Dear MyPE The Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, is set to be challenged in the North Gauteng Division of the High Court yet again for violating the South African Constitution and the rights of children as per the Children’s Act in denying them access to basic nutrition (food and water), social services and the right to appropriate public administration. Founding affidavits by SA Childcare give damning accounts of nonpayment of subsidies by the Department of Social Development; … [Read more...] about Minister Zulu’s silence on ECDs is ripping families apart
Alexandra Abrahams
Court ruling allow reopening of ECD sector
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the ruling by the North Gauteng High Court that Early Childhood Development Centres (ECD) may reopen, and we implore the centres to open as soon as possible while adhering to Covid-19 Health and Safety guidelines issued by the Department of Social Development (DSD). The sector has been in turmoil since the easing of the Covid-19 lockdown due to the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu’s ineptitude and unwillingness to engage with the … [Read more...] about Court ruling allow reopening of ECD sector
Open community halls to assist vulnerable SASSA grant recipients
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, calling for the reopening of community halls within municipalities across South Africa. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, community halls played a vital logistical role in bringing SASSA services closer for over 18 million vulnerable pensioners, parents, persons with disabilities and many other grant recipients. Community halls are geographically located in the heart of … [Read more...] about Open community halls to assist vulnerable SASSA grant recipients
SAHRC complaint lodged against Minister Zulu over closure of private Early Childhood Development centres
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has lodged a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to urgently investigate Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, and her Department’s decision to keep registered Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres closed across South Africa under the risk-adjusted level 3 lockdown. Childcare is an essential service under the lockdown regulations as well as Section 28 of the Constitution. The increasing levels of … [Read more...] about SAHRC complaint lodged against Minister Zulu over closure of private Early Childhood Development centres
Keeping registered ECDs closed is counterproductive
Dear MyPE Privately owned registered Early Childhood Development centers (ECDs) remain closed under level 3 lockdown, while Minister for Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation launched a campaign: Vangasali-Every Child Counts Campaign, on 2 June 2020. The campaign is expected to target unregistered ECD centres in three phases namely: find and count (phase 1), categorise (phase 2) and intervention (phase 3), with the view of assisting them to meet … [Read more...] about Keeping registered ECDs closed is counterproductive
Government sends mixed messages on reopening of Early Childhood Development sector
Dear MyPE The Departments of Social Development and Basic Education have sent mixed messages on the reopening of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) sector. The Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, on Friday, gazetted directions on the reopening of the ECD sector. The directions indicate that the sector would reopen on 6 July 2020. This stands in contrast to a circular sent out on the same day by the Acting Director-General of the Department of Social Development, Linton … [Read more...] about Government sends mixed messages on reopening of Early Childhood Development sector
Open Early Childhood Development Centres under Level 3 Lockdown
dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling on the Department of Social Development (DSD) to reopen Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres under the risk-adjusted level 3 lockdown, if these centres can fulfill and abide by a minimum list of Covid-19 health and safety protocols. We suggest the following base protocols for ECD centres to abide by in order to open their doors: Work desks are distanced according to the 1m guideline; Mandatory cloth masks or face shields for … [Read more...] about Open Early Childhood Development Centres under Level 3 Lockdown
The Level 4 madness continues
Minister Zulu now wants to ban cooked food distributed to the hungry Dear MyPE It has come to light that Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, is considering draft directions on the distribution of food parcels that will see civil society organizations (CSOs) prohibited from distributing cooked food to the hungry. According to the draft directions, CSOs will only be allowed to deliver food parcels– not cooked meals. The document also suggests that these directions will be the … [Read more...] about The Level 4 madness continues
