ID SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY
Bridging the Poverty Divide
The proportion of people living in poverty in South Africa has not
changed significantly between 1996 and 2001. Households that live in
poverty have moved deeper into poverty while the gap between the rich
and the poor has widened. In 2001, approximately 57% of individuals
were living below the poverty income line. The most vulnerable groups
are: (a) rural poor, (b) female-headed households, (c) people with
disabilities, (d) farm workers, (e) AIDS orphans and households with
AIDS sufferers, and (f) children.
On Grants and Social Workers
Approximately 60% of the poor, mostly aged between fourteen and sixty do not receive any social security at all. A comprehensive social security net must be put in place throughout South Africa. ID would advocate the implementation of a Minimum Income Grant which would ensure that every individual in South Africa has a minimum income to live off.
• The ID believes that the most vulnerable and deserving of State assistance often don’t receive it because of bureaucratic obstacles. The ID therefore advocates for obstacles such as acquiring documents from Home Affairs and complying with Means Test Requirements must be significantly reduced.
• Pensions must be increased in line with the cost of living and not just inflation. The pension age for men must immediately be reduced from 65 to 60.
• The Child Support Grant must immediately be extended to all children under the age of 18.
• An extensive recruitment campaign must be run for social workers as there is a dire need for them in South Africa.
• More Child and Youth Care workers must be trained from communities.
On the Rural Poor
• Invest in the Prime Movers of Agricultural Development, i.e. investment in human capital, agricultural research, biophysical capital formation, and rural institutions.
• SA must focus on removing the barriers to market for small scale rural farmers by providing roads, irragation, seeds and implements.
• Strategies must be developed to cater for those rural people that are interested in non-farm activities as well
• Farming strategies for the different farming practices are needed to ensure that each farming area is assisted to reach its agricultural potential.
• ID will interact with the indigenous people of South Africa and ensure that we develop and harness the indigenous knowledge of their traditions and cultures.
On Farm Workers
Farm workers are so geographically remote they are often the last social constituency that government agencies reach.
Alcohol consumption among farm workers are about twice as high as those living in urban areas. This excessive use of alcohol often leads to serious social and health consequences.
• Legislation pertaining to farming needs to be reviewed.
• Services need to be improved. Capital subsidies, tax incentives and logistical assistance to landowners and farmers could help with improving service delivery to farm workers.
• Farm workers’ involvement in equity share schemes must be promoted more vigorously.
• Accommodation must be provided to all farm workers evicted.
• Improve rural women’s knowledge of improved agricultural practices and crop varieties.
• All alcoholic advertisements need to be banned from the public media as a means to stop promoting the use of alcohol.
On Female Headed Households
Women are being forced to carry their burdens without either the essential physical or social resources. If women’s access to and power over land can be increased through land reform, and if this can be maintained to become an effective anti-poverty advantage for poor rural women particularly, then rural development can start from the bottom.
The disintegration of the traditional family support network results in poor rural women faced with the necessity of earning a wage or producing food to avoid their children from starving.
The maintenance system needs to be improved where the state must pay the maintenance owed to the mother, and the father of the child must give his monthly contribution to the state. This way, mothers will get their maintenance every month and fathers will be compelled to refund the state.
On Child-Headed Households
Children between the ages of 15 and 18 are still left out of the social security system.
It is estimated that by 2015, one third of South Africa’s children that are under the age of 18 will have lost one or both parents due to HIV/Aids. However, families’ capacity to care for such children has been negatively affected by the high levels of HIV/AIDS-related deaths, and the deep poverty that currently characterises much of South African society. Extended family units therefore need more support if it is to meet these children’s needs in full.
• The extension of the CSG must not be phased in but implemented immediately and made available to Child-headed households.
• A Basic Package of Services for children must be made available for all children. The package would include exemption from payment of school fees, feeding schemes for children and free primary, secondary and tertiary health care.
• A National Food Security Programme must be implemented to strengthen existing programmes that aim to address malnutrition among children and rolling out new initiatives such as offering incentives and know-how for families growing food gardens.
• Programmes such as community-based home care and no-fee schools should be widened.
On People with Disabilities
There is a great need for the disability grant to be increased, or complimented with a MIG. The disabled residing in rural areas often spend their entire disability grant on transport costs to get to a health care facility, with the consequence of them not having any money left for anything else. Transport, especially public transport, as well as accessible housing also needs to be addressed.
• More assistive devices for the disabled, i.e. wheelchairs and other aids for all.
• More care attendants for care and support, in the form of trained community workers or volunteers.
• Accessible housing and public transport.
On Grants and Social Workers
Approximately 60% of the poor, mostly aged between fourteen and sixty do not receive any social security at all. A comprehensive social security net must be put in place throughout South Africa. ID would advocate the implementation of a Minimum Income Grant which would ensure that every individual in South Africa has a minimum income to live off.
• The ID believes that the most vulnerable and deserving of State assistance often don’t receive it because of bureaucratic obstacles. The ID therefore advocates for obstacles such as acquiring documents from Home Affairs and complying with Means Test Requirements must be significantly reduced.
• Pensions must be increased in line with the cost of living and not just inflation. The pension age for men must immediately be reduced from 65 to 60.
• The Child Support Grant must immediately be extended to all children under the age of 18.
• An extensive recruitment campaign must be run for social workers as there is a dire need for them in South Africa.
• More Child and Youth Care workers must be trained from communities.
On the Rural Poor
• Invest in the Prime Movers of Agricultural Development, i.e. investment in human capital, agricultural research, biophysical capital formation, and rural institutions.
• SA must focus on removing the barriers to market for small scale rural farmers by providing roads, irragation, seeds and implements.
• Strategies must be developed to cater for those rural people that are interested in non-farm activities as well
• Farming strategies for the different farming practices are needed to ensure that each farming area is assisted to reach its agricultural potential.
• ID will interact with the indigenous people of South Africa and ensure that we develop and harness the indigenous knowledge of their traditions and cultures.
On Farm Workers
Farm workers are so geographically remote they are often the last social constituency that government agencies reach.
Alcohol consumption among farm workers are about twice as high as those living in urban areas. This excessive use of alcohol often leads to serious social and health consequences.
• Legislation pertaining to farming needs to be reviewed.
• Services need to be improved. Capital subsidies, tax incentives and logistical assistance to landowners and farmers could help with improving service delivery to farm workers.
• Farm workers’ involvement in equity share schemes must be promoted more vigorously.
• Accommodation must be provided to all farm workers evicted.
• Improve rural women’s knowledge of improved agricultural practices and crop varieties.
• All alcoholic advertisements need to be banned from the public media as a means to stop promoting the use of alcohol.
On Female Headed Households
Women are being forced to carry their burdens without either the essential physical or social resources. If women’s access to and power over land can be increased through land reform, and if this can be maintained to become an effective anti-poverty advantage for poor rural women particularly, then rural development can start from the bottom.
The disintegration of the traditional family support network results in poor rural women faced with the necessity of earning a wage or producing food to avoid their children from starving.
The maintenance system needs to be improved where the state must pay the maintenance owed to the mother, and the father of the child must give his monthly contribution to the state. This way, mothers will get their maintenance every month and fathers will be compelled to refund the state.
On Child-Headed Households
Children between the ages of 15 and 18 are still left out of the social security system.
It is estimated that by 2015, one third of South Africa’s children that are under the age of 18 will have lost one or both parents due to HIV/Aids. However, families’ capacity to care for such children has been negatively affected by the high levels of HIV/AIDS-related deaths, and the deep poverty that currently characterises much of South African society. Extended family units therefore need more support if it is to meet these children’s needs in full.
• The extension of the CSG must not be phased in but implemented immediately and made available to Child-headed households.
• A Basic Package of Services for children must be made available for all children. The package would include exemption from payment of school fees, feeding schemes for children and free primary, secondary and tertiary health care.
• A National Food Security Programme must be implemented to strengthen existing programmes that aim to address malnutrition among children and rolling out new initiatives such as offering incentives and know-how for families growing food gardens.
• Programmes such as community-based home care and no-fee schools should be widened.
On People with Disabilities
There is a great need for the disability grant to be increased, or complimented with a MIG. The disabled residing in rural areas often spend their entire disability grant on transport costs to get to a health care facility, with the consequence of them not having any money left for anything else. Transport, especially public transport, as well as accessible housing also needs to be addressed.
• More assistive devices for the disabled, i.e. wheelchairs and other aids for all.
• More care attendants for care and support, in the form of trained community workers or volunteers.
• Accessible housing and public transport.
