Question NW486 to the Minister of Social Development
02 April 2022 - NW486
Abrahams, Ms ALA to ask the Minister of Social Development
(1)What are the reasons that her department has decided to hand over the entire responsibility of verifying the details of early childhood centres (ECDs) and processing the respective payments of the Early Childhood Development Stimulus Relief Fund to the provincial departments of social development; (2) how will the shift in responsibility impact the ECDs that are still waiting for payment since the announcement in February 2021; (3) whether her department has assessed the internal resources and capacity of provincial departments to fulfil the new responsibility; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) what (a) support will her department provide to provinces and (b) will become of the allocated funds should provincial departments not process payments before 31 March 2022?
Reply:
(1)
The ECD Stimulus allocation was allocated to the National Department of Social Development on condition that it will become part of the 2020 ECD Conditional Grant and therefore implementation by the provincial Departments of Social Development. These conditions were set by the National Treasury and approved within the “Division of Revenue Act.
The National Department of Social Development has since the inception of this project, centralised the application process since no systems were in place for the implementation of this project, given the informal nature of the ECD sector.
However, the Department developed a policy that guided the implementation of this project. The policy clearly indicated the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders including the provincial Departments of Social Development.
The Department also further received technical support from DG Murray Trust (DGMT), who assisted in management of the implementation of the project and attended to communication matters that related to this project. DGMT appointed the service provider in this regard.
DGMT advised that they are financially constrained and cannot continue financially supporting the project.
It is against this background that national Department of Social Development decentralised some of the activities that include staff and site verifications. Site verification was already done by provinces. The National Department remained with the technical part of the project which is batch generation.
(2)
This shift has no impact in the payment of ECD programmes as some of the provinces were already verifying the ECD programmes to confirm that they are paying the right ECD programmes. During sessions held with provinces led by HODs, provinces showed willingness and commitment to consolidate the project by paying those ECD programmes that qualify to be paid.
(3)
The National Department engaged the provincial Department teams led by HODs about the shift in responsibilities and decentralisation. The only issue raised during these engagements was training of officials to carry out the responsibilities which was done by both the service provider and the national departmental officials. The provinces committed to projectized the project. Provinces developed project plans and submitted to National, which are continuously monitored through different departmental structures.
(4) (a)
It should be noted that training was provided to provinces to prepare them for the execution of their new roles. Continuous support is provided to those provinces that need support. This include the functioning of help desks where officials at national level are deployed to assist in managing and resolving issues when necessary. Continuous monitoring of the implementation of this project is also done through meetings nationally and with individual provinces.
(b)
It is the intention of the department to finalise payment by the end of March 2022. It should be noted that the majority of the ECD programmes have been requested to correct their information, with only few responding to the call. Some staff members of the ECD programmes have on a repeated basis failed verification despite correction of information, same with bank verification. This could imply that these applicants and staff are non-existent and therefore should this pattern continue the department will be left with no option but to pay those who qualify and close the project.