DEPUTY MINISTER HENDRICKS DRIVES INTEGRATED SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDA IN JOHANNESBURG

By Precious Mupenzi

• Deputy Minister Ganief Hendricks participated in a strategic intergovernmental engagement to strengthen coordinated service delivery in Johannesburg.
• The session reinforced the District Development Model as a key mechanism for integrated planning and implementation.
• Social development priorities such as poverty, substance abuse and gender-based violence were positioned at the centre of collaborative governance.

Deputy Minister of Social Development Mr Ganief Hendricks has reaffirmed the importance of a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to addressing poverty, inequality and social vulnerability during the City of Johannesburg Intergovernmental Relations and Partnership Strategic Engagement Session held in Sandton on 17 April 2026.

The engagement, convened by the City of Johannesburg at the Investec offices, brought together stakeholders from national, provincial and local government, as well as the private sector, academia and civil society, to strengthen partnerships and drive integrated service delivery.

Participating in his capacity as District Development Model Champion, Deputy Minister Hendricks emphasised that the complex realities faced by communities require a unified and responsive system of governance.
“Gatherings like this are important because they represent a meeting of purpose, a meeting of vision, and a commitment to ensure that government works better for our people,” he said.

Central to his address was the need to move away from fragmented service delivery systems towards a coordinated and people-centred approach. He highlighted the District Development Model as a critical tool for aligning planning, budgeting and implementation across all spheres of government.

“Instead of multiple disconnected plans, we move towards one coordinated plan. Instead of communities struggling to navigate bureaucracy, government works as one system,” Hendricks said.

Grounding his remarks in the mandate of the Department of Social Development, he noted that social challenges such as poverty, substance abuse, gender-based violence and family breakdown continue to affect communities daily.

He stressed that these issues cannot be addressed in isolation and require integrated, multi-sectoral responses.

“Social development cannot succeed if it operates in isolation. It works with and alongside others to ensure that our country achieves its goals and objectives,” he said.

The Deputy Minister highlighted several priority areas where the Department is driving impact within the District Development Model framework. These include strengthening community-based social services through better coordination with municipalities, expanding youth empowerment initiatives that link young people to skills development and economic opportunities, and enhancing prevention and response efforts to gender-based violence.

He also pointed to ongoing work to improve food security and community resilience through partnerships with non-governmental organisations, faith-based institutions and local communities.

Addressing substance abuse as a cross-cutting challenge, Hendricks noted that the Department is reviewing and strengthening the National Drug Master Plan to promote a more coordinated response across sectors.

He further underscored the importance of partnerships beyond government, calling for greater collaboration with civil society, community leaders, the private sector and citizens.

“Government alone cannot solve every challenge. We need strong collaboration with civil society organisations, community leaders, faith-based institutions, the private sector and ordinary citizens,” he said.

The engagement highlighted the role of democratic participation and accountability in development planning, ensuring that communities are actively involved in shaping solutions that affect their lives.

Concluding his address, Hendricks reaffirmed that the District Development Model represents a transformative approach to governance.

“The District Development Model is a commitment to a new way of governing, to break down silos, bring government closer to the people, and ensure that development is coordinated, responsive and impactful,” he said.

The Department of Social Development continues to play a critical role in advancing integrated service delivery through the District Development Model, working to ensure that no community is left behind and that the constitutional promise of dignity, equality and social justice is realised for all.