Covid-19 crisis: More amendments to social development directive

More changes have been made to the 30 March ministerial directive on minimising the impact of Covid-19 on Department of Social Development services. This is noting that it was first amended on 7 April, reports Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch. Gazetted on Sunday, the latest amendments reinstate all temporary disability grants that lapsed between February and March – extending them from the date they were suspended until the end of October. According to a media statement on the amendments, the ‘the same applies’ to ‘care dependency and foster child grants’ that have already lapsed under lockdown or are due to do so. On that basis, temporary disability grants likely to lapse as the lockdown continues will doubtless also be extended. Approximately 1 800 additional social workers have been employed for three months to ‘reinforce’ those already in the field – and ‘limited’ services are now being provided at South African Social Security Agency offices, focusing on applications for child support grants, foster care grants and the needs of the elderly.

In addition, regulations affecting the movement of children between the co-holders of parental responsibility and/or caregivers in different metropolitan areas, districts of provinces have been revised to allow ‘any child’ not at the residence of his/her primary caregiver before the lockdown to return to that residence. This is on the understanding that criteria prescribed in the amended regulations are met – and that the children concerned then remain with their primary care givers. With that in mind, the statement appeals to ‘all parents/caregivers who share joint custody’ to be ‘reasonable’ and ‘prioritise the health and safety of their children when making decisions about whether ... (they) should be moved’.

Acknowledging the ‘challenges’ experienced in distributing food parcels to communities facing ‘malnutrition and hunger’ during the Covid-19 lockdown, the statement appears to blame them on a lack of coordination between the non-profit organisations involved and municipal, provincial and law enforcement authorities. More ‘directives’ are being developed to address this issue. Other matters dealt with in the amendments include early childhood development and older persons’ facilities (which will remain closed during lockdown level four); the release of service users from substance abuse treatment centres and halfway houses, shelters for the victims of gender-based violence, and child and youth care facilities (upon the recommendation of a social worker); and the ‘prioritisation’ of ‘all matters relating to children in conflict with the law’.