‘I am Tintswalo’s grandmother,’ says Lindiwe Zulu

The Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, said she could relate to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s story of Tintswalo, a child born at the dawn of democracy.

ALSO READ: Tintswalo really is South Africa’s story

Zulu was speaking at the State of the Nation (Sona) Debate in Cape Town on Tuesday.

ANC government achievements

She highlighted the gains that the ANC government had made over the last 30 years, indicating that she had seen that change in her own personal life and the lives of those around her.

“I am standing here as a mother of Tintswalo, I am an aunty to Tintshwalo and a grandmother to Tintswalo. Here we have grandfathers, uncles and fathers of Tintswalo those that wanted to ensure Tintswalo has a better future,” Zulu said.

The future of South Africa is “bright”

Zulu said the ANC government has lived up to the expectations of South Africans overcoming the challenges of inheriting a fragmented nation from the apartheid regime.

ALSO READ: Poster child Tintswalo is not so lucky

“We are currently providing regular income support each month without fail to around 4 million older persons, about 1 million adults with disabilities and 160 000 children with disabilities. More than 13 million children from poor families receive child support grants,” she said.

She said parliamentarians should not listen to the DA whose members have been pessimistic about the gains of the ANC since 1994.

“We have been paying the grants from 1994 to date even when the economy is not doing well we have stood up and said we shall be with the people of South Africa whether the economy is doing well or not. It is our responsibility to ensure that those that have nothing have something.”

Zulu complained that she was concerned about a high number of homeless people in the Western Cape where the DA is currently governing.

She said the government of the Western Cape pretends like it is taking care of people.

“Just go out there and see how many of our people are languishing on the streets in Cape Town,” she said.