Cape town: Protecting and uplifting children remains at the heart of the Department of Social Development’s mandate, Minister Sisisi Tolashe told the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, in Parliament, on Wednesday. The department presented its 2024/25 Annual Report, following a session that also included a briefing by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) on audit outcomes for the department and its entities, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the National Development Agency (NDA).
According to South African Government News Agency, this engagement formed part of Parliament’s oversight process to assess performance, governance, and financial accountability across the social development portfolio. Minister Tolashe said the department’s participation reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, and sound financial management in advancing its mandate of providing social protection services to South Africa’s most vulnerable citizens.
She reaffirmed the department’s unwavering commitment to improving the protection, inclusion, and dignity of vulnerable groups, from children and older persons to persons with disabilities, while ensuring that public resources are used responsibly and effectively. “For the period under review, we focused on improving the sector’s capacity for the implementation of the Children’s Act. We welcome the promulgation of the Children’s Amendment Act No. 17 of 2022 together with its supporting regulations, which will go a long way to strengthening child protection safety nets and ensuring better protection of our children,” Minister Tolashe said.
Reflecting on the department’s performance, the Minister noted that the 2024/25 financial year marked an important period of transition and progress, coinciding with the establishment of the Government of National Unity and the adoption of the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) 2025-2029. She commended the dedication of the department’s staff and leadership for ensuring stability and continuity of services amid this national transition.
Minister Tolashe highlighted the significant expansion of the social assistance programme, which reached over 28 million eligible individuals during the year under review. This includes more than 13.1 million children benefiting from the Child Support Grant and about 4.1 million older persons receiving the Old Age Grant. “Realising the pledge to ensure that no one is left behind demands that we remain focused on tackling child and adult poverty now and in the future,” she emphasised.
The overall audit outcome of the Department of Social Development for 2024/25 is a qualified audit opinion with findings, while SASSA received an unqualified audit opinion. Minister Tolashe commended this progress but urged the agency to strive for excellence. “I will be more pleased to see SASSA moving towards a clean audit in the next financial year. I have directed the CEO to meticulously deal with all findings of the Auditor-General and to provide progress reports to my office regularly,” she said.
She also addressed ongoing matters concerning the Postbank and SASSA that have drawn public attention, noting that the President has referred the issue to an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for resolution. “We will inform this committee of the IMC’s deliberations and decision in due course,” the Minister said. She further emphasised that the termination of the Master Service Agreement between SASSA and the Postbank does not affect beneficiaries’ entitlement to access their grants and that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure compliance with legislative and financial governance requirements.
The Minister also reported progress in the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) through the tabling of the Victim Support Services Bill to Cabinet. The Bill addresses existing legislative gaps and strengthens the provision of sheltering and victim support services. “We have turned around the operational efficiency of the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre and continue to strengthen oversight and monitoring of services in provinces,” she said, adding that the department continues to monitor the implementation of the Universal Treatment Curriculum in treatment centres across the country.
Minister Tolashe commended the Portfolio Committee on Social Development for its continuous oversight role, ensuring that the department’s work translates into tangible impact in people’s lives. “The significant progress we have made for the year under review would not have been possible without the commitment of our dedicated staff and the support of this committee. I commit my leadership to the task at hand to ensure that we achieve our goals and advance the department’s mandate,” she said.
She extended appreciation to Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks, Director-General Peter Netshipale, and the leadership of SASSA and the National Development Agency for their collaboration in driving the social development agenda. “There is more to do, but the 2024/25 Annual Report clearly shows that we are off to a good start,” she said.