ACTING MINISTER CALLS FOR STRONGER NATIONAL-PROVINCIAL COLLABORATION TO ADVANCE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES

By Sandy Godlwana

• Representatives of national and provincial departments of social development joined forces during a virtual MINMEC session held on 2 June 2026 to strengthen cooperation and highlight key priorities in the sector.
• Addressing the session, Acting Minister of Social Development Sindisiwe Chikunga pledged to work collectively with the provincial MECs as the sector implements programmes to reduce poverty, protect vulnerable groups and strengthen social protection systems.
• The timing of the meeting was particularly significant as the department prepares to table Budget Vote 19 before the National Council of Provinces on 4 June 2026.

Acting Minister of Social Development Sindisiwe Chikunga has called for strengthened cooperation between national and provincial governments to accelerate the implementation of social development programmes and improve the lives of vulnerable South Africans.

Speaking during a special social development MINMEC meet-and-greet session convened virtually on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, Minister Chikunga emphasised the importance of unity and collaboration as the sector works to implement key priorities outlined in the department’s Annual Performance Plan and the Medium-Term Development Plan.

The meeting brought together Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks, Members of the Executive Councils (MECs) responsible for social development from across the country, provincial heads of department, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the National Development Agency (NDA) and senior government officials.

Setting collective goals

MINMEC is the highest intergovernmental political forum for the social development sector, bringing together the national minister, deputy minister and provincial MECs responsible for social development. The structure serves as a platform to coordinate policy, strengthen collaboration between spheres of government and make decisions on matters affecting the sector nationwide.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Chikunga described cooperation between national and provincial governments as essential for achieving the sector’s collective goals.

“Achieving our collective strategic goals as a sector necessitates that we strengthen the cooperation between national and provincial spheres of our government,” she said, noting that social development is shared between the two spheres of government.

The acting minister used the engagement to reaffirm her commitment to working closely with provincial leaders following her appointment by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 14 May 2026.

She pledged to work collectively with MECs as the sector implements programmes aimed at reducing poverty, protecting vulnerable groups and strengthening social protection systems.

MECs called to play active role in MINMEC

Reflecting on her first weeks in office, Minister Chikunga highlighted recent engagements in communities, including the ministerial integrated community registration outreach programme in Kayamandi, Western Cape, where she witnessed first-hand the impact of SASSA services on communities.

She also commended youth development initiatives supported by the NDA in Vrygrond, near Cape Town, and expressed a desire to replicate successful interventions in other parts of the country.

The minister further announced that she had directed her ministry to convene a formal MINMEC meeting before the end of the first quarter of the current financial year and encouraged MECs to play an active role in shaping the agenda of future meetings.

“I have directed that, in the spirit of working together as equals, the agenda of MINMEC should not be the sole preserve of the national department,” she said, encouraging provinces to recommend agenda items and raise matters requiring collective decision-making.

The timing of the meeting was particularly significant as the department prepares to table Budget Vote 19 before the National Council of Provinces on 4 June 2026.

Intensifying child protection efforts

Minister Chikunga outlined several priorities that will guide the sector’s work in the year ahead, including improving SASSA’s operational efficiency and customer experience, strengthening measures to combat fraud and corruption through biometric verification systems, advancing policy proposals on Basic Income Support, expanding shelters for survivors of gender-based violence, tackling substance abuse, creating employment opportunities for social service professionals and intensifying child protection interventions across communities.

With South Africa currently observing Child Protection Week, the acting minister also called on provincial leaders and all sectors of society to continue taking action against violence affecting children and communities.

“Let us continue to mobilise South Africans from all walks of life to join hands to fight the pandemic of violence in our society,” she urged.

The Special MINMEC session marked Minister Chikunga’s first formal engagement with provincial political leadership since assuming responsibility for the social development portfolio.

The meeting is expected to pave the way for strengthened intergovernmental cooperation and a more coordinated approach to addressing poverty, vulnerability and social challenges across South Africa.