1. Alliance for Children’s Entitlement to Social Security
Presentation to the NCOP Select Committee on Social Services
Shirin Motala and Paula Proudlock
18 June 2002
12/2/2018

2. Child Poverty in South Africa
Poverty in South Africa – some facts from “ Transforming the Present – Protecting the Future”- Report of the Committee of Inquiry into a Comprehensive System of Social Security for South Africa
12/2/2018

3. Extent of Poverty 20-28 million SA Citizens live in poverty
10,5 million children live in adverse condition of poverty
23% of children (1 in 4) are stunted – common nutritional disorder
Northern Province, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and KZN have among the highest rates of poverty
SA is one of the most unequal societies in the world in terms of wealth distribution
Employment is not going to improve and wealth is not trickling down
12/2/2018

4. ACESS Principles
All children have a constitutional right to social security.
A comprehensive social security system comprises a package of services and benefits.
Social Security must provide for the basic needs of the child and for the special needs arising from a chronic health condition or a compromised home situation, in order to ensure his or her survival and a standard of living adequate for his or her development.
Social Security is the responsibility of parents, the private sector and the State. However, if parents are unable to provide for the child, the State is obliged to provide material assistance to the family.
The State is obliged to find the necessary resources and to implement effective delivery systems to fulfil children's rights to social security.
Social Security is an inter-sectoral responsibility of all government departments.
Special Effort needs to be made to facilitate and enable children’s participation in decisions on social security.
12/2/2018

5. ACESS Principles 1 and 4
All children have a constitutional right to social security.
Social Security is the responsibility of parents, the private sector and the State. However, if parents are unable to provide for the child, the State is obliged to provide material assistance to the family.
12/2/2018

6. Current Safety Net for Children
Child Support Grant – reaching only 1.9million after 5 years.
Target was 3 million children by April 2003.
Take up rates are higher in better resourced provinces and low in provinces with high poverty levels – apartheid legacy
1 in 5 children in E.C and Limpopo eligible for the CSG are receiving it, while in W.C and Gauteng for every 2 children targeted, 3 are receiving the CSG
12/2/2018

7. Social Security Principles
ACESS
Universal non-means tested grant for children 0-18 years
Extending the CSG must be seen as the first step towards providing a safety net for all people in SA through a BASIC INCOME GRANT
Committee of Inquiry
“It is the constitutional and international obligation of the state to provide social security to children. Through providing social assistance, and with the concurrent development of services and development programmes, the state can and must attempt to improve the standard of living for children”
Universal, non-means tested benefits for all children 0-18 years. A Basic Income Grant for all adults
12/2/2018

8. Extending the CSG
Child Care Act Discussion Paper also calls for a universal grant for children
Several options to consider in implementing the Universal Grant
* Extend CSG to all children under 18
immediately – means tested
* Extend to all under 18 – phased in
through increasing age limit
incrementally – means tested
* Extend to all children immediately –
abolish means test
12/2/2018

9. Children’s Voices – Why Universal Social Security is needed?
In my family there are two little ones – I look after them, they are the ones I said I wash and dress every day before I go to school. They get a grant. It helps with the food and clothes for them. I have heard it stops at 7 years. The older is 6 – what will we do when it stops? (Girl, 16)
“The reason I left home was to get a better house – we lived in a very small shack. I thought it would be better on the streets. (Boy, 16)”
12/2/2018

10. Social Security Principles 2 and 6
A comprehensive social security system comprises a package of services and benefits.
Social Security is an inter-sectoral responsibility of all government departments.
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11. Social Security principles
ACESS
Comprehensive Soc. Security System includes a package of benefits and services including access to affordable health care, free education, basic services, jobs
Committee of Inquiry
“Comprehensive social protection for South Africa seeks to provide the basic means for all people living in the country to effectively participate and advance in social and economic life, and in turn to contribute to social and economic development.’
12/2/2018

12. Free Basic Education
“The teachers shout at you. They say that we cannot sit on the seats at school because we don’t pay school fees. People who sit on the chairs are those who pay school fees. The teachers like to swear at us. They don’t have a good way of approaching children. They keep on teasing us about the school fees. It is not nice because we also like to pay we just don’t have money. (Girl, 11, NP)”
12/2/2018

13. What the Children said……
We need a tap for water, shoes for school, uniform, food, and money for school fees.
“ Brown shoes for school – they (the school) want brown shoes.” (Boy, 8, NP)
“ Yes, R 100 will help – we can use some to buy uniforms, food, pay water, help my grandmother to do a fence at home. We also need to fix our house so we don’t suffer from the rain and wind.”
12/2/2018

14. Social Security Principle 3
Social Security must provide for the basic needs of the child and for the special needs arising from a chronic health condition or a compromised home situation, in order to ensure his or her survival and a standard of living adequate for his or her development.
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15. Social Security Principles
ACESS
Soc Security must provide for the basic needs of the child and special needs arising from chronic health condition, disability or compromised home environment
CDG, Foster Care, Adoptions etc.
Committee of Inquiry
Calls for an interactive approach to the definition of disability, “which takes into account both the medical condition and social and environmental factors”.
Recommends the removal of the clause "permanent home care" from the Social Assistance Act.
12/2/2018

16. Children’s views ……
The government does not give us a grant before so we can go to school and be independent – they then give us a grant at 18 ‘cos they assume we are going to be not trained and dependant. We need the grant now when we go to school. To pay for school then we will not need it at 18 we will have education and be able to work. (Boy, FS)
12/2/2018

17. Children’s Voices
“ My grandmother makes me feel happy everyday…. One of the things that I love my grandmother for is she tries her level best to have food and clothes. I do love my aunt and uncle but not like my grandmother… she is very supportive”
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18. Social Security Principles cont.
ACESS
State must prioritise resources and ensure that effective delivery systems are in place
Documentation is the biggest problem in accessing grants
Committee of Inquiry
Report analyses some of the problems related to delivery, it does not provide a thorough analysis of the problems nor does it recommend how these problems should be resolved.
12/2/2018

19. Children’s experiences of Social Security administration
The problem will be birth certificates. I don’t have one – I cannot get an ID book. I don’t know even now where my mother is – what can I do? (Gauteng)
Pensioners receive their monies at Eflakeni, and it is far. You use money to go there and money to go back. Then you find the money used for transport was borrowed then it means you have to pay back the money you borrowed. Then after this the money does not even cover all the needs. (WC)
“They wrote my birth certificate wrong – they put 1998 and it should be 1988 so I cannot get a grant as they say I am not old enough yet. I have tried to fix the birth certificate many times but it is difficult. (Mpumalanga)”
12/2/2018

20. Citizenship knows no age… Pinciple 7
ACESS
As key stakeholders, special efforts need to be made to facilitate and enable children's participation in decisions on social security.
Committee of Inquiry
Children were not consulted and no recommendations have been made in this regard
12/2/2018

21. Children’s participation… its value
Poor children know the value of money - If you are hungry you will use it for food and if you need a uniform you will not buy sweets. (Girl, 10, E Cape)
They must give us a number like Childline so that we can tell them if we find the money or if our older sisters and brothers take it. (Boy, 10, NP)
Someone can be responsible in the communities to do meetings every month for children and hear their need. (Girl, 13, KZN)
I think they can talk to children through the churches, most children go to church and ask the children what they need that month. School is also a good place to get children. Teachers know the children who need help. (Girl, 10,NP)
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22. Recommendations
Identify key performance indicators with respect to delivery of social security (take up rates) and financial allocations and spending.
* Regular contact with DoHA and DoSD officials
* Demand better statistical data
DoHA must be included on the Inter Ministerial Committee which is going to consider the CoI report.
12/2/2018

23. Conclusion…..
“ I am very happy, it was a wonderful experience for me……. I hope the government will hear our cry”
“It was a nice all day because I talk about my needs. I hope my problems can be solved so that I can finish my school learning”
12/2/2018