Parliament, Friday, 3 October 2025 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Social Development, Ms Bridget Masango, calls on government to fix systemic inefficiencies and poor governance that threaten the effectiveness of social development in South Africa.
October is social development month in South Africa, a month in which the South African nation highlights its commitment to caring for its most vulnerable citizens by focusing on social issues like poverty, inequality, gender-based violence, and substance abuse, among other things.
In this month, the Department of Social Development should be launching programmes to deliver services to communities, raise awareness about available social security programmes, and promote community participation in building a more caring and equal society.
Social development responsibility flows from the South African Constitution which promises a better life for each South African citizen. Notwithstanding 31 years into the democratic dispensation, the country is still riddled with challenges that include the quagmire of poverty, inequality, unemployment, substance abuse, and crime that render the historically impoverished communities hiding bushes of criminals.
The situation is worse in rural areas where there are no economic opportunities. People migrate on a daily basis from rural areas to seek employment opportunities and travel long distances that are costly for the purposes of accessing social grants, healthcare centres, and other government services.
The social grant system, a lifeline for millions, faces its own challenges of corruption and fraud. Vulnerable social grants beneficiaries have been left stranded numerous times due to technical failures, delays and disputes with service providers.
The committee has played a critical role in passing laws that give meaning to social justice and to ensure that policies are not just written but implemented. It consistently conducts oversight and demands accountability from the Department of Social Development, South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), and the National Development Agency (NDA).
The NDA, which has a critical mandate to contribute towards alleviation of poverty and income generation through grant funding, has sadly over the years faced leadership challenges that affected its governance and stability. It has not had a permanent CEO throughout the 6th administration to date, despite promises to fill this position by the former and the current Minister of Social Development. This has been a serious concern for the committee and it calls on Minister Sisisi Tolashe to urgently fill this position as she had committed.
“Social Development Month is not a time for celebration, but for reflection and recommitment. It is a reminder that social development is not the work of one department alone, it requires a whole-of-society approach. Families, communities, civil society, and every level of government must work together to protect children, support the elderly and persons with disabilities, empower women and girls, and build strong, resilient communities,” said Ms Masango.
South Africa’s Constitution is praised around the world, it should translate into meaningful freedom and better life to all South Africans. No child should die because of hunger, neglect, or exclusion from services. No older person or person with disability should suffer in silence because support systems are failing.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, MS BRIDGET MASANGO.
For media enquiries, contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Ms Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 081 377 0686
Email: fndenze@parliament.gov.za
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