to 7.9 million in 2017. What has been alarming is the notable new infections amongst young people between the ages of 15 and 24.
“South Africa has a problem of synthetic drugs also known as designer drugs which makes rehabilitation a problem, this area has a high prevalence of youth use of lean by the youth. This is a mixture of cough medicine, fizzy drink and some candy. The youth gets addicted to this mixture very quickly because of its stimulant properties, as you can imagine chances of them remembering to use a condom when they are high on drugs are very low, hence we see the number of children having children on the rise and lets not ignore the sexually transmitted diseases and infections”
Dr Bogopane-Zulu emphasised that “Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is inter-generational, when you decide to drink alcohol while you are pregnant you are deciding for your family that you want a family affected by FASD” citing medical findings that the trauma experienced by children with FASD is complex and reflects intergenerational transmission. FASD is irreversible as she implored the traditional leaders to educate community members on the dangers on the unborn child if the mother drinks alcohol.
Traditional leaders in attendance collectively agreed with Ntante …. that there is a need “ to have regulating laws governing the use of hubbly bubbly amongst our youth as it is now a popular activity in the area and we don’t know what our children are putting in these things”.
Her Royal Highness Kgosi Ponatshego Mothibi of Batlaping Ba-Ga Mothibi pleaded “ We are grateful that you have brought this service to our area, there are a number of social ills we face in the area, we appeal to the national office to assist us with our local office that has not been operating in some, where else we have community member who travel more than 60 kilometres to seek for assistance, only to find the offices closed”, she further said “We need to teach ourselves to speak to our children to prevent some of the troubles we see in our village, I implore you to share what you have learned today with the community at large”.
The goal of the Rock Leadership programme is to capacitate traditional leaders on social and structural determinants of HIV and AIDS. The programme seeks to empower traditional leaders to be champions of HIV and gender based violence prevention in their communities. This will be done through sensitization workshops that promote positive traditional norms and promote culture as vehicle to social cohesion and positive behaviour change.
The two day workshop concludes today at Batlaping Ba-Ga Mothibi Tribal Council.
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Media enquiries may be forwarded to Ms Lumka Oliphant on 083 484 8067 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
