Tuesday, 19 May 2026 | Cape Town
Honourable Chairperson,
Acting Minister of Social Development, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga,
Members of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, we table Budget Vote 19 at a time when millions of South Africans rely on the social wage for dignity, hope, and survival. Hope that this is the foundation for sustainable livelihoods, especially for those beneficiaries receiving child support grants. They want a pathway to a paycheck and even dividends.
This year, we proudly celebrate 20 years of the South African Social Security Agency. For two decades, SASSA has advanced dignity, inclusion, and social justice, becoming a vital pillar of our democracy.
Having in its 20th year turned the corner dramatically and on the radar 90 minute queues and service while you wait in the queue.
This milestone reflects not only its longevity, but SASSA’s impact that has resulted in changed lives, reduced poverty, and restored hope. We commend the leadership, staff, and partners of SASSA for their dedication and reaffirm our support as the Agency continues to strengthen service delivery and protect the wellbeing of beneficiaries reflected in the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP). Let us continue “paying the right social grant, to the right person, at the right time and place — NJALO!".
The Department is tabling DSD Budget Vote 19, under the theme: “Strengthening Social Protection and Celebrating 20 Years of SASSA: Delivering Dignity, Enabling the Future.”
Honorable Chair, allow me to now focus on delegations that were allocated to me by the Department’s former Minister as they are at the centre of providing essential and critical services to our communities across the country.
FAMILIES AND PARENTING PROGRAMMES
Families are at the receiving end of poverty and have first-hand experience of the effects of disasters. A case in point are the floods that were experienced here in Cape Town, affecting 15 000 people.
Yesterday, as a built-up to this budget vote, we distributed food parcels and blankets to some of the flooded areas in Ward 5, farm dwellers of Soetendal in the Drakenstein Municipality. These farm dwellers were evicted and are still waiting for formal housing.
During the heavy rains in Limpopo, a granny wanted a tent and I responded with two, one for a church with beds, matresses, blankets, pillows, a washbasin and a fire extinguisher. I now have a solo powered globe bulb for the tent.
Honourable Chair, we continue to mitigate effects of poverty on families through various supporting programmes taking services to the most vulnerable people, a legacy Mandela wanted to see. This includes interactive dialogues, psychosocial support, and programmes guided by the d by the White Paper on Families.
SASSA is there to give over the counter letters of confirmation of successful applicants and the National Development Agency (NDA) is there to assist helping to establish cooperatives. This they did with 50 Community Development Organisations (CDO’s) in Winterveldt and creating pathways for employment.
As a built-up to this Budget Vote, Department of Social Development (DSD) visited Vrygrond to witness the excellent work done by the NDA. Our freedom was built on the resistance in Vrygrond.
We further support disaster relief through and various forms of SASSA social grants and cooperative support services implemented by the National Development Agency (NDA).
Alongside this development, the NDA, established strategic partnerships with NPOs and empowered communities. Over the years, the NDA partnered with Civil Society Organisations to provide food security, skills development, and creation of jop opportunities to support and strengthen families! LET ME APPLAUD our SETAS FOR SUPPORTING NDA! Now they can direct nearly R40m to organisations addressing youth unemployment.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND CENTRAL DRUG AUTHORITY (CDA)
Substance abuse, which has affected many families, continues to rob many individuals of their future; and it contributes significantly to, among others, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), crime, and school dropout rates.
The Department’s dedicated unit is determined to implement intervention programs against this menace; a scourge that persistently destroy families and communities, especially, vulnerable children, youth, women, and older persons including persons with disabilities.
We applaud the Premier of Gauteng whom I joined in Tembisa and on one day, at a local sportsfield, we got 500 beds for young people to get drug rehabilitation treatment. On 26 June is the UN International World Drug Day. “No to Drugs” and “Yes to Life”, we plan to tell up to 2000 participants to commemorate the event.
Honourable Chair, while I have the delegation for substance abuse, top of mind is to continue supporting a newly appointed Central Drug Authority (CDA) oversight and to report on all of governments contribution on prevention and treatment services. We will work on giving effect on a recent judgement of the North-West High court reminding the country that no liquor outlet must operate within 500 meters of a school, church or public amenity and that trading hours must be in terms of national norms, in support of a final cabinet policy agreed to nine years ago.
Honourable Chair, we believe that reducing alcohol trading hours reduces alcohol harm and violence against women. I note that there is a Private Members Bill (PMB) to ban liquor advertising. I want to advocate a ban on alcohol trading in 100 of our hotspots following the example of my own neighborhood in Pinelands and where I lived before in Kalk Bay.
Honourable Chair, to this effect, an amount of more than NINE Million Rand is reprioritized and allocated to the CDA for increased operational costs to do their oversight on 21 government departments who have been given a budget to implement their part of a five-year Drug Master Plan as well as reporting on the work of every mayor in the country responsible to establish and fund a Local Drug Action Committee (LAC) in their municipality.
The CDA submits an annual report to parliament on their achievements. DSD has a legal obligation to develop a five-year Drug Master Plan which is now ready to be submitted to cabinet.
Older Persons
On the legislative front, Older Persons Amendment Bill was signed into law by the President towards the end of December 2025, and it is now awaiting the development of regulations This piece of legislation remains a vital instrument for access to older persons’ social services and care as well as protection from abuse, maltreatment, exploitation, and neglect.
As a built-up to this budget vote, I visited Ryberg Terraces in Hanover Park, established in 1958, a complex for older persons looking after themselves. I took donations of warm blankets and a warm plate of food for every resident. Some were sleeping with a very thin blanket on their beds.
The Department developed a ‘National Strategy on Ageing for South Africa.’ To guide the country’s interventions on population ageing. The Strategy will be presented to internal and external structures to solicit support and to Cabinet for approval.
The Department’s role is to protect the rights of older persons and curb their abuse. So far, we have been conducting awareness campaigns in provinces with high prevalence of elderly abuse, starting with Hild Town where many of our liberation fighters got educated but now it’s a town harming older persons.
HIV AND AIDS
During last year, I emphasized the need for the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on HIV, TB, and STIs (2023 - 2028). To address the scourge of HIV/Aids pandemic, FORTY NINE Million Rand is allocated in the current cycle. The Department is funding Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) to assist in addressing social ills in the country, including the HIV/Aids pandemic relief programmes. I co-chaired the National Technical Committee appointed by the Deputy President and I am the patron of the Men’s Parliament.
Related to this, the Department has partnered with Health and Welfare SETA Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). The purpose is to address the skills gap and equip Community Caregivers (CCGs) within the NPOs with NQF Level 4 qualifications in Child and Youth Care Work. Such partnerships are meant to provide requisite skills and knowledge required to provide relevant services and deal with the social ills. In the current financial year, the Department is targeting to enroll One Thousand, Three Hundred and Fifty CCGs on the RPL project.
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
In line with the country’s Constitution, which we are celebrating its thirty years of its existence and the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Department remains resolute in mainstreaming and empowering persons with disabilities.
SASSA is spending THIRTY ONE Million Rand monthly on Disability Social Grants for persons with disabilities and through our interventions and communal outreach programmes with the aim of leaving no one behind.
CONLUSION
Honourable Members, Budget Vote 19 is ultimately about restoring dignity, reducing vulnerability, and creating sustainable livelihoods.
As we celebrate 20 years of SASSA, we recommit ourselves to building a capable and compassionate social protection system that responds to the realities faced by our people every day.
I, therefore, rise in support of Budget Vote 19 and call upon this House to support the allocation towards strengthening social development services for the people of South Africa.
I thank you
