Parliament, Wednesday, 4 September 2019 – The Portfolio Committee on Social Development is concerned about the ability of the Department of Social Development to meet the deadlines set by the Gauteng High Court on foster care orders. As a result of the court orders and deadlines that have been given to the department, which include the interim interventions to manage backlogs until the orders are implemented, the committee summoned the department to give a briefing on this matter today. The committee understands that the department has been given three extensions to date by the court on this matter.
It is in this regard that the committee has requested the department to come up with a detailed turnaround plan that demonstrates how it will ensure that the backlogs on foster care court orders will be cleared by 28 November 2019. The committee believes that the department should meet this deadline.
The committee believes that the department has a legal requirement to implement foster care as stipulated by the Children’s Act. Failure to implement this legal requirement will have legal implications. This is why it is imperative for the department to table the amendments of the Social Assistance Amendment Bill and the Children’s Act Amendment Bill to ensure that the department complies with the court orders.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, MR MONDLI GUNGUBELE.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the Committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Ms Faith Ndenze
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8062
Cell: 081 377 0686
Email: fndenze@parliament.gov.za
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