DEPUTY MINISTER HENDRICKS CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO STRENGTHEN SOUTH AFRICAN FAMILIES

By Precious Mupenzi

• · Deputy Minister Hendricks emphasised that South Africans must move beyond discussions and take decisive, coordinated action to support and strengthen families.
• Building family resilience and supporting caregivers are essential to fostering a safe, nurturing environment for children and combating societal issues like poverty and teenage pregnancy.
• Issues such as poverty, inequality, and unemployment must be tackled through family-focused strategies guided by the Revised White Paper on Families.

Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mr. Ganief Hendricks, has called on South Africans to move beyond dialogue and take decisive action to restore the integrity and strength of families. He made this appeal during the closing ceremony of the International Day of Families (IDF) commemoration held at Lagoon Beach Hotel in Cape Town.

Addressing a diverse audience of government officials, civil society organisations, academics, faith-based leaders, and community members, Hendricks described the IDF as more than a commemoration. He positioned it as a turning point under the theme: “Family-oriented Policies for Sustainable Development: Towards the Second World Summit for Social Development 2025.”

“We have listened to the real issues confronting families in all their forms,” said Hendricks. “We’ve also heard about the interventions being implemented. But we must ask—why are our families still in distress?”

He challenged all stakeholders to reflect on their service delivery approaches and whether these methods are truly impactful. “This cannot be business as usual,” he stressed. “We cannot continue to witness families going to bed hungry, children and women dying, and teenagers falling pregnant when they should be in school.”

The Deputy Minister emphasised that resilient families are the foundation of a thriving society and that families must be empowered to provide protection, love, and care—particularly for children. “Children no longer trust us because we fail to create safe environments,” he said. “Families need all of us to support, empower, and capacitate them.”

Hendricks also underscored the importance of parenting and caregiver support programmes and called for scaling up effective interventions. “Let us collaborate and coordinate for maximum impact,” he urged.

The day’s panel discussions focused on social protection, food security, and sustainable livelihoods in lifting families out of poverty. Hendricks highlighted that these issues must be addressed through integrated, family-centered approaches.

He also pointed to the Revised White Paper on Families, launched earlier in the day by Minister Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe, as a blueprint for enhancing accountability and coordination. “Families are looking to us as a source of hope,” he affirmed.

In his closing remarks, Hendricks thanked all participants for their contributions, especially the families whose lived experiences gave the event its heart. He concluded with a powerful call to action:

“Let us all feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and house the homeless.”