Child Welfare on the East Rand underfunded – DA

This is according to DA Shadow Minister for Social Development, Mike Waters.

“According to Parliamentary replies, the total cost for the nine Child Welfare offices on the East Rand for providing statutory services – those services which the government is obliged to provide by law – is R36 732 700 for the 2014/15 financial year,” says Waters.

“However, government has only provided R14 477 195 or 39.41 per cent of what is actually needed to provide services to vulnerable children.”

According to him, in Boksburg, R7 500 000 is needed, but only R3 235 191 has been received.

This is the same case across the board for all other Child Welfare offices on the East Rand.

“The government has an obligation under the Constitution and the Children’s Act to ensure that all children are taken care of, yet they are dismally failing in their duty.

“By providing less than half of the funding that is needed, Child Welfare offices simply cannot provide the necessary services.

“It is clear that this government is failing our children by not funding vital services, which they expect other organisations to provided on their behalf. One of the responsibilities of government is to ensure that laws are backed up with the necessary funding.

“I will be asking the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate whether the gross underfunding to Child Welfare across the East Rand is indeed undermining children’s rights and whether the ANC government is being derelict in their responsibilities towards children in need.”

The Advertiser has not received comment from the local Child Welfare on the matter. – @NalediBoksburg