Masango said Social Development Month should not be viewed as a time for celebration, but for introspection.
The Portfolio Committee on Social Development has called on the government to urgently address systemic inefficiencies and governance failures that continue to undermine the country’s social development efforts.
Committee chairperson Bridget Masango said the persistent challenges within the Department of Social Development, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and the National Development Agency (NDA) threaten the well-being of millions of South Africans who depend on these institutions for survival.
Ongoing failures
Masango’s call comes as the country marks Social Development Month, observed every October to highlight the government’s commitment to addressing poverty, inequality, gender-based violence and substance abuse.
However, Masango warned that 31 years into democracy, South Africa continues to battle “the quagmire of poverty, inequality, unemployment, substance abuse, and crime that render the historically impoverished communities hiding bushes of criminals.”
She said the situation was particularly dire in rural areas, where limited economic opportunities force people to migrate daily in search of work and travel long distances to access basic services such as healthcare and social grants.
“The social grant system, a lifeline for millions, faces its own challenges of corruption and fraud,” Masango said.
“Vulnerable social grants beneficiaries have been left stranded numerous times due to technical failures, delays and disputes with service providers.”
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Accountability and oversight
Masango said the committee continues to play a key oversight role to ensure that policies are implemented effectively and that the department, Sassa and the NDA are held accountable.
“The committee has played a critical role in passing laws that give meaning to social justice,” she said.
“It consistently conducts oversight and demands accountability from the Department of Social Development, Sassa, and the NDA.”
She expressed concern over ongoing instability at the National Development Agency, which has not had a permanent chief executive officer throughout the sixth administration.
“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,” Masango said.
“The committee calls on Minister Sisisi Tolashe to urgently fill this position as she had committed.”
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A call for collective action
Masango said Social Development Month should not be viewed as a time for celebration, but for introspection.
“Social Development Month is not a time for celebration, but for reflection and recommitment,” she said.
“It is a reminder that social development is not the work of one department alone; it requires a whole-of-society approach.”
She emphasised that families, communities, civil society and all spheres of government must work together to protect the vulnerable and build stronger communities.
“No child should die because of hunger, neglect or exclusion from services,” Masango said.
“No older person or person with a disability should suffer in silence because support systems are failing.”
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