Pretoria, 25 August 2026: The Minister of Social Development, Ms Dina Pule, will lead a service delivery community outreach in Swayimane, under the uMgungundlovu District Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, as part of government’s efforts to improve the living conditions of vulnerable communities.
The outreach will be conducted through the Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP) and guided by the District Development Model (DDM), which promotes coordinated planning and integrated service delivery across all spheres of government.
Minister Pule will lead the Social Development Portfolio, comprising the Department of Social Development (DSD), the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the National Development Agency (NDA) in providing a comprehensive package of social development services directly to the Swayimane community.
The outreach will also bring together various government departments, including the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Human Settlements, and the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), among others. These departments will provide services and respond to community needs within their respective mandates, enabling residents to access a range of government services at one venue.
Community dialogues held during build-up engagements ahead of the Minister’s visit identified several pressing challenges affecting residents. These include Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), teenage pregnancy, child abuse, poverty, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, and limited opportunities for skills development.
In response, Minister Pule will engage community members and stakeholders on interventions aimed at strengthening support for victims and survivors of GBVF, preventing teenage pregnancy, expanding skills development opportunities, and addressing the impact of drug and alcohol abuse on families and young people.
The outreach will further focus on strengthening access to social development services for families affected by poverty and unemployment, while creating opportunities for skills development, sustainable livelihoods and economic empowerment within the community.
Additional concerns raised during the community dialogues include parents and caregivers who do not have essential documents, such as identity documents (IDs). This has resulted in some children not having birth certificates and consequently being unable to access social grants and other essential government services.
The Minister’s visit aims to respond to these challenges through coordinated service delivery and to ensure that residents of Swayimane are connected to the services, opportunities and support they need to improve their quality of life.
Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the Service Delivery Community Outreach as follows:
Date: Friday, 28 August 2026
Time: 08h30 – 16h00
Venue: Snxadini Sport Field, Ward 13, uMshwathi Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal
SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED
Key services to be offered at the event will include assistance with applications for various social grants and access to other government services directly on site.
Members of the community are encouraged to attend and should bring the necessary supporting documents, including identity documents and birth certificates, where applicable.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Members of the media wishing to attend are requested to confirm their attendance with Mr. Andile Tshona on 073 566 3345 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / Ms. Nonhle Masola on 084 804 2465 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Media enquiries may be forwarded to Senior Manager: Mr. Mbizeni Mdlalose
Communication and Marketing, SASSA KwaZulu-Natal Region on 078 716 9100 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Ms Sandy Godlwana, Chief Director: Communication, Department of Social Development on 082 678 5634 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
