Relief for orphans on the cards via grant

ORPHANS and child-headed households are set to gain from top-ups to the child social grants (CSG) if the Social Assistance Amendment Bill is passed. The National Council of Provinces is considering the bill.

Brenton van Vrede, chief director for social assistance in the Department of Social Development, told the standing committee on social development that the key policy intervention of the amendments was to increase the value of the grants for orphans and children in child-headed households.

“It is not a new grant but rather an approach that builds on the success of the existing CSG and will be administered in the same manner as the current grant. This would require neither a court process nor the associated social work process for placement,” said Van Vrede.

“We have about one million orphans and about 500 000 families with whom these orphans reside. While the vast majority of these orphans are raised in safe and secure environments, usually with grandparents or other family members, high levels of poverty in the country mean the foster child grant has become the default grant over the CSG.

“Some families taking care of orphans have managed to navigate the foster care system. However, as it is a long and cumbersome process, the vast majority have not been able to access the foster care system due to overwhelming numbers.”

Chief director for community development in the provincial department, Mzwandile Hewu, said the provincial department was pleased with the amendment.

“This has been something that has troubled all of us, and this change will be a welcome relief for the province and many families who could not afford to assist these children because of a lack of income,” said Hewu.

“Now that children have been declared heads of households they can claim the grant to feed the family and other children. It will make a great impact in reducing the levels of deprivation in many communities.”

The briefing was part of the broader legislative process for the bill. The next step is for the committee to invite public comment.

The province’s permanent representative to the NCOP, Maurencia Gillion, said the public hearings would begin in the Western Cape on September 7 and end September 18.