SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SETS CLEAR COURSE TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL PROTECTION AND ERADICATE POVERTY

By: DSD News

• ⁠The Department of Social Development (DSD), together with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)and National Development Agency(NDA), tabled its 2026/27 Annual Performance Plans aligned to national priorities and economic recovery efforts.
• ⁠The plans prioritise basic income support, Gender Based Violence and Femicide response services, and employment of social service professionals to strengthen community resilience.
• Evidence shows that 84% of learners who passed matric in 2025 were social grant beneficiaries, reinforcing the long-term impact of social protection.

The Minister of Social Development, Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to strengthening social protection as a key driver in the fight against poverty, unemployment and inequality.

Presenting the 2026/27 Annual Performance Plans (APP) in Cape Town on 29 April 2026, the Minister led the Department of Social Development, alongside its entities, the South African Social Security Agency and National Development Agency, in outlining strategic priorities and service delivery commitments for the year ahead. The tabling of the APP forms part of government’s constitutional obligation to ensure transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery.

The plans were developed through extensive consultation with key stakeholders, including the Auditor-General of South Africa and the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency, ensuring alignment with national development priorities.

Addressing the Portfolio Committee, Minister Tolashe reflected on progress made in the previous financial year while acknowledging existing challenges.
“I come before this committee with pride on the strides we have made from the previous financial year, notwithstanding a few challenges on our course to implement previous APPs. The social development sector provides social protection services and strengthens partnerships through which vulnerable individuals, groups and communities are supported to become capable, resilient and self-reliant participants in our country,” said the Minister.

The 2026/27 APP marks the second phase of implementing the priorities of the 7th Administration and aligns with the National Development Plan, the Medium-Term Development Plan, and commitments outlined in the 2026 State of the Nation Address. It also reinforces government’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, positioning social development as central to inclusive growth.

Key focus areas outlined in the plan include strengthening a capable and ethical social development sector, advancing basic income support for individuals aged 18 to 59, and intensifying efforts to combat gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). The Department continues to lead Pillar 4 of the National Strategic Plan on GBVF, which focuses on response, care, support and healing, including the establishment of shelters in underserved districts.

The Department will also expand programmes aimed at preventing alcohol and substance abuse, improve disaster management coordination, and facilitate the employment of social service professionals to address social challenges at community level.

Importantly, the Department highlighted the long-term impact of social grants in breaking intergenerational poverty. The 2025 National Senior Certificate results indicate that 84% of learners who passed were recipients of the Child Support Grant, underscoring the effectiveness of sustained social protection interventions.

Following deliberations, the Portfolio Committee approved the submission of the APP and Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) Budget to Parliament, paving the way for the continued implementation of programmes aimed at building a more inclusive and resilient society.