Joyce Mashamba, MEC for Social Development has allocated R250 million to early childhood development (ECD) sites in her budget, tabled Thursday before the Legislature.
She said more than 168 000 children are benefitting from this programme.
Mashamba was confident that the 2016/17 departmental budget of R1,634 billion will go far in the department’s efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty, heal the nation and restore the dignity of people. In the 2015/16 financial year, the department received R1,538 billion.
The budget will be spent with R280 million going for administration, R222 million for social welfare services, R704 million for children and families, R247 million to restorative services and R180 million to development and support services.
“The effects of substance abuse on the socio-economic being of individuals, families and communities and especially the youth, are a cause for serious concern,” Mashamba said. R7 million was allocated to fight substance abuse this financial year.
The department will continue to provide home community based services to families and R18 million was allocated for this purpose.
The Department has set aside R16 million in support of 18 non-profit organisations in the province providing family care services and R1 million has been allocated for social relief of distress. An amount of 113 million for community-based services for vulnerable children and orphans in the province on 53 sites and in 298 drop-in centres, providing services to 58 064 vulnerable children, was set aside.
An amount of R34 million has been allocated for social crime prevention and R2 million was set aside to continue with advocacy for the care and protection of children and children in foster care.
R9 million was budgeted for funding sustainable livelihood projects that initiate income-generating and food security projects, ranging from poultry, vegetables, bakery and egg production to benefit rural women, youth and people with disabilities. R4 million has been set aside to benefit 20 769 women in socio-economic empowerment programmes.
The department will be training 3 500 non-profit organisations (NPOs) rendering social development services. An NPO Funding Appeals Committee has been appointed to scrutinise all appeals lodged by NPOs with regards to non-funding and report back on their findings.
Story: NELIE ERASMUS
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Photo: The effects of substance abuse on the socio-economic being of individuals, families and communities and especially the youth, are a cause for serious concern, says MEC for Social Development Joyce Mashamba.
