MINISTER TOLASHE TO LEAD INTEGRATED SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OUTREACH IN KWANOKUTHULA

By Staff Writer⁠

• The Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP) outreach will provide direct access to social grants, Gender Based Violence (GBV) support, substance abuse services and government assistance in one coordinated platform.
• Beneficiaries of Bitou Women of Change have transitioned from receiving support to leading community initiatives and empowerment programmes.
• Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) programmes and training initiatives are creating pathways to employment while strengthening community safety, early childhood development and environmental projects.

Pretoria — As part of government’s continued efforts to strengthen poverty eradication, job creation and social security support, the Minister of Social Development, Ms Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe, will undertake an Integrated Social Development Portfolio Outreach Programme in KwaNokuthula township, Plettenberg Bay, on Friday, 20 February 2026.
The visit forms part of the department’s people-centred approach to bringing services closer to communities while strengthening partnerships with organisations working on the ground. During the oversight engagement, Minister Tolashe will visit Bitou Women of Change (BWC), a community-based organisation supported by the National Development Agency (NDA) that provides trauma counselling, skills development and economic empowerment programmes for women, including survivors of gender-based violence (GBV).
Through NDA funding, BWC recently upgraded its administrative offices and trauma counselling centre to ensure greater privacy and dignity for clients accessing support services. The organisation also equips women with practical skills such as computer literacy, business development and assistance to obtain learner’s and driver’s licences, enabling pathways towards economic independence.
The outreach will further highlight community development initiatives supported through the Independent Development Trust (IDT), which funds 120 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) beneficiaries engaged in programmes such as the Scholar Patrol initiative, environmental cleaning and recycling projects, food gardens, arts and crafts, and capacity-building initiatives at Early Childhood Development centres, police stations and GBV programmes.
Stories of resilience and empowerment are expected to take centre stage during the visit. One GBV survivor who benefited from BWC’s skills development programme now coordinates the Victim Empowerment Programme, while another beneficiary has established the Joy Community Development Project in nearby Kranshoek, focusing on vulnerable groups and safe school initiatives.
Following the oversight visit, Minister Tolashe will lead an ICROP, which provides residents with direct access to a basket of social development and government services. The outreach aims to address issues related to social assistance, substance abuse, GBV, and other social challenges, while enabling community members to apply for social grants, access SASSA services, and receive support from departments such as Home Affairs, the South African Police Service, and the Department of Health.
Community members will also have an opportunity to engage directly with the Minister and senior leadership, including the Director-General of the Department of Social Development, Mr Peter Netshipale; SASSA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Themba Matlou; and National Development Agency Acting CEO, Ms Raphaahle Ramokgopa.
The programme reflects government’s ongoing commitment to integrated service delivery and strengthening sustainable livelihood opportunities, ensuring that social protection initiatives continue to empower individuals, families and communities.