Getting hands dirty for the poor

There are more than 370000 children whose parents receive grants for their upbringing but that is no indication of how many need help.

Briefing the media in Pretoria yesterday, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini said the department wanted children to "grow up and be human beings".

She said there could be as many as 2million children in need of help who were "not on the system".

"Child- and youth-headed households are of great concern because of the problems the young people have to contend with as they struggle to survive without parents," Dlamini said.

"It is not a normal situation for children to start being adults by taking care of themselves and their siblings."

In an attempt to bring more children into the social security net, Dlamini said officials at all levels - from directors-general to junior employees - would soon be turned into field workers for at least five days, visiting communities.

Dlamini said the new project, Mikondzo, which in Xitsonga means "footprints", would reach all household-heading children, the elderly, permanently disabled people and the poor who were not benefiting from state grants.

The first phase will target more than 1300 of the poorest wards in 23 district municipalities across South Africa.

Funding for the project would be drawn from the SA Social Security Agency and the National Development Agency, among others, she said.

Last week, Stats SA announced that 40% of households relied on social grants as their only income, and that if the number increased the government would not be able to afford payment.

In response, Dlamini said: "But also we cannot afford poverty."