More than half
of South Africans (55.5%) or 30-million people live below the national poverty
line that is R992 per month. This number increased since 2011. The groups worst
affected by poverty are black South Africans‚ the unemployed‚ the less
educated‚ female-headed households‚ large families and children. That’s
according to a study by the Statistics South Africa (StatsSA) on national poverty
lines published last year.
While these
figures show a decrease, compared to the previous statistic which estimated
that close to two thirds of South Africans 66,6% or roughly 31,6 milllion
people were living below the national poverty line. The state of poverty
remains high in the country.
In a bid to
reduce poverty in Gauteng, the provincial government revised its Anti-Poverty
Strategy which was unveil by Social Development Acting MEC Panyaza Lesufi in
Johannesburg last December. The first phase of the plan was to ensure that
children who are in a school nutritional programme do not go hungry during the
festive holidays. The strategy does not confine itself on children, it also focusses
on other sectors such as the unemployed, female headed households and families.
The inter-departmental driven anti-poverty strategy is led by the Gauteng
Department of Social Development. Recently, the department gave a report on the
work they have done since April last year to date.
In their third
quarter report, the department’s Non-Profit Organisation, Partnership and
Funding said they have distributed seventy-four thousand food parcels to
poverty-stricken families in the province. The report goes further that these
distributions benefited about 259 942 individuals. A sum of R75 million has
been allocated for the financial year ending in March.
“The state
alone will not be able to address these massive challenges of poverty. We plan
to rally businesses through their Corporate Social Investment (CSI)
particularly those that are involved children services by getting them to
pledge support and practically contribute to Bana Pele. We plan to host a workshop
with those that are responsible for CSI in different companies and introduce Information
Technology database for children on Bana Pele programme” they explain in the
report.
Bana Pele is
programme that was adopted by the Gauteng Provincial Government to make the province
fit for children, through this programme following services are offered to
children; School transport for those who live 5km from school, School feeding
for those who are in first quintile as define by department of education,
Psychosocial support by Social Workers, Free Health Care and Child Support
Grant to children who live in a household where there is a monthly income of
R1100.​