The Portfolio Committee on Social Development told the national and provincial Department of Social Development officials to ensure proper understanding of the government policy to ensure its proper translation into government programmes to change the lives of the people especially, the historically marginalised people. “Please ensure that the social development programmes that are aimed at turning the tide of poverty and vulnerability especially against women, children and senior citizens are qualitatively implemented” stressed the Chairperson of the committee Ms Zoleka Capa.
The committee today embarked on an oversight programme in the Western Cape’s Worcester and De Doorns communities, assessing the performance of the early childhood, community development and nutrition and rehabilitation centres and substance and alchohol abuse victims shelters. The De Doorns’s Mooigezicht Estate Creche, One Service (Club 60) Centre and Asibambisane Community and Nutrition Development Centre, Worecster’s House of Hope and Brave Heart Home were among the centres that the committee visited.
At the Mooigezicht Estate Creche, a farm community facility, the committee urged the coordinator and the teachers of the crèche to teach the children the South African languages and the traditions of non-racialism and non-sexism. “Please don’t reproduce the old streotypes of racism and sexism. Turn the centre into an incubator of delivery of future South African citizens that were visualised by tata Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu” emphasised Ms Capa.
The committee also highlighted its unhappiness on the lack of proper reflection of the demography of the farm community in the creche’s governing body and told the creche’s coordinator and senior officials of the Department of Social Development to correct that soon. “The governing body of the crèche must reflect the existence of all the people whose children it exists for, in colour, culture and language. The crèche must be a symbol of integration and promotion of cultural diversity” said Ms Capa.
At Asibambisane Community Development and Nutritional Centre in De Doorns, the committee told the officials of the department to ensure that the implementation of the government policy is properly translated into programmes that will push back the frontiers of poverty and abuse against women, children and senior citizens. Ms Capa called upon the leaders of the community development and nutrition centres to ensure that the vegetable supplied to the centre comes from the community where the centre exists.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
Source: Apo-Opa
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