09 Feb 2014

It is not government policy that every person living with a disability is eligible for Government Social Safety Net Programme, local government and rural development assistant minister, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso, has said.

Responding to a parliamentary question from the Member of Parliament for Tonota North, Mr Fidelis Molao on February 5, Ms Tshireletso explained that an individual must be assessed by social workers, who were guided by the Revised National Destitute Policy on Destitute Persons, to determine eligibility for assistance under social safety nets.

Ms Tshireletso said the current turnaround time for cases was four weeks inclusive of the period for consideration of recommendations by the relevant council committee.

During that time, she said, full assessments were made by social workers by interviewing the potential beneficiary, family members and all their potential support structures.

She also said a social inquiry report which gave their socio-economic status and recommendations was then compiled and presented to the relevant committee which sat monthly for approval or disapproval.

Due to a number of factors, Ms Tshireletso said she could not confirm with a degree of certainty the adherence in the turnaround time including transport and other logistics on the ground.

However, she noted that “there is an intension to initiate a social safety net for people living with disabilities beginning financial year 2014/15.”

MP Fidelis Molao had asked the minister if it was government policy that every person living with a disability was eligible for Government Social Safety Net Programme and how they became eligible.

He also wanted the minister to state the turnaround time to assessing and making a determination to include an individual in social safety nets programme and whether she could assure the House that the turnaround time was adhered to. ENDS