Community and Human Development Cluster briefing

The Community and Development Cluster, chaired by the Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini, held a media briefing on the Department’s achievements in relation to work done during the Fifth Administration on social protection, community and human development cluster. Progress made by Departments in the areas of social development was outlined during the media briefing.  Questions were asked by various journalists during the media briefing and answers provided by respective Ministers according to their Departments, to give clarity to issues concerning them.

Questions and Answers:

Journalist: Minister Oliphant, can you shed more light on the issues of resource management and the environment with regards to President Zuma’s presentation on the State of the Nation Address, and also elaborate on the position of government with regard to resources management and the proposed mechanism to resource this issue?

Journalist: Minister Candith Dlamini (Department of Rural Development and Land Reform), is there any additional funding for the large volume of applications for land reform, and how are you planning to manage the large volume of land claims currently in the pipeline and also expected to increase in the near future -- how is the Minister planning to fund the new claims?

Journalist: Minister Nzimande (Department of Higher Education and Training), what is the stake of your Department with regard to the recent misrepresentation/fraudulent presentation of qualifications and certificates by some individuals. Secondly, what is your opinion about the consequences of these acts by guilty individuals and the awarding by institutions of higher learning under your watch.

Moderator: Are there any questions from Pretoria? There were no responses.

Answers

Minister Dlamini: Concerned Ministers in various Departments will respond to the questions asked by the journalist. The concerned Ministers include the Minister of Labour, the Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, and the Minister of Higher Education.

Minister Mildred Oliphant: The issues raised are based on neglect. As earlier reiterated during the presidential presentation of the State of the Nation Address (SONA), the decision depends on all stakeholders involved and a decision will be made by the Deputy President which will outline the line of action.

Minister Candith Mashego-Dlamini: The Department does not have a crisis with the budget, and there is no additional budget for additional claims. Also, individual claims are different with regards to applicants -- claims are moving at different paces, with some moving at a normal pace while some take a longer period. For instance, some land occupants have taken the government to court while waiting for court injunctions.

Minister Nzimande: There is a deep concern about the increasing number of incidents relating to individuals forging or misrepresenting their qualifications and certificates, as well as unregistered institutions of higher learning that offer worthless qualifications. Also, the Department is working closely with the Department of Justice and working to criminalise this unpopular practice. The justice system will be instituted to identify erring individuals and unregistered institutions. I believe that these acts can discredit our educational system, so there is a need for urgent constitutional amendment.

Moderator: I will like to recognise the arrival of Mr Gert Oosthuizen, Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation.

Journalist: Minister Nzimande, what is the latest development concerning the student who committed suicide at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), based on the insinuations about the inability to benefit from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) fund?  Also, what effort has been made by your Department to make it possible for e eligible students to access the NSFAS fund? Are you going to ask for support, or planning to lobby for the fund in this regard, to meet the financial needs?

Minister Dlamini:  The extended food programme is essentially beneficient, because its helps to reduce malnutrition among poor pupils. The programme has established nine food distribution centres and over one hundred food and nutrition outlet centres throughout the country.  The advantage of this food administered programme includes highly nutritious food for under-privileged pupils. Most of the food materials were bought from small-scale or local farmers, therefore providing support to local businesses. The food programme runs throughout the year, and is not a form of political propaganda to canvass for votes, as has been indicated by the opposition politicians.

Minister Nzimande: The unfortunate incident that involved a student of TUT who committed suicide on the basis of his inability to benefit from the NSFAS fund was not totally true. Contrary to insinuations elsewhere, before this incident the student applied for NSFAS funding and was successful. This student was fully aware of his successful application prior the unfortunate incident. In response to the second question concerning falsification of certificate qualifications, I believe that tougher legislation should be in place to check erring institutions and individuals. Hence, there is need for institutions to make public a list of graduating students and the obtained degree.

Minister Dlamini: In my Department, we are doing our best to respond to the encroachment of the drought that is affecting both humans and livestock in South Africa. Among the line of action by the Department of Rural Development and land Reform, there has been distribution of feed to livestock and the dredging of boreholes to supplement water supplies. This project is already in place in five provinces.

The briefing was adjourned.